Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease found in the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In Brazil, the disease is an important public health problem, occurring in most states, but mainly in the Northeast region of the country, with the state of Alagoas having a signifi cant number of confi rmed cases. The present study establishes and discusses the epidemiological profi le of cases of leishmaniases treated at the Reference Center of Alagoas, Hospital Escola Hélvio de Farias Auto, between January 2000 and October 2008. During thisperiod, records of 2,104 patients notifi ed to the hospital Epidemiological Surveillance Center were reviewed. The epidemiology of leishmaniasis, both visceral and tegumentary, has shown a profi le that has changed over throughout the years, with a decrease in the number of notifi ed cases. Disease occurrence was associated with lower social economic classes, and affected mainly rural workers in general, housewives and students.

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