An ancient skin disfiguring infection – leishmaniasis – which is also known by various nicknames across the world like Baghdad boil, Calcutta ulcer and Jericho button, is not something well-known in America. 
 
But Americans are likely to know a lot about this mysterious disease as evidence shows that the parasitic skin infection usually found among international travellers has now turned into an endemic (a situation where the disease is constantly present)&nbsp;in parts of the United States. 
 
The infection has been creeping up mostly in non-travelers in Texas where doctors are needed to report the cases to health authorities. The infection has also been found spreading in southeast Oklahoma and Arizona. 
 
Experts have raised concerns that the huge number of critters which are capable of harbouring and transmitting the infection and climate change are further increasing the spread of disease.

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/disease-x-likely-to-prove-20-times-deadlier-compared-to-covid-19-hints-expert-639469">&nbsp;'Disease X' likely to prove 20 times deadlier compared to COVID-19, hints expert</a>

In the genetic testing of 86 locally acquired cases, it was seen that the majority were infected by a Leishmania mexicana parasite's variant that is likely to have originated in the US. 
 
“There have been previous indications of local transmission based on a small number of case reports,” stated Mary Kamb, a medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which carried out the study. 
 
“Now, for the first time, we have a distinct genetic fingerprint from a relatively large cluster, providing further evidence that leishmaniasis may be well-established in some parts of the US,” he added. The results were presented at a scientific meeting held in Chicago on Thursday (Oct 19).

<h2>Sand fly transmitting Leishmaniasis-causing parasites</h2>

Around 70 species of sand fly have been transmitting the Leishmaniasis-causing parasites. The main culprits in the western hemisphere are Lutzomyia insects which are known to feed on blood. They are discovered in different parts of the United States, especially in southern states. 
 
The parasite has been residing in a “reservoir” of animals, which are mostly opossums, armadillos and rodents, which female sandflies feed on. The virus has also infected American cats and dogs, and there has been concern that imported dogs, which were infected abroad, can harbour a life-threatening visceral form of the disease.

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: 'Disease X' could be 20 times deadlier than the Wuhan virus

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Cutaneous leishmaniasis in humans has been causing hard-to-heal, ulcerating sores which are the size of a half-dollar or larger and can last six to 12 months. Even though there are medications for treating them, the sores can turn into disfiguring scars if they are left to fester. 
 
In Texas, dermatologists are accustomed to spotting the infection, however, it is not well-recognised in other states. Kamb said that it hampered efforts to understand how widely the parasites have spread.

(With inputs from agencies)

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An ancient skin disfiguring infection – leishmaniasis – which is also known by various nicknames across the world like Baghdad boil, Calcutta ulcer and Jericho button, is not something well-known in America.

An ancient skin disfiguring infection – leishmaniasis – which is also known by various nicknames across the world like Baghdad boil, Calcutta ulcer and Jericho button, is not something well-known in America. But Americans are likely to know a lot about this mysterious disease as evidence shows that the parasitic skin infection usually found among international travellers has now turned into an endemic (a situation where the disease is constantly present) in parts of the United States. The infection has been creeping up mostly in non-travelers in Texas where doctors are needed to report the cases to health authorities. The infection has also been found spreading in southeast Oklahoma and Arizona. Experts have raised concerns that the huge number of critters which are capable of harbouring and transmitting the infection and climate change are further increasing the spread of disease. ALSO READ | 'Disease X' likely to prove 20 times deadlier compared to COVID-19, hints expert In the genetic testing of 86 locally acquired cases, it was seen that the majority were infected by a Leishmania mexicana parasite's variant that is likely to have originated in the US. “There have been previous indications of local transmission based on a small number of case reports,” stated Mary Kamb, a medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which carried out the study. “Now, for the first time, we have a distinct genetic fingerprint from a relatively large cluster, providing further evidence that leishmaniasis may be well-established in some parts of the US,” he added. The results were presented at a scientific meeting held in Chicago on Thursday (Oct 19). Sand fly transmitting Leishmaniasis-causing parasites Around 70 species of sand fly have been transmitting the Leishmaniasis-causing parasites. The main culprits in the western hemisphere are Lutzomyia insects which are known to feed on blood. They are discovered in different parts of the United States, especially in southern states. The parasite has been residing in a “reservoir” of animals, which are mostly opossums, armadillos and rodents, which female sandflies feed on. The virus has also infected American cats and dogs, and there has been concern that imported dogs, which were infected abroad, can harbour a life-threatening visceral form of the disease. WATCH | Gravitas: 'Disease X' could be 20 times deadlier than the Wuhan virus Cutaneous leishmaniasis in humans has been causing hard-to-heal, ulcerating sores which are the size of a half-dollar or larger and can last six to 12 months. Even though there are medications for treating them, the sores can turn into disfiguring scars if they are left to fester. In Texas, dermatologists are accustomed to spotting the infection, however, it is not well-recognised in other states. Kamb said that it hampered efforts to understand how widely the parasites have spread. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US slowly getting caught in proliferating skin-disfiguring infection?

