|
|
Article: Baghdad boil invades United States.(leishmaniasis)
- Article from:
- Nutrition Health Review
- Article date:
- June 22, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Vegetus Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
A team of dermatologists at University of Texas in Dallas identified nine cases of an infectious skin disease in northern Texas. The disease is common in South America, Mexico, and in the Middle East, where it is sometimes referred to as a "Baghdad boil."
The infection causes nonhealing sores that resemble boils; they can be the size of a half-dollar or larger. These sores usually last for six to 12 months. Because they are often mistaken for a staphylococcal infection, patients may have been given multiple courses of standard antibiotics without success. The disease is caused by a single-celled parasite called Leishmania. The diagnosis is confirmed by special ...