Linking Changes in Landscape Composition and Configuration with Sandfly Occurrence in Southwest France

Abstract

In recent years, several vector-borne, parasitic or zoonotic diseases have (re)-emerged and spread in Europe and elsewhere with major health, ecological, socio-economical and political consequences. One of these diseases is leishmaniasis. In southwestern France, it is transmitted by two sandfly vectors (Phlebotomus ariasi and Phlebotomus perniciosus). The objective of this research was to assess the effects of land cover and land cover change and fragmentation on the spatial distribution of Phlebotomus ariasi in southwestern France. Using GIS and remote sensing techniques we analysed the relationships between vectors and landscape-level environmental variables based on time series of fine resolution satellite data over the last two decades. Environmental variables were extracted from Landsat TM images and included both landscape composition and configuration. Changes in landscape composition and configuration were analysed and a logistic regression was used to test the association between sandfly presence/absence and these variables. The study suggested that, although relevant changes in landscape composition and structure were not found between 1984 and 2003, there is a significant association with some environmental variables describing sandfly habitat.