Leishmaniasis in Europe and the Mediterranean Region

Dear Colleagues,

Leishmaniasis, a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in endemic regions such as South America, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. However, the epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Europe and the Mediterranean region has attracted mounting attention due to several factors. These include the under-reporting of cases, non-HIV immunosuppression, and the potential impact of climate change on the distribution of vector species.

Although considered a neglected disease, leishmaniasis is a growing public health problem in Europe. Under-reporting remains a major problem, hampering accurate assessment of the disease burden. In addition, the increasing prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in immunosuppressed patients—such as those receiving immunomodulatory therapies—highlights the need for better diagnostic and management strategies. Recent research efforts have focused on identifying reliable immunological markers in the cure of VL, which could improve patient monitoring and treatment outcomes.

Climate change is another pressing factor, as rising temperatures may facilitate the northward expansion of Phlebotomus sandfly vectors, increasing the risk of autochthonous transmission in previously non-endemic areas of northern Europe. In addition, imported cases due to travel and migration highlight the need for increased awareness and preparedness among healthcare professionals.

Addressing these challenges requires a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health perspectives. There is an urgent need for improving the training of health workers, increasing public awareness, and developing novel therapeutic strategies. This Special Issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases seeks high quality papers on epidemiological trends, clinical management, novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and policy recommendations for the control of leishmaniasis in Europe and the Mediterranean. We invite researchers and clinicians to submit their work contributing to the advancement of knowledge and providing solutions for this evolving public health threat.

Dr. Begoña Monge-Maillo
Dr. Juan Víctor San Martín-López
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• visceral leishmaniasis
• cutaneous leishmaniasis
• mucocutaneous leishmaniasis
• Leishmania infantum
• Leishmania major
• Leishmania tropica
• imported leishmaniasis
• immunosupression
• one health
• climate change
• biomarkers