The areas in which american cutaneous leishmaniasis was reported in 1993 and 1994 for the region around the town of Lagoinha, S. Paulo, Brazil (Lat 23º 05' S; Long 45º 11w) were plotted on a TM-Landsat image. The false color composition of bands 3, 4 and 5 made it possible to identify the relevant vegetation (shrubs and trees) within the boundaries of those areas and in their proximity, where they were found at a distance of not more than about 250 meters from the perimeter of each area. The use of means capable of presenting a larger view of a geographical area made the advantages of remote satellite sensing as a tool for the study of this endemic disease clear.
Leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis; Mosquito control; Environmental monitoring
