Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is an insidious disease, an underestimated health crisis affecting the most marginalized communities. It's a type of a silent epidemic, cloaked under the shadows of more renowned ailments. Born from the bite of a sandfly infected with the Leishmania parasite, CL is often referred to as a "flesh-eating" disease. This moniker isn't just for dramatic flair - it's a horrifyingly accurate description of the skin ulcers and lesions the disease inflicts. It is the most common form of Leishmaniasis and is characterized by the disfiguring and debilitating skin sores that can leave deep and life-altering scars.

While CL can be found on almost every continent, its primary battlegrounds are the rural and peri-urban areas of approximately 90 tropical and subtropical countries, mainly in regions of the Americas, the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East and Central Asia. The insidiousness of CL is further underscored by the fact that it often ravages populations with limited access to adequate healthcare. CL is an opportunist, thriving in conditions wrought by social upheaval and displacement, like war-torn regions or areas recovering from natural disasters. It's an ailment that, although neglected, affects an estimated 1 million people each year, revealing the urgent need for attention and intervention.