The infections transmitted by sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) pose always a real health problem due to the increasing number of cases detected each year and the annual emergence of new ...leishmaniasis outbreaks. This study evaluated the temporal evolution of six species of sand flies in five stations inventoried between May 2017 and April 2018, in order to determine for the first time the extent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) transmission in the city of Fez. The monthly impact of Fez sand fly density has been studied using all multivariate statistical analyses, including multiple factor correspondence analysis (MCA), which were performed using XLSTAT and the version of SPSS 20.0 test. Differences between concentrations were considered significant if P<0.05. To better study the results obtained, different ecological indices have been studied. This study showed that these vectors developed in different sectors of the city of Fez. A total of 816 sand flies were collected from five stations in the city, belonging to three species of the genus Phlebotomus (46.82%) and three species of the genus Sergentomyia (53.18%). The seasonal fluctuation of the average density followed a bimodal evolution for the three stations Dhar Richa, Ain Nokbi, and Boujloud. The stations of Ain Nokbi (0.87 ph/m2) and Dhar Richa (0.467 ph/m2) exposed the sites to a high average density with a maximum peak during August (1.965 ph/m2) and July (1.87 Ph/m2), respectively. S. minuta (44.24%), Ph. sergenti (26.96%), Ph. perniciosus (10.78%), and Ph. papatasi (9.07%) were the most qualified species. The calculated P value is above the 5% significance level, so the relative abundance of these species between study sites shows no significant difference. The period of phlebotomy activity of the genus Phlebotomus in Fez lasts seven months from May to November with a bimodal or trimodal evolution and varies according to the species or the surveyed station. The seasonal fluctuation of sand flies could be conditioned by climatic factors where the period of activity of the species coincides with the hot months (May, June, July, and August). We have observed that the temperature factor favors the prevalence of sand flies, while the difference in the relative abundance of species between the sites is related to the difference in the bioecological conditions of each site.
An entomological survey was carried out in the locality of Aichoune to conduct a study on sand flies, species composition, and monthly relative abundance. This study is essential for the ...implementation of integrated vector management control. Insects collection was carried out twice a month from January 2013 to December 2014 by means of adhesive and CDC-type light traps. A total of 5441 sand flies were collected with the predominance of males (a sex ratio = 1.89). The sampled specimens consist of seven species divided into two genera: Phlebotomus (99.55%) and Sergentomyia (0.44%). Phlebotomus sergenti was the dominant species with an average annual proportion of 47.38%, followed by P. perniciosus (37.32%), P. longicuspis (8,56%), P. papatasi (6.23%), and P. ariasi (0.05%). The genus Sergentomyia was less common (0.44%). S.minuta was represented only by 0.36% and S. fallax by 0.07%. The species dynamics showed a unimodal evolution for P. sergenti and P. papatasi. They were active from May to October. P. perniciosus presents a trimodal trend showing the most relevant peak in August. The highest number of specimens was collected in June, when the temperature reaches an annual average value of 25.5°C. The obtained results will help us better understand the leishmaniasis transmission dynamics in the Aichoune locality and will contribute to the design of a surveillance strategy.
Leishmaniasis diseases are endemic in Morocco. An entomological survey was conducted in Aichoun locality for 1 year from September 2013 to August 2014. The objective of this study was to investigate ...the sand fly fauna, mainly the species composition and the monthly species prevalence in accordance with bioclimate factors. Sand flies were collected twice a month, using sticky traps and CDC light traps. During a one-year study, 4472 specimens of sand fly were caught (72.56% male/22.44% female) that were composed of seven species divided into two genera: Phlebotomus (99.46%) and Sergentomyia (0.53%). Ph. sergenti was the most prevalent species (46.64%), followed by Ph. perniciosus (38.19%), Ph. longicuspis (9.32%), Ph. papatasi (5.23%), and Ph. ariasi (0.06%). The genus Sergentomyia was even less frequent. The population dynamics showed a bimodal trend with two peaks: the first one in October (12.03% of specimens) and the second in June (27.92% of specimens). The study of the effects of climatic factors in the study area showed a link between the dynamics of sand flies and the variation of these parameters (temperature and relative humidity). During the period between November and March, the sand flies were absent. The highest prevalence of sand flies was recorded in June when the temperature and relative humidity values reached, respectively, 25.8°C and 42%. The minimum number of specimens was collected in September with an average temperature of 23.19°C and relative humidity of 57.4%. Statistical analysis with principal component analysis has shown a strong positive correlation between temperature parameters and the seasonal distribution of sand flies. The climatic factor of relative humidity has been judged of being negatively correlated. The wind speed does not have any impact on the relative abundance of all species. Within this context, the results will be useful for the development of a monitoring program to better manage the operations and evaluate their effectiveness.
