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.

中文翻译：

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在摩洛哥，由婴儿利什曼原虫引起的人类内脏利什曼病的静脉放线菌沙蝇载体的潜在分布。

人畜共患的内脏利什曼病是由婴儿利什曼原虫（Kinetoplastida：Trypanosomatidae）引起的常见媒介传播的全身性疾病。在摩洛哥，情况很复杂：在该病流行地区已收集到许多sand蝇物种，但仅证实了疟原虫（Phlebotomus ariasi），百里香（Phlebotomus perniciosus）和长春香（Plebotomus longicuspis）（Diptera：Psychodidae）具有矢量作用。本研究的目的是确定L的潜在分布。婴儿生态位模型在摩洛哥及其媒介。病媒记录是从实验室团队的田野收藏品和先前发表的昆虫学观察中获得的。婴儿乳杆菌模型的流行病学数据来自摩洛哥卫生部的报告。折刀试验表明，对所有物种而言，对模型发育影响最大的生物气候变量是年降水量和一年中最干燥季度的降水量。充当婴儿乳杆菌载体的沙fly物种的MaxEnt模型表示显示摩洛哥这些物种的广泛地理分布，特别是在发现内脏利什曼病病灶的摩洛哥北部和中部。生态位模型指出了这些物种出现的可能性较高的地区。该信息应被视为进一步研究的起点，以充分阐明这些物种及其传播的病原体的生态和流行病学。