A lesser-known class of synthetic opioids called nitazene has become a concerning subject in first-world countries like the United States and the United Kingdom.

A lesser-known class of synthetic opioids called nitazene has become a concerning subject in first-world countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Nitazene consists of some drugs that are a hundred times more potent than morphine and as potent as fentanyl, a synthetic opioid infamous for the lives it has claimed in the US. Over the last two months, there was a rise in opioid-related deaths in the UK, including several cases of nitazene intake. According to a recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, people who overdosed on nitazenes generally needed two or more doses of ganaxolone, an overdose-reversal drug. However, those who overdosed on fentanyl required only one. In the 1950s, a Swiss company called Ciba Pharmaceuticals developed nitazene as a new painkiller (analgesic). But the opioid drug, banned under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 in the UK, never made it to the market. How do opioids work? Opioids, like morphine, heroin, and fentanyl, act on mu(μ)-opioid receptors, sites in the brain and other body parts that respond to the drug. When activated, these brain receptors can relieve pain. However, at high doses, they can evoke euphoria followed by drowsiness. Opioids also reduce breathing by suppressing the respiratory system. Thus, an overdose of opioids can cause death. ALSO READ | Over 250 mysterious fairy circles spotted from space spread across three continents N-desethyl isotonitazene causes apnea, the stoppage of breathing, at about a third of the dose of fentanyl. Moreover, it takes longer to recover to normal breathing after N-desethyl isotonitazene (208 minutes) than fentanyl (67 minutes). Other issues with nitazene include its usage as an adulterant in other illegal drugs, like cocaine, benzodiazepines, and synthetic cannabinoids (spice). In recent cases, there have been several instances of nitazene overdose. The number of new drugs in this class, analogues, emerging on the streets appears to be growing. However, since enough facilities are unavailable to test for nitazenes, the extent of the opioid drug's penetration into the illegal market is unknown. Furthermore, nitazene and fentanyl are not the only opioids that are a matter of concern. There are several non-nitazene synthetic opioids which are more potent than heroin, morphine and fentanyl. Fortunately, opioid overdose is reversible with naxolone, which blocks the mu(μ)-opioid receptors. It can save lives if given within the correct duration. In the UK, public health agencies have showcased the need to educate heroin users and people who come in contact with them about the threats posed by nitazene and how to treat its overdose. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

An opioid deadlier than fentanyl is sweeping through the Western world

According to a top French health authority, as winter approaches, France has reached the eighth wave of the Covid virus.&nbsp;

Brigitte Autran, a participant in the vaccination strategic board of the government, confirmed that "yes, we are in this eighth wave."&nbsp;

Autran said, "All the indicators are on the up."

The latest reported figure of 45,631 for the seven-day moving average of daily new cases in France, according to Covid statistics released on Monday, was the highest level since August 2.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-german-chancellor-angela-merkel-wins-un-refugee-prize-522361">Former German chancellor Angela Merkel wins UN refugee prize</a>

The number of Covid patients in hospital critical care units (ICU), at 843, and the overall number of Covid hospitalizations in France were both at their highest levels since the end of August.&nbsp;

According to the World Health Organization, there have been about 151,500 Covid fatalities in France to date.

(with inputs from agencies)

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According to a top French health authority, as winter approaches, France has reached the eighth wave of the Covid virus. Brigitte Autran, a participant in the vaccination strategic board of the government, confirmed that "yes, we are in this eighth wave.

