A Nasty Tropical Skin Disease Is Now Endemic in the U.S.

[Warpy]

3. I saw a lot of it in Boston, of all places

between globe trotters and new immigrants. I rarely saw the early stage, which is raised bumps around a bug bite. People came in for treatment when the area ulcerated and it became clear something worse was going on. It isn't passed person to person by social contact. The ulcers are ugly and produce scarring, so people generally kept them covered up.

It's a nasty, persistent little parasite that can recur after the original lesion has healed, especially in people who haven't come in for treatment. It can turn into systemic lieshmaniasis and the systemic form is life threatening.

If the low dose ivermectin that antivax kooks were taking works on it, that's great. Still, it's better to seek treatment before you need something like that, the ulcers are treated with heat or cold. I understand now they're using lasers on them to kill the bugs.

I'm not surprised it's showing up in Texas, that was only a matter of time.