Spatial Relation Among Incidence of Leishmaniasis and Altitude Factor of Different Communes of Sefrou Province: Contribution of Geographic Information Systems

Abstract

In Morocco, leishmaniases are endemic diseases that constitute a major public health threat. During recent years in Sefrou Province, It has been found that the number of leishmaniasis cases is continuously increasing. This study concerns the average incidence of leishmaniasis cases recorded from 2007 to 2010 and presents the role of the mapping tool in the epidemiological study in order to determine the area’s most affected of the Province of Sefrou and to draw up a map of breakdown of the leishmaniasis cases by altitude class. The database has contained the geographic, environmental parameters. The results are analyzed by Qgis 2.18 software which is open source software and by SPSS software (version 20). The commune of Tazouta represents a high average incidence (0.165%). Cartographic analysis of spatial relation among average incidence of leishmaniasis and environmental factor of different communes of Sefrou Province reveled the strong correlation between distribution of cases and altitude parameter. These results well be useful in enlightening health authorities to develop screening, treatment and control strategies to reduce the incidence rate of the disease.