According to a top French health authority, as winter approaches, France has reached the eighth wave of the Covid virus. Brigitte Autran, a participant in the vaccination strategic board of the government, confirmed that "yes, we are in this eighth wave." Autran said, "All the indicators are on the up." The latest reported figure of 45,631 for the seven-day moving average of daily new cases in France, according to Covid statistics released on Monday, was the highest level since August 2. Also Read: Former German chancellor Angela Merkel wins UN refugee prize The number of Covid patients in hospital critical care units (ICU), at 843, and the overall number of Covid hospitalizations in France were both at their highest levels since the end of August. According to the World Health Organization, there have been about 151,500 Covid fatalities in France to date. (with inputs from agencies)

8th Covid wave gaining intensity in France, new cases highest since August

As they struggle to deal with more extreme weather, a range of food crops are generating more of chemical compounds that can cause&nbsp;healthproblems for people and livestock who eat them, scientists have warned.

A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says that crops such as wheat and maize are generating more potential toxins as a reaction to protect themselves from extreme weather.

But these chemical compounds are harmful to people and animals if consumed for a prolonged period of time, according to a report released during a United Nations Environment Assembly meeting in Nairobi.

&quot;Crops are responding to drought conditions and increases in temperature just like humans do when faced with a stressful situation,&rdquo; explained Jacqueline McGlade, chief scientist and director of the Division of Early Warning and Assessment at UNEP.

Under normal conditions, for instance, plants convert nitrates they absorb into nutritious amino acids and proteins. But prolonged drought slows or prevents this conversion, leading to more potentially problematic nitrate accumulating in the plant, the report said.

If people eat too much nitrate in their diets, it can interfere with the ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen in the body, the report said.

Crops susceptible to accumulating too much nitrate in times of stress include maize, wheat, barley, soybeans, millet and sorghum, it said.

&nbsp;

DROUGHT, THEN RAIN

Some drought-stressed crops, when then exposed to sudden large amounts of rain that lead to rapid growth, in turn accumulate hydrogen cyanide, more commonly known as prussic acid, the report said.

Prussic acid &ndash; one of the ingredients used in some types of chemical warfare - interferes with oxygen flow in humans. Even short-term exposure can be debilitating for people, McGlade said.

Plants such as cassava, flax, maize and sorghum are most vulnerable to dangerous prussic acid accumulation, the report said.

Cases of nitrate or hydrogen cyanide poisoning in humans were reported in Kenya in 2013 and in the Philippines in 2005, McGlade said. In Kenya, two children died in coastal Kilifi after eating cassava that had raised levels of prussic acid in it following extreme rainfall, according to local media reports.

Aflatoxins, molds that can affect plant crops and raise the risk of liver damage, cancer and blindness, as well as stunting foetuses and infants, also are spreading to more areas as a result of shifting weather patterns as a result of climate change, scientists said.

McGlade said about 4.5 billion people in developing countries are exposed to aflatoxins each year, though the amounts are largely unmonitored, and the numbers are rising.

&quot;We are just beginning to recognise the magnitude of toxin- related issues confronting farmers in developing countries of the tropics and sub-tropics,&quot; the report noted.

&quot;As warmer climate zones expand towards the poles, countries in more temperate regions are facing new threats,&quot; it added.

In 2004, Kenya suffered severe outbreaks of aflatoxin poisoning, which affected more than 300 people and killed more than 100 following a prolonged drought, according to the International Livestock Research Institute.

&nbsp;

EUROPE AT RISK

The UNEP report said Europe will be at growing risk from aflatoxins in locally grown crops if global temperatures rise by at least 2 degrees Celsius. The world is currently on a path to a more than 3 degree Celsius temperature rise, scientists believe.

An increase in toxic compounds in crops is likely to impact heavily on the world&rsquo;s&nbsp;health&nbsp;system, which are already struggling with the effects of food insecurity, Dorota Jarosinska of the WorldHealth&nbsp;Organization&rsquo;s European Center for Environment and&nbsp;Health&nbsp;said in an interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Alex Ezeh, executive director of the African Population&nbsp;Health&nbsp;and Research Center, said the increase in toxins in crops was a big concern.

&quot;Toxic crops can lead to neurological diseases among humans but the greatest challenge is the incidence of cancer,&rdquo; he said in an interview.

