In Argentina, since the beginning of the year through July 26, 2025, 9 cases of visceral leishmaniasis were reported, 5 in the NEA region and 4 in the NOA. Unlike the historical average, cases were concentrated in the population over 20 years of age (77.7%), with no deaths or associated comorbidities reported.
Regarding cutaneous leishmaniasis, 50 cases were reported, 28 of which were in the Northwest region, 21 in the Northeast region, and one in the South. Additionally, 18 cases were reported with a probable date of symptom onset prior to 2025. The average age was 41.8 years, and 62% of the cases were in the 20-49 age group.
Finally, 7 cases of mucosal leishmaniasis were recorded, 2 of which were found outside the endemic area (Santa Fe and Buenos Aires City) and were evaluated as relapsed or imported cases. The remaining cases correspond to men between 29 and 70 years of age from the provinces of Chaco, Corrientes, Salta, and Jujuy.
Leishmaniasis is a group of anthropozoonotic diseases caused by various parasites of the genus Leishmania. They are transmitted to susceptible mammals, including humans, through the bite of the female sandfly of various species (subfamily Phlebotominae).
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis explosion: An interview with Dr Peter Hotez
In Argentina, autochthonous transmission cycles of the following clinical variants are recorded: visceral leishmaniasis (VL), which represents the most severe form, and tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL), which includes, among others, the cutaneous (CL) and mucosal (ML) forms. Although dynamic, transmission is limited to natural foci where the vector, reservoir, and parasite coexist, influenced by ecological factors such as climate, temperature, humidity, and vegetation cover.
Wild transmission in areas of primary or residual vegetation represents a risk primarily associated with work, recreational, or extractive activities carried out in these environments. Occasionally, outbreaks of transmission are recorded in the domestic-rural and domestic-urban cycles, linked to settlements located adjacent to areas of primary vegetation or residual urban patches.