Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology

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Shahriari F, Hemami M, Azizi K, Hanafi-Bojd A, Niknaddaf Z. Assessment of Ecological Factors Impacting the Distribution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Fars Province.. Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology 2024; 13 (4) :55-68
URL: http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1256-en.html

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a significant zoonotic disease posing a serious threat to human health. Caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania, it is transmitted by specific vectors (sand flies) and can cause infection in vertebrate hosts (reservoirs: humans or animals). Due to the high prevalence of the disease in Fars province, the ecological niches of the main vectors and reservoirs were modeled using the MaxEnt algorithm to identify potential high-risk areas. Niche overlap among target species was analyzed using Schoener's D index. Results indicated that 8% of the total area of the province is highly suitable (>70% suitability) for the vector and reservoir species. The central parts of the province were identified as the highest-risk regions. The vector's habitat range was wider than that of the reservoirs, and a significant habitat overlap was observed between them. These findings provide a clearer picture of priority conservation hotspots for health system policymakers in managing this disease.