The increase in risk factors for leishmaniasis worldwide

Economic development leads to changing interactions between humans and thei r physical and biological environment. Worldwide patterns of human settleme nt in urban areas have led in developing countries to a rapid growth of meg a-cities where facilities for housing, drinking-water and sanitation are in adequate, thus creating opportunities for the transmission of communicable diseases such as leishmaniasis. Increasing risk factors are malting leishma niasis a growing public health concern for many countries around the world. Certain risk factors are new, while others previously known are becoming m ore significant. While some risk factors are related to a specific eco-epid emiological entity, others affect all forms of leishmaniasis. Risk factors are reviewed here entity by entity.