Microbial Biotechnologies, Agrosciences and Environment Laboratory (BioMAgE), Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco.
ISPITS-Higher Institute of Nursing and Health Techniques, Ministry of Health, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Med Vet Entomol. 2020 Dec;34(4):385-393. doi: 10.1111/mve.12434. Epub 2020 Feb 26.
Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis is a common vector-borne systemic disease caused by Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae). In Morocco the situation is complex: many sandfly species have been collected in areas in which the disease is endemic, but only Phlebotomus ariasi, Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus longicuspis (Diptera: Psychodidae) have been confirmed to have vectorial roles. The objective of the present study was to ascertain the potential distribution of L. infantum and its vectors in Morocco, using ecological niche modelling. Vector records were obtained from field collections of the Laboratory team and from previously published entomological observations. Epidemiological data for L. infantum modelling were obtained from Moroccan Ministry of Health reports. The jackknife test indicated that the bioclimatic variables with the greatest influence on model development for all species were annual precipitation and precipitation in the driest quarter of the year. MaxEnt model representations for sandfly species that act as vectors of L. infantum showed the widespread geographic distribution of these species in Morocco, specifically in northern and central Morocco, where foci of visceral leishmaniasis are found. The ecological niche modelling points out areas in which the probability of occurrence of these species is higher. This information should be considered as a starting point for further research to fully elucidate the ecology and epidemiology of these species, as well as of the pathogens they transmit.
人源内脏利什曼病是一种常见的媒介传播的系统性疾病，由婴儿利什曼原虫（原生动物门：动基体目）引起。在摩洛哥，情况很复杂：在疾病流行的地区已经收集了许多沙蝇物种，但只有白蛉（双翅目：白蛉科）、长角白蛉（双翅目：白蛉科）和长刺白蛉（双翅目：白蛉科）被证实具有媒介作用。本研究的目的是利用生态位模型确定摩洛哥婴儿利什曼原虫及其媒介的潜在分布。通过实验室团队的实地采集和以前发表的昆虫学观察获得了媒介记录。用于婴儿利什曼原虫建模的流行病学数据来自摩洛哥卫生部的报告。刀切检验表明，对所有物种模型开发影响最大的生物气候变量是年降水量和最干旱季度的降水量。作为婴儿利什曼原虫媒介的沙蝇物种的最大熵模型表示，这些物种在摩洛哥广泛分布，特别是在北部和中部摩洛哥，那里是内脏利什曼病的流行区。生态位模型指出了这些物种发生概率较高的区域。这些信息应被视为进一步研究的起点，以充分阐明这些物种以及它们传播的病原体的生态学和流行病学。
