leishmania, any of several species of flagellate protists belonging to the genus Leishmania in the order Trypanosomatida. These protists are parasites of vertebrates, to which they are transmitted by species of bloodsucking sand flies in the genera Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia. The leishmanial parasites assume two forms: a round or oval leishmanial stage, which lives and multiplies in the vertebrate host; and an elongate, motile, flagellated organism called a leptomonad, which is found in the alimentary tract of the sand fly. In their leishmanial stage, the organisms are taken in with the meal of the fly, and they develop into leptomonads in the fly’s stomach and multiply there. They eventually migrate to the fly’s mouthparts, from which the leptomonads enter the wound made at the next feeding, thus initiating a new infection.
At least 20 species in the genus Leishmania infect humans. Although many look quite alike, they can cause different diseases, which are collectively called leishmaniasis. For example, Leishmania donovani, which attacks the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and other viscera, causes visceral leishmaniasis (also called kala-azar or black fever) in Africa, Europe, and Asia. L. tropica causes cutaneous leishmaniasis (also called oriental sore or Aleppo boil) in Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East; lesions that range from pimples to large ulcers are formed on the skin of the hands, feet, legs, and face. L. braziliensis, the cause of a form of leishmaniasis found in Central and South America, produces similar skin lesions but also causes deeper lesions of the oral and nasal mucous membranes.