author(s)
Mohamed Echchakery, Samia Boussaa, Fouad Ouanaimi and Ali Boumezzough

abstract
Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ZCL) still remains a major public health problem in Morocco. It’s caused by Leishmania major and transmitted by Phlebotomus papatasi with Meriones shawi as the only proven reservoir host. With the aim to investigate the ZCL risk in central Morocco, rodent and sandfly species were collected from 22 localities and their activities were followed during one year study (June 2014-May 2015). 10 rodent species were collected: Rattus rattus (30.85%), Mus musculus (23.40%), Rattus norvegicus (9.57%), Apodemus sylvaticus (9.15%), Mus spretus (8.51%), Mastomys erythroleucus (6.81%), Meriones shawi (5.53%), Gerbillus campestris (2.34%), Meriones libycus (2.13%) and Lemniscomys barbarus (1.70%). Their spatio-temporal distributions were discussed according to many ecological factors and according to P. papatasi seasonality. We noted that all potential ZCL reservoirs collected presented a short activity period which overlaps with the summer peak of P. papatasi activity. This might provides important data on ZCL risk periods.