Entomological inventory of Phlebotomine sand flies and epidemiological study of leishmaniasis in Afourer, Azilal province, High Atlas, Morocco

: In Morocco, leishmaniases are a major public health problem due to their genetic diversity and geographical distribution. Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. tropica is endemic in the center of the country; it has a high risk of transmission, with Phlebotomus sergenti as vector. This study aimed to identify the vectors of Leishmania and the epidemiological trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Afourer, Morocco. The entomological study used both adhesive and CDC miniature light trap to capture six different species: P. sergenti (50.21 %), P. papatasi (18.45 %), P. longicuspis (17.17 %), P. perniciosus (12.02 %), S. minuta (1.93 %) and P. chabaudi (0.21 %). The life cycle of sand flies in this area is characterized by a biphasic trend with two activity peaks, in May and November. Hence, the highest transmission levels are likely to occur from early summer to the end of autumn. However, the epidemiological status of leishmaniasis in Afourer between 2009-2013 showed a significant decreasing trend - of 87.7 %.