Phlebotomus

In this study, 27 CDC traps were modified with various attractive features and compared with a CDC trap with no light source or baits to evaluate the effects on attraction to Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) north of the Dead Sea near Jericho. Attractive features included CO2, lights, colored trap bodies, heat, moisture, chemical lures and different combinations of the same. Traps were placed 20m apart and rotated from one trap location to the next after 24h trapping periods. The most significant attractive feature was CO2, which attracted more sand flies than any other feature evaluated. Ultraviolet light was the next most attractive feature, followed by incandescent light. When evaluated alone, black or white trap bodies, heat and moisture, all influenced trap catch but effects were greater when these attractive features were used together. The results of this study suggest that traps with CO2 and UV light could be used in batteries as control interventions if suitable CO2 sources b...

The author updates available data on leishmaniasis and phlebotomine sandflies in Cameroon. After describing the natural environment, we present all the cases of the cutaneous and visceral leishmaniases recorded so far in this country. He refers also to the first biochemical characterisation of Leishmania major MON-26 in Cameroon. The data of a leishmanin skin test survey conducted in the Mokolo cutaneous leishmaniasis focus are presented as well as a repertoire of the phlebotomine sandfly species identified in the country. The implications and shortcomings of these available data are discussed and recommendations are drawn for further research.

Objective: In this study, the midgut of the sand flies investigated with direct method for the presence of parasites and other organisms.
Methods: Wild sand flies collected in Kuşadası Town-Aydın, were dissected and midgut contents were examined by light microscopy. After
midgut dissection, the head and genitalia of sand fly specimens were clarified and mounted for species identification.
Result: During the study, a total of 1027 sand flies were dissected. Eight and two species belonging to Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia
genera were determined, respectively. Phlebotomus tobbi was found to be most abundant species (61.34%). A third stage of infective
Entomopathogen Nematode belonging to Steinernematidae family was observed in the hemocoel of one specimen of P. tobbi during the
dissection process.
Conclusion: This is the first finding related to entomopathogen nematodes found in sand flies in Turkey. In the study, the sand fly fauna was
determined in Kuşadası Town. For the control of sand flies, entomopathogenic nematodes which are not harmful for non-target organisms,
can be used instead of chemical insecticides that can cause unknown damage in the enviroment. (Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2013; 37: 36-9)
Key Words: Sand fly, Phlebotomus tobbi, Entomopathogen Nematode, Kuşadası, Turkey

Indoor residual spraying is a simple and cost effective method of controlling endophilic vectors and DDT remains the insecticide of choice for the control of leishmaniasis. However resistance to insecticide is likely to become more widespread in the population especially in those areas in which insecticide has been used for years. In this context use of slow release emulsified suspension

The recently recognized endemic focus of leishmaniasis in Satluj river valley in Himachal Pradesh (India) lies in north-western Himalayas (30 degrees N, 70 degrees E). This endemic focus of leishmaniasis appears peculiar where localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) co-exists with visceral leishmaniasis (VL), and Leishmania donovani is predominant pathogen for LCL whereas only a few cases have been due to Leishmania tropica. This study was carried out to collect sandflies, identify and delineate their habitat and role in transmission of human leishmaniasis in this endemic focus. During June 2003 to September 2007, 142 (M-22, F-120) sandflies were collected with aspirators from 10 endemic villages of Kinnaur and Shimla districts. Sixty-two of the identified sandflies caught belonged to the genus Phlebotomus species, including some species that are known to act as vectors of the parasites causing human leishmaniasis. The Phlebotomus (Adlerius) chinensis longiductus (Parrot), 1928 (28 ...

The transmission of parasites of the genus Leishmania involves a large diversity of mammalian reservoir hosts. However, many of these are yet to be identified, mainly in isolated biotopes such as the Amazonian rain forest. Furthermore, the trophic preferences of insect vectors have major epidemiologic implications. In this study, we developed a molecular tool for the identification of blood meals of phlebotomine sand flies. This assay is based on specific amplification and sequencing of the blood meal-derived single copy prepronociceptin (PNOC) gene, which is used as a target in phylogenetic studies of mammals. Sand flies were identified simultaneously with the blood-meal identification, using molecular analysis of a ribosomal locus. After a systematic assessment of the sensitivity and specificity of polymerase chain reaction amplification of the PNOC gene using human fed sand flies, the assay was tested on wild-caught sand flies. This work has important implications for the discove...

Background: Algeria is among the most affected Mediterranean countries by leishmaniasis due to its large geographic extent and climatic diversity. The current study aims the determination of ecological status (composition and diversity) of phlebotomine sandfly populations in the region of Oum El Bouaghi (Northeast Algeria).
Methods: An entomological survey was conducted during the period May–October 2010 in rural communities of Oum El Bouaghi. Catches of sandflies were carried out using sticky traps in both domestic and peri-domestic environments of 16 sites located beneath two bioclimatic areas, sub-humid and semi-arid. Most of these sites have visceral and/or cutaneous leishmaniasis cases.
Results: A total of 1,363 sandflies were captured and identified belonging to two genera, Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia, and five species. The species Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus perfiliewi and Sergentomyia minuta were constants. Phlebotomus longicuspis was common and Phlebotomus papatasi was accidental in the study sites. P. perniciosus and P. perfiliewi are the two possible species that contribute in leishmaniasis transmission across the study area due to their high densities (96 and 49 specimens/m²/night, respectively); these two species dominate other species in all study sites.
Conclusion: Findings emphasize the key-role played by P. perniciosus, P. perfiliewi and S. minuta in outlining site similarities based on sandfly densities. The study confirms that the more susceptible sites to leishmaniasis, which hold high densities of these sandflies, were located south of the study area under a semi-arid climate.
Keywords: Phlebotomine sandflies, Leishmaniasis, Ecological aspects, Algeria.

