A Historical Overview of the Classification, Evolution, and Dispersion of Leishmania Parasites and Sandflies in Morocco

Abstract

In Morocco, as in most countries around the Mediterranean, leishmaniasis is an important public health problem. The situation has become worrying since the 1970’s and continues to be more complicated. The objective of this work was to realize a historical overview of the classification, evolution, and dispersion of Leishmania parasites and Sandflies in Morocco. The status of the different leishmaniasis could be illustrated in three epidemiological entities: zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) due to L. major transmitted by P. (Phlebotomus) papatasi, Anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) due to L. tropica transmitted by P. sergenti and cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) due to L. infantum transmitted by P. ariasi,  P. perniciosus,  and potentially by P. longicuspis.  Actually, VL occurred mainly in Northern Morocco. The ACL is widely distributed in the central and western Morocco. The ZCL occurred mainly in the south and south-east of the Atlas Mountains.