First leishmaniasis vaccine enters phase one trial as disease spreads to US

Article excerpt

Researchers are launching the first-ever phase 1 clinical trial of a leishmaniasis vaccine, marking a significant milestone in combating a parasitic disease that causes disfiguring skin lesions and has historically been confined to tropical regions. The vaccine trial arrives as leishmaniasis spreads into the United States, where cases have been rare but are now appearing with increasing frequency. The disease, transmitted by sand flies, affects millions globally but has long lacked preventive treatments. Success in this early safety trial could open the path to broader testing and eventually protection for vulnerable populations in endemic areas and beyond.