**2. Materials and methods**

The goal of this chapter is to collect the information from an extensive literature using the followings electronic databases: MEDLINE, Plos, PubMed, LILACS, CAPES periodic, Open Journal System, Scielo and Google Academic. The descriptors used were*: leishmaniasis, leishmaniasis visceral, leishmaniasis cutaneous, leishmaniasis mucocutaneous, Phlebotomine, the sand flies, the geographical aspects of leishmaniasis* and the *environmental aspects of leishmaniasis*.

#### **2.1. Inclusion criteria**

Indexed papers published in the last 20 years; classic indexed papers on more ancient and severe areas. Some textbooks have also been used to elaborate this chapter.

#### **2.2. Exclusion criteria**

Papers that did not mention the main ideas used in this chapter and the texts with the same contents as the most recent papers used here.
