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Cases of a disease known as "Aleppo boil" haveÌýsoared across northeast Ìýin recent months due to a lack of insecticides,Ìýaccording to a member ofÌýthe Kurdish Red Crescent, a local medical NGO.Ìý

The disease,Ìýofficially named , is caused by a microscopic parasite which creates ulcers and, in some cases,Ìýcan attackÌýthe internal organs of its victims.

Since the beginning of August, about 16,400 cases have been reported in villages near the Al-Khabour River,Ìýthe largestÌýtributary of the Ìýin Syria,ÌýSky News reported.

The Al-Khabour, through whichÌýwater usually flows year-round, has dried up. Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria say Turkey has repeatedly cutÌýthe river off upstream, and the region has suffered two years of low rainfall.

In the river's placeÌýareÌýa landfill, open sewage, andÌýstale water swamps,Ìýproviding an ideal environment for the flies that carry the parasites.

"We tried every remedy... different treatments and ointments but they all didn't work out,"ÌýShamsa Khalil Alloush, whose son suffered from the disease, told Sky News.

"We ran out of money as we sold all our sheep and can't cover treatment expenses anymore,"ÌýAlloush said.

Health education teams have stepped up their awareness campaigns of the disease following its increase, according to the , which provides medical and humanitarian aid to people affected by conflictÌýinÌýnortheastern Syria.

The teams show people how to protect themselves from the disease and how to seek treatment fromÌýKurdish Red Crescent points if infected.

Prevalence of theÌýdisease has sky-rocketed due to a lack of intervention, according to field hospital nurse andÌýKurdish Red Crescent memberÌýHanoud Shahr Ibrahim.

"I believe that we need to radically address the problem by using insecticide...Ìý The disease wouldn't have spread if those insecticides were used at the right beginning,"ÌýIbrahimÌýtold Sky News.

She said the NGO has asked other organisations to provide it withÌýinsecticides, which have proven effective in preventing the spread of the disease in the past.

"Last year, we had almost no cases because they [insecticides] were used, reporting only eight cases. Whereas there are currently 16,500 reported cases since the first of August," Ibrahim said.

Leishmaniasis was first discovered in patients in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo in the 18th century. It is found in some parts ofÌýAsia, Africa, and southern Europe.