In order to set up a program for fighting against leishmaniasis disease, it was considered useful beforehand to demonstrate Leishmanian risk factors to the CL disease cases. The Province of Sefrou is ...among the endemic areas. Surveillance of these outbreaks is essential. This work focused on studying the impact risk factors on the distribution of CL cases. This is a retrospective study of CL cases registered during five years (2007-2010). Statistical analysis was based on one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and then the correlation study was carried out (Pearson correlation). A significant linear association was found between the number of CL cases and the population(r=0.56; p=0.005). This means that the correlation is positive. For the urbanization factor, the association was marked moderately correlated with number of CL cases (r = 0.44; p = 0.037).However, poverty does not influence this distribution; for our study area, this factor is not a risk factor.
The Lake Sidi Boughaba is a Ramsar site (1980) located on the Atlantic coast of north-west Morocco. It is oriented NNE - SSW and located in a secondary interdunal depression formed in a complex of ...the main wetlands of Morocco. The waters of this lake are deteriorating in quality, with increasing salinization. To identify the processes and chemical reactions that govern salinization, the main major elements as well as the pH, electrical conductivity and salinity were monitored during the winter and summer seasons of the years, 2016-2017 in 6 sites distributed throughout the year. The interpretation of the analysis data is carried out using the correlation of the major elements with the chlorides, the Piper diagram and the variation of the ionic ratios Na/Cl, SO4/Cl, Mg/Ca and the calculation of the saturation index. The saturation index is calculated by the software PHREEQC 2.8, used for modelling the state of saturation of minerals. The results of these analyzes revealed a variety of origins and processes of salinization of the waters. The hydro chemical study shows that the waters are brackish too salty; they are characterized by sodium chloride facies. This remarkable transition is mainly due to the intense evaporation that accentuates the mineralization. The values of the saturation index of the chemical minerals show the under saturation the anhydrite of the gypsum and the halite, on the other hand, the saturation or even supersaturation by the calcite and dolomite. The characteristic ratios of the chemical composition of waters show that salinity has two main origins: ion exchange between rock-water and marine influence by aerosols and sea spray.
The climatic changes that the middle Moulouya region of Morocco has undergone in recent years, demographic growth and the development of urbanization have led to a significant decrease in the ...reserves of water that can be mobilized for domestic and agricultural uses. This deficit, between availability and need for water, will only increase with the increasing needs of the water consuming sectors. The main objective is to follow the physical-chemical evolution of raw wastewater in the city of Outat El Haj. Sampling took place over 12 months (2014-2015). The physical-chemical study of urban discharges from the city of Outat El Haj made it possible to define the pollution ratio per inhabitant between 17 and 21 mg/hab.day with BOD5 concentration between 525 mg/l and 2125 mg/l and pH values near neutrality. The ratio COD/BOD5 is from 1.92 to 2.04, shows the biodegradability of effluents, and may be treated by a biological system such as stabilization ponds as found nationwide. The values of the physical-chemical obtained are above the wastewater discharge standards recommended by the WHO and and the Moroccan standards. At the end of this research, it turned out that wastewater from the city of Outat El Haj is of lousy quality to very bad.
