Leishmaniasis
A friedn and me spent last year a week riding in Morocco, also visited the dunes at Merzouga. After a while we both developed nasty sores. After a lot of tests diagnosis was set: Leishmaniasis. Luckily, not the really dangerous variety.
Leishmaniasis is a parasite transferred by the bite of a sandfly. There are several variants ranging from just ugly and impractcal to outright dangerous. Treatment is difficult, normally with injections of antimone-based medecine into muscles while monitoring liver and kidney functions (antimone has been forbidden as insecticide in Europe since the 50's.
Prevention is the same as malaria: keep skin covered, avoid being bitten. Avoid sitting down on blankets of dubious cleanliness (Merzouga dunes teashop ....).
We are both OK, no worries.
Auke
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