EPIDEMIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS AND CONTROL OF LEISHMANIASIS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

The leishmaniases are a widespread and medically important group of pa rasitic diseases, some of which pose a serious health threat in commun ities throughout the Mediterranean basin. In 1993, a joint, collaborat ive study of the Mediterranean leishmaniases was initiated by scientis ts from Israel, Turkey, Portugal and the Netherlands. The aim of this project was the development of a multi-component approach to the succe ssful control of all forms of leishmaniasis, with special emphasis on the more severe, visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The need for highly sens itive and accurate new tools to facilitate diagnosis and epidemiologic al surveys of endemic areas and for studies on the immunology of VL in laboratory models (dog and mice) was soon recognized. It is anticipat ed that the development of these tools and the associated technology w ill provide a better understanding of the disease and improve its cont rol.