Background. Leishmaniases are vector-borne diseases with health risks. They cause a big health problem. These parasitic diseases are transmitted by the parasite of the genus Leishmania through ...sandflies. Objective. The aim of this work is to study the distribution of the incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases and the impact of urbanization and socioeconomic factors and their effects as leishmaniasis risk factors. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study of CL cases collected at the level of Sefrou Province during the period from 2007 to 2011. The data was collected from registers of the Medical Delegation of Sefrou Province. The socioeconomic data, namely, the poverty rate, the popular density, and the type of environment (urban/rural) of Sefrou Province, were obtained from the High Commission for Planning. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software (version 20). The data were registered in a Microsoft Excel 2010 file. Statistical analysis was based on one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and then a correlation study was carried out (Pearson correlation). The results were considered significant when p was less than 0.05. The database was analyzed by QGIS 2.18, which is open source software. Results. A total of 349 cases of CL were collected at Sefrou Province from 2007 to 2011. A percentage of 49% of the cases come from urban areas, while 51% of the cases come from rural areas. In the statistical analysis, the division of the incidence of CL cases was found to be significantly associated only with urbanization. For the other factors, the number of people or the poverty rate is not taken into account in the incidence dynamics. Conclusion. This study may be useful for the implementation of future adequate measures and controls. Getting rid of leishmaniasis requires a comprehensive approach by acting on the sources of contamination through good continuous surveillance, appropriate management, effective vector control, and awareness-raising strategies.
An entomological survey was carried out in the locality of Aichoune to conduct a study on sand flies, species composition, and monthly relative abundance. This study is essential for the ...implementation of integrated vector management control. Insects collection was carried out twice a month from January 2013 to December 2014 by means of adhesive and CDC-type light traps. A total of 5441 sand flies were collected with the predominance of males (a sex ratio=1.89). The sampled specimens consist of seven species divided into two genera: Phlebotomus (99.55%) and Sergentomyia (0.44%). Phlebotomus sergenti was the dominant species with an average annual proportion of 47.38%, followed by P. perniciosus (37.32%), P. longicuspis (8,56%), P. papatasi (6.23%), and P. ariasi (0.05%). The genus Sergentomyia was less common (0.44%). S.minuta was represented only by 0.36% and S. fallax by 0.07%. The species dynamics showed a unimodal evolution for P. sergenti and P. papatasi. They were active from May to October. P. perniciosus presents a trimodal trend showing the most relevant peak in August. The highest number of specimens was collected in June, when the temperature reaches an annual average value of 25.5°C. The obtained results will help us better understand the leishmaniasis transmission dynamics in the Aichoune locality and will contribute to the design of a surveillance strategy.
The objective of this paper is to study the hydrochemical characteristics of Lake Dayet Erroumi (Khemisset, Morocco). Three sampling campaigns were carried out in April, July and November 2019. The ...temperature, pH and electrical conduct-ivity were measured in situ using Hanna Instruments HI 98280. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicar-bonate and chloride were analysed by the volumetric method. The atomic absorption technique was used to determine sodium, potassium, nitrate and sulphate. The physico-chemical analysis of the water indicates that the pH is basic. The nitrate and sulphate concentrations show that the water is of good quality according to Moroccan surface water guidelines. Furthermore, the hydrochemical facies of water is of the sodium-chloride type according to the Piper diagram. The value of the electrical conductivity indicates that the lake water has high salinity. The high mineralization of water is explained by the leaching from evaporitic rocks in the region. The principal component analysis shows that the spatial and temporal variation in salinity constitutes the major phenomenon of the hydrochemical characteristics of this lake. Salinity varies inversely with the pH value. The salinity of the water is controlled by abiotic factors (rain and evaporation). However, other parameters (pH, nitrate, carbonate and bicarbonate) depend on biotic factors. Evaporation plays a crucial role in the seasonal variation of the water chemical composition. During wet seasons, the mineralization of water decreases due to dilution by rainwater and the water level of the lake rises (high water period). During dry seasons, lake water evaporates and consequently the mineralization of the water increases, which explains the increase in salinity during the low water period.