Leishmaniasis Life Cycle

Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasite transmitted by the sand fly. Two animations, from the Wellcome Trust, show the life cycle of the parasite.

They illustrate how the leishmania parasites enter the sand fly and matures in preparation for human infection. The bite from an infected sand fly can lead to disfiguring sores in the skin and can be deadly if the parasites reach the internal organs.

Two separate animations illustrate the changes that occur in the human and fly stages of the life cycle. They contain a lot of detail and can be used with students aged 16+ to illustrate transmission of the disease and the parasite's life cycle. They may be used with younger students as an extension to their learning.

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