EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HUMAN VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN TAOUNATE, A NORTHERN PROVINCE OF MOROCCO

We report the preliminary results of an epidemiological survey carried out in the locality of Ouled Hcein, province of Taounate (North Moroc co) around one visceral leishmaniasis infant case. The strain isolated from the child was characterized by three methods as leishmania infan tum and its isoenzyme pattern was indistinguishable from zymodeme MON- 1. The human survey in the locality of origin of the index case did no t show any additional case and the serology was negative for the whole people sampled. The canine survey showed that the highest seroprevale nce of the canine disease was found in the locality of Ouled Hcein (27 .1%) when compared to 4 surrounding localities. The entomological surv ey showed that amongst the demonstrated L. infantum vectors around the Mediterranean Basin, Phlebotomus longicuspis was the predominant spec ies. Furthermore, the survey led to the indentification of one female of P. ariasi naturally infected with L. infantum, so this species shou ld be at least one of the vectors of this parasite in this area. Thus, this study confirms that the transmission cycle of L. infantum in Nor th Morocco is similar to the cycle found in the remaining Mediterranea n area.