[Phlebotomine (Diptera: Psychodidae) and leishmaniasis in Rio Grande do Norte State Brazil: anthropic environment responses].

Natural environmental changes or those resulting from anthropic factors and their impact on infectious diseases have been evaluated in several studies. The objective of this work was to analyze the correlation between the anthropic environment, phlebotomine and leishmaniases in Rio Grande do Norte State, in Northeast Brazil. Information relative to the distribution of vector species in visceral and tegumentary leishmaniasis areas was associated to the record of cases notified by Public Health organs. The analysis suggests associations between the vector species and distribution of the disease with demographic and physionomic characteristics, disorderly growth in the metropolitan area, living conditions and environmental degradation of the Eastern Littoral, the principal area of notified visceral leishmaniasis cases.