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This study refers to 23 patients presenting with the sporadic forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis encountered in northern most humid parts of Tunisia. Culture inoculation for parasitic isolation was processed using two media: the classical NNN and a rabbit serum based medium (SLC). Cultures were positive in 17 cases with SLC medium and 13 cases with NNN medium. Eight isolates were typed using 15 isoenzymes systems. Six isolates were identified as Leishmania infantum MON-24 which confirms the crucial role of this zymodeme in causing this form of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The other two isolates were identified as Leishmania infantum MON-1, which is the principal agent of visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean area.

A definitive confirmation of the presence in Tunisia of the rare zymodem MON-80 of Leishmania infantum, as a causative agent of infantile visceral leishmaniasis, is reported.

The authors report the results of the capture of sandflies, carried out in a ground-floor apartment of a suburb of Constantine (east Algeria), an urban focus of human leishmaniasis. Phlebotomus perfiliewi is the most abundant species observed.

Leishmaniasis, Zoonoses or Anthroponoses, according to the focus, know an extension through the world and Algeria counts unfortunately more among countries who where touched. Parallelement to this extension the eco-epidemiology of leishmaniasis knex some important modifications and that. We can't surround theme if we don't dispose of a simple culture medium permeting the shoot of all species to leishmania.

The purpose of this study is to identity the strains of Echinococcus granulosus the causative agent of unilocular hydatid in Algeria--a high endemic area. For this, the authors established a simple and reproductible electrophoretic techniques for iso enzyme analysis of protoscoleces. The enzymatic extracts of protoscoleces from various hosts and localisations of hidatic cystic analysed by these electrophoretic techniques showed variable electrophoretic profils witness the existence of various strains.

The present study aimed at homogenizing the use of DNA tools for Leishmania parasite characterization in two endemic countries, Algeria and Tunisia. Two genomic DNA probes, pDK10 and pDK20, previously developped in Tunisia, were here applied to a collection of 41 isolates obtained from Algerian patients having cutaneous or visceral leishmaniases. These DNA tools allowed to discriminate among and to identify causal agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis, L. infantum and L. major. Apart from the pDK20--hybridization pattern obtained usually for the species L. infantum, new hybridization patterns were identified for isolates obtained from both visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases patients. Use of DNA probes in complement to isoenzyme typing offers interesting propects for a better description of transmission cycles.

The authors describe in this study the current situation of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in Algeria. After a review of the clinical forms and the epidemiological profile of the diseases in this country, the authors mention a resurgence of the number of cases, and the appearance of numerous new foci for both forms of the disease.

Following their epidemiological studies of visceral leishmaniasis in Algeria, the authors report in this survey 1122 cases diagnosed in different hospitals of the country from 1985 to 1990. The authors mention that after a temporary decline observed during the last decade, they take part to a disquieting course of this disease.

The authors report 285 cases of visceral leishmaniasis recorded over a 6 year-period from 1985-1990 in the Wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou (Grande Kabylie). The authors report a resurgence of this disease during the last years, with a 5 human cases per 100,000 annual prevalence and a 6 per cent of rate death, the most active part of mediterranean area appears to be the region of Grand-Kabylie. A control program in the Wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou is proposed.