The ecological niches of leishmaniasis in the Americas are diverse, from southern Texas to northern Argentina and from the high, dry, cool Andes to the steamy rain forest. Indians of the high Andes at risk to leishmaniasis.
Humans are the intruders in the forest.
The american indians called chicleros and involved in the collection of the gum of the wild chicle tree in the tropical forest required for the production of chewing gum, disturb the Lutzomya sand fly and are frequently bitten. These chicleros consider the the lesions that develop as a common occupational hazard and call it chiclero's ulcer. In the domestic setting, both in the New and in the Old World the dog is the main reservoir for this parasite. The fact that the dog lives in close contact with humans and attracts the sand flies makes these domestic animals an important source of infection. In many countries infected dogs have to be removed and killed.