Skin Disease Strikes Iraqi Children

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Feb 14, 12:52 PM EST

Skin Disease Strikes Iraqi Children

By MARIA CHENG
AP Medical Writer

LONDON (AP) -- At least 275 children in southern Iraq have been infected with a disfiguring skin disease, an outbreak some health officials are blaming on the war's devastating effect on the public health system.

According to the United Nations - citing reports from Iraq's southern province of Qadissiyah - 275 children have been struck with leishmaniasis, which is spread by sand flies. Most have a form that causes skin sores, but others have a type that strikes internal organs and can be fatal.

"This is a killer disease and we are trying to stop its spread," said Dr. Omer Mekki, an epidemiologist at the World Health Organization's Iraq office.

Two types of leishmaniasis have been found in southern Iraq, according to Mekki: 212 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, also known as Baghdad boil disease, and 63 cases of visceral leishmaniasis, or kala azar, Hindi for black fever.




Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ_SKIN_DISEASE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-02-14-12-52-01

[madrchsod]

1. add another level to dante`s hell

[sam sarrha]

2. i have seen this disease in Peace Corp Volunteers from india, it is frightfully ugly, painful

and difficult to treat, and easy to be reinfected if you have to live among the flies

[balantz]

3. Children anywhere are most precious.

We are an abomination.

[thereismore]

4. Our dear, precious leader of the US America. I hope you are covered in these

boils before you give your soul to Satan.

[Javaman]

5. So they only now report this????

this has been around since the beginning of the war.

it's a right of passage among the troops.

I'm sure because of the wonderful sanitary conditions now in baghdad, the flea population has grown exponentially.

Poor kids. Jesus, what other horrors can we bring down on these people.

[paparush]

6. Depleted Uranium? Anyone? Oh.oh..I see...sand flies..of course...