PESHAWAR, Sept 10: High incidence of leishmaniasis, a skin disease caused by sand flies, has been reported among Afghan refugees, especially in the Kurram Agency, officials of the health department say.

"In August, about 257 patients, including 38 children and 137 women, were treated in the agency. Forty of them were living outsides refugee camps, while the rest of them live in seven refugees camps", said a health official.

The total population of these camps was 90,053. In addition to these patients, 195 people were treated in the health units during August, official said, adding that most of them lived outside the camps and had contracted the disease because of their proximity to the refugees.

There was an outbreak of Leishmaniasis in the Kurram Agency in 2001, which was contained by the Department of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization.