Bücher von David Claborn

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne, parasitic disease with tremendous variety in presentation, biology, and epidemiology. Any book on this disease must acknowledge the nearly impossible task of providing an exhaustive account of leishmaniasis simply because the epidemiology of the disease is so very complex. This book addresses some of this variety with chapters on the epidemiology of leishmaniasis in North Africa, Central America, and South America. The purpose of the book is not to specifically address diagnosis and treatment of the disease, but rather to provide a sample of the differing epidemiologies of leishmaniasis that occur due to variations in local habitats; the presence of different vectors, reservoirs, and agents; and the wide variety of cultures in which this disease occurs.

Of all the parasitic diseases, leishmaniasis is one of the most diverse, with a variety of manifestations, from relatively minor cutaneous lesions to deadly visceral infections. It is also widespread, causing human disease in the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa. The environments in which this disease occurs range from desert to tropical jungle to urban habitats. Not surprisingly, the literature on this disease is written in a variety of languages including Portuguese, Arabic, English and French among others. This book provides a synopsis in English of much of the recent research on leishmaniasis, with a focus on the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of the disease as described by researchers around the world, but with a focus on the research from Brazil and the Middle East.