"Baghdad Boil"; Sand Flies tortures troops in Iraq

Ever gotten bitten by a sand fly? They are the most annoying little bugs. Some people call them no-see-ums, punkies, gnats and sand fleas. Seems like our soldiers are being tortured by them. With the camel spiders and gnat flies around, and the oppressive heat this will be a long difficult summer for our troops.
'Baghdad Boil' Afflicts U.S. Troops Exposed in Sand-Fly Rich Iraq
Scientists and doctors refer to the disease caused by the parasite as cutaneous leishmaniasis. But soldiers serving in sand-fly rich Iraq call it, with little affection, the "Baghdad boil."
The sores are not painful or contagious, but left untreated they can last up to 18 months and leave permanent, burn-like scars. Since the flies bite exposed areas, many soldiers have sores on their necks, faces and arms.
Doctors at Walter Reed have seen 653 cases of leishmaniasis, and the hospital's infectious disease wards until recently overflowed with soldiers undergoing a 20-day treatment regimen.
The military has made a big effort to treat leishmaniasis, even pulling soldiers out of the field who have confirmed cases and flying them back to Washington for medical care.

hmmm...maybe Arab and Iraqi women don't mind covering themselves in Burkas because that type of clothing protects them in that part of the world...(sorry just thinking out loud)

btw..this has been around for a while, it's just that there's been an increase, if it has posted before please remove.

How come the people of Iraq dont have open sores? I havent noticed any. The must be immune.(sp)


"fierce parasite stewing in its gut." yummy, YAY, I like parastie.

i'm not sure if it was in that article or somewhere else but it said the Iraqis exposed their children to the sand flies to help build their immunity. Again I have to think the arabs have more reasons for wearing burkas and robes and covering their faces other than religion.