Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by parasites that belong to the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by the bite of certain species of sand fly. Synonyms for leishmaniasis include kala azar, Black Fever, sandfly disease and Dum-Dum fever. The disease is named for William Boog Leishman. Most forms of the disease are transmittable only from animals (zoonosis), but some can be spread between people.