[A social program for the control of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in M'Sila, Algeria].

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major is a serious public health problem in Algeria. On average, 10,000 new cases are reported every year among the 15 million people at risk of infection. With an annual incidence of 561.8 per 100,000 inhabitants, M'Sila has seen the worst outbreak of the disease in Algeria since the historic outbreak in Biskra. The main reservoir of the disease is Psammomys obesus, a gerbil that feeds exclusively on Chenopodiaceae, a salt-tolerant plant under which it makes its burrow. Removing these plants around houses within a radius of 300 meters is one of the most effective control measures. As part of a social program of public works, a pilot project aimed at controlling the disease was undertaken in 2003 in the five worst affected cities in M'Sila. 396 unemployed young people were recruited to remove the plants before the transmission season. Over 3,600 hectares were treated. The number of cases decreased from 1,391 in 2003 to 965 in 2004 (31% reduction). These measures need to be implemented in all endemic areas of the country to better assess their effectiveness in preventing the disease.