Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Found throughout the world (particularly in the warmer climes), the sandfly is a blood-sucking insect quite like a mosquito. Unfortunately, the sandfly does not always simply take blood; it sometimes leaves behind a parasite as a parting gift. Soon, the tiny bite grows into an ugly, festering ulcer. Worse still, sandflies tend to bite the face. Left untreated, the wounds can take months to heal. In Afghanistan, where they are particularly common, they are referred to as “one-year sores”.
