[Ecology of a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Thiès region (Senegal, West Africa). Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of the human disease].

During their epidemiological survey of a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus, the authors study the epidemiological and clinical aspects of 60 proven human cases observed in the studied area (Thies region). The disease can occur at any age but is more frequently seen in the preadolescent (10-15 years), adolescent (15-20 years) and adult (20-40 years) age classes. During the year, 76.5% of the lesions appear between july and the end of november. The spontaneous evolution of the disease seems to have a one year duration. Less than to lesions are observed in the majority of the cases (91.5%). The lesions are mainly located on upper and/or lower limbs and are generally of humid ulcerated type, often covered by a deep scar; a lymphatic nodular dissemination from a lesion occurs in 25% of the cases.