Emerging and Re-Emerging Leishmaniases in the Mediterranean Area: What Can Be Learned from a Retrospective Review Analysis of the Situation in Morocco during 1990 to 2010?

Kahime Kholoud; Lahouari Bounoua; Denis Sereno; MoulayAbdelomain El Hidan; Mohamed Messouli

doi:10.3390/microorganisms8101511

Emerging and Re-Emerging Leishmaniases in the Mediterranean Area: What Can Be Learned from a Retrospective Review Analysis of the Situation in Morocco during 1990 to 2010?

Microorganisms. 2020 Sep 30;8(10):1511. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8101511.

Authors

Kahime Kholoud^{1

2}, Lahouari Bounoua³, Denis Sereno⁴, MoulayAbdelomain El Hidan⁵, Mohamed Messouli²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Applied Sciences for the Environment and Sustainable Development, School of Technology Cadi Ayyad University, 40000 Marrakesh, Morocco.
² Research Group on Impact, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in Morocco (GRIVAC), LHEA, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, 40000 Marrakesh, Morocco.
³ Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, MD 21041, USA.
⁴ IRD, University of Montpellier, InterTryp, 34000 Montpellier, France.
⁵ Science and Technique Center, Ait Melloul, Ibn Zohr University, 800000 Agadir, Morocco.

Abstract

In Morocco, cutaneous and visceral leishmaniases represent a public health concern. In this opinion paper, we propose to highlight chosen elements that have governed the drastic increase in the incidence of leishmaniases recorded in Morocco during the period between 1990 to 2010 in order to guide the prediction of the expansion of diseases and epidemic events. We highlight that the dispersion of the zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) form, caused by the Leishmania major parasite, appears to be closely related to that of its arthropod vector density, which is sensitive to changes in climate. The dissemination of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) was related to an increase in human travel and local tourism during the studied decades. These are linked to economic expansion and infrastructure development. Interestingly, the main ACL foci are spatially aligned with the highways, and their occurrence was synchronized with the building of transportation infrastructure. During the above-mentioned decades, the zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) caused by Leishmania infantum has expanded from its historical northern territories, dispersing outwards in all directions. This spread follows the emergence of hamlets and villages connecting with major cities.

Keywords: Leishmania infantum; Leishmania major; Leishmania tropica; Morocco; Sandfly; cutaneous leishmaniases; epidemiology; leishmaniases; visceral leishmaniases.