BRIEFS: Health

Disease rampant in panama

Virgilio De León/LA PRENSA

sick: According to health officials, leishmaniasis, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, is a growing problem in Panama. 1096296

According to a report published this month by the Ministerio de Salud, there are more than 2,000 cases of leishmaniasis diagnosed in Panama every year.

The patients come from mountainous areas in almost all provinces of Panama, with the exception of Herrera and Los Santos. The regions of Bocas del Toro, Colón, and Panama present the most cases.

The disease is believed to be caused by a parasite that is mainly found in certain species of sloths. That parasite can be transmitted to humans through certain types of blood-sucking insects, such as sand flies and mosquitoes.

The number of cases in Panama has steadily increased as more people are moving into regions inhabited by sloths and mosquitoes.

The disease features sores that appear on the skin as well as respiratory problems and nasal obstructions and bleeding.

Elicia Alveo, a resident of Santa Rosa in the district of Capira, said that three of her six children suffered from the disease. Despite the fact that her children were successfully treated at a health clinic, the marks from the sores still remain on their skin.

Occasionally people try to cure the disease by applying creams, among other topical treatments. Nevertheless, this does not cure the disease, health officials said.

Health officials are working on a plan that would expand the number of health centers trained in the treating the disease in rural areas. This plan would expand the care for people suffering from the disease, with a particular emphasis on diagnosing cases.