Indoor residual spraying is a simple and cost effective method of controlling endophilic vectors and DDT remains the insecticide of choice for the control of leishmaniasis. However resistance to insecticide is likely to become more widespread in the population especially in those areas in which insecticide has been used for years. In this context use of slow release emulsified suspension (SRES) may be the best substitute. In this review spraying frequencies of DDT and new schedule of spray have been discussed. Role of biological control and environment management in the control of leishmaniasis has been emphasized. Allethrin (coil) 0.1 and 1.6 per cent prallethrin (liquid) have been found to be effective repellents against Phlebotomus argentipes, the vector of Indian kalaazar. Insecticide impregnated bednets is another area which requires further research on priority basis for the control of leishmaniasis. Role of satellite remote sensing for early prediction of disease by identifyi...

Leishmania are digenetic protozoa which inhabit two hosts, the sandfly where they grow as promastigotes in the gut, and the mammalian macrophage where they grow as amastigotes. Sandfly (or sand fly) is a colloquial name for any species or genus of flying, biting, blood-sucking Dipteran encountered in sandy areas. In the United States, sandfly may refer to certain horse flies that are also known as "greenheads" (family Tabanidae), or to members of the family Ceratopogonidae, also known in Florida and elsewhere as a sand gnat, sandflea, no-see-um (no-see-em, noseeum), granny nipper, chitra, punkie, or punky. Outside the United States, sandfly may refer to members of the subfamily Phlebotominae within the Psychodidae. Biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) are sometimes called sand flies or no-see-ums (no-see-em, noseeum). New Zealand sandflies are in the Austrosimulium genus, a type of black fly. Of 500 known phlebotomine species, only some 30 of them have been positively identifie...

The life cycle of the Leishmania parasite in the sand fly vector involves differentiation into several distinctive forms, each thought to represent an adaptation to specific microenvironments in the midgut of the fly. Based on transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) results, we describe the first high-resolution analysis of the transcriptome dynamics of four distinct stages of Leishmania major as they develop in a natural vector, Phlebotomus duboscqi The early transformation from tissue amastigotes to procyclic promastigotes in the blood-fed midgut was accompanied by the greatest number of differentially expressed genes, including the downregulation of amastins, and upregulation of multiple cell surface proteins, sugar and amino acid transporters, and genes related to glucose metabolism and cell cycle progression. The global changes accompanying post-blood meal differentiation of procyclic promastigotes to the nectomonad and metacyclic stages were less extensive, though each displayed a ...

Vector-borne diseases are exceptionally sensitive to climate change. Predicting vector occurrence in specific regions is a challenge that disease control programs must meet in order to plan and execute control interventions and climate change adaptation measures. Recently, an increasing number of scientific articles have applied ecological niche modelling (ENM) to study medically important insects and ticks. With a myriad of available methods, it is challenging to interpret their results. Here we review the future projections of disease vectors produced by ENM, and assess their trends and limitations. Tropical regions are currently occupied by many vector species; but future projections indicate poleward expansions of suitable climates for their occurrence and, therefore, entomological surveillance must be continuously done in areas projected to become suitable. The most commonly applied methods were the maximum entropy algorithm, generalized linear models, the genetic algorithm for rule set prediction, and discriminant analysis. Lack of consideration of the full-known current distribution of the target species on models with future projections has led to questionable predictions. We conclude that there is no ideal 'gold standard' method to model vector distributions; researchers are encouraged to test different methods for the same data. Such practice is becoming common in the field of ENM, but still lags behind in studies of disease vectors.

A longitudinal entomological survey for sandflies was conducted from 1989 to 1991 at a focus of enzootic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Northeast Sinai, Egypt, within the border region monitored by multinational peacekeepers. Standardized sampling with CDC light traps, oiled paper “sticky traps”, and human landing collection was employed to determine monthly trends in species composition, density, sex ratio, and reproductive status of vector sandflies. Each collection method independently defined sandfly seasonality as the period May–November in 1990, and March–October in 1991. Plebotomus papatasi was the only anthropophagic species found and comprised more than 94% of the sandfly population. Two population peaks (May, July) were observed for this species in both survey years. Density of P. papatasi in underground bunkers was higher than outside but inflated by a greater proportion of male flies. During 1990, the proportion of gravid P. papatasi increased progressively during the 5 months period from May to September and averaged 29.5% and 29.7% for interior and exterior collections, respectively. Density of P. papatasi was greater during 1991, but proportions of gravid flies were significantly lower in each survey month and averaged 14.9% and 12.3% for interior and exterior collections, respectively. Seasonal rates of Leishmania-infected P. papatasi averaged 0.8% and 0.9% in 1989 and 1990, but fell to zero in 1991, suggesting an unstable focus of Leishmania major transmission. Proportions of gravid flies may be a valid indicator of the physiological age and epidemiologic importance of the vector sandfly population at this focus. The strong correlation of sticky trap indices to human-landing/biting rates shows that this is an accurate, inexpensive, and no-risk alternative to human bait collections.