The report proposes a list of eight ideas farmers and agricultural experts can adopt to try to limit damage from more crop toxins, such as mapping contamination hotspots and building better evidence about what is happening now with the toxins in their area.

Scientists also suggest that developing crop varieties designed to cope with extreme weather could help reduce the levels of toxic chemicals in food.

&quot;Research centers with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research are developing seeds that are suitable in various regions that have been hit by climate change,&rdquo; McGlade said.

As they struggle to deal with more extreme weather, a range of food crops are generating more of chemical compounds that can cause?healthproblems for people and livestock who eat them, scientists have warned

As they struggle to deal with more extreme weather, a range of food crops are generating more of chemical compounds that can cause healthproblems for people and livestock who eat them, scientists have warned. A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says that crops such as wheat and maize are generating more potential toxins as a reaction to protect themselves from extreme weather. But these chemical compounds are harmful to people and animals if consumed for a prolonged period of time, according to a report released during a United Nations Environment Assembly meeting in Nairobi. "Crops are responding to drought conditions and increases in temperature just like humans do when faced with a stressful situation,” explained Jacqueline McGlade, chief scientist and director of the Division of Early Warning and Assessment at UNEP. Under normal conditions, for instance, plants convert nitrates they absorb into nutritious amino acids and proteins. But prolonged drought slows or prevents this conversion, leading to more potentially problematic nitrate accumulating in the plant, the report said. If people eat too much nitrate in their diets, it can interfere with the ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen in the body, the report said. Crops susceptible to accumulating too much nitrate in times of stress include maize, wheat, barley, soybeans, millet and sorghum, it said. DROUGHT, THEN RAIN Some drought-stressed crops, when then exposed to sudden large amounts of rain that lead to rapid growth, in turn accumulate hydrogen cyanide, more commonly known as prussic acid, the report said. Prussic acid – one of the ingredients used in some types of chemical warfare - interferes with oxygen flow in humans. Even short-term exposure can be debilitating for people, McGlade said. Plants such as cassava, flax, maize and sorghum are most vulnerable to dangerous prussic acid accumulation, the report said. Cases of nitrate or hydrogen cyanide poisoning in humans were reported in Kenya in 2013 and in the Philippines in 2005, McGlade said. In Kenya, two children died in coastal Kilifi after eating cassava that had raised levels of prussic acid in it following extreme rainfall, according to local media reports. Aflatoxins, molds that can affect plant crops and raise the risk of liver damage, cancer and blindness, as well as stunting foetuses and infants, also are spreading to more areas as a result of shifting weather patterns as a result of climate change, scientists said. McGlade said about 4.5 billion people in developing countries are exposed to aflatoxins each year, though the amounts are largely unmonitored, and the numbers are rising. "We are just beginning to recognise the magnitude of toxin- related issues confronting farmers in developing countries of the tropics and sub-tropics," the report noted. "As warmer climate zones expand towards the poles, countries in more temperate regions are facing new threats," it added. In 2004, Kenya suffered severe outbreaks of aflatoxin poisoning, which affected more than 300 people and killed more than 100 following a prolonged drought, according to the International Livestock Research Institute. EUROPE AT RISK The UNEP report said Europe will be at growing risk from aflatoxins in locally grown crops if global temperatures rise by at least 2 degrees Celsius. The world is currently on a path to a more than 3 degree Celsius temperature rise, scientists believe. An increase in toxic compounds in crops is likely to impact heavily on the world’s health system, which are already struggling with the effects of food insecurity, Dorota Jarosinska of the WorldHealth Organization’s European Center for Environment and Health said in an interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Alex Ezeh, executive director of the African Population Health and Research Center, said the increase in toxins in crops was a big concern. "Toxic crops can lead to neurological diseases among humans but the greatest challenge is the incidence of cancer,” he said in an interview. The report proposes a list of eight ideas farmers and agricultural experts can adopt to try to limit damage from more crop toxins, such as mapping contamination hotspots and building better evidence about what is happening now with the toxins in their area. Scientists also suggest that developing crop varieties designed to cope with extreme weather could help reduce the levels of toxic chemicals in food. "Research centers with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research are developing seeds that are suitable in various regions that have been hit by climate change,” McGlade said.

Extreme weather increasing level of toxins in food, scientists warn

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