A study of sandfly species (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the municipality of Baturité, Ceará, Brazil

Abstract

In a study on putative vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Baturité, Ceará State, Brazil, six sandfly species were identified: Lutzomyia longipalpis, L. wellcomei, L. peresi, L. whitmani, L. shannoni and L. migonei. In general L. whitmani and L. migonei were the predominant species. They were collected in periodomiciliary areas and were attracted by man and equines. L. whitmani was the most anthropophilic species. Studies using animals as bait showed that blood-feeding occurs throughout the night. Previously L. whitmani had been found infected with a Leishmania species of the braziliensis complex and L. migonei was infected with peripylarian flagellates. In combination these findings suggest that they may be responsible for periodomestic transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The sand fly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) of a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ilhéus, state of Bahia, Brazil

“…At both areas L. whitmani was predominant, and was present in each type of collection. This finding supports previous studies, in the States of São Paulo (Barretto 1943, Forattini 1960, Taniguchi et al 1991, Minas Gerais (Mayrink et al 1979), Bahia (Barretto et al 1982) and Ceará (Azevedo & Rangel 1991), where L. whitmani was recorded in domestic habitats.…”

Study on phlebotomine sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) fauna in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…whitmani, however, has been regarded to be a species "under adaptation" to the urban environment by several investigators due to the fact that it is collected in high concentrations in thickly forested areas and in peridomiciliary areas of large centers (Camargo-Neves et al 2002, Dos Santos et al 2003, Salomón et al 2003, Oliveira et al 2003 and it has been associated with peridomiciliary transmissions in Brazilian Northeastern and Southeastern areas (Cuba-Cuba et al 1985, Azevedo & Rangel 1991, Rangel et al 1996. Due to this fact, several studies have been undertaken in order to better understand the biology of L. whitmani.…”

Ecology of Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in the North of the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil

“…Epidemiological study of cutaneous leishmaniasis carried out in the Corguinho, State of Mato Grosso do Sul (Nunes et al 1995) isolated parasites identified as L. (V.) braziliensis in patients and Galati et al (1996) have suggested L. (N.) whitmani as the likely vector, considering that this phlebotomine was found to be naturally infected by flagellate protozoan whose behaviour was similar that of the parasite mentioned and was also the most abundant species at almost all the different ecological sites where the captures were made. L. (N.) whitmani is often associated with the peridomicile in the cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission area in the Northeastern and Southeastern Regions of Brazil (Cuba-Cuba et al 1985, Azevedo & Rangel 1991. In these regions the human population is concentrated on the hill slopes, which have often lost of their original vegetation cover due to the continuous sustenance agriculture.…”

“…The light trap CDC type has been systematically used in studies on sand flies in forest areas and/or in areas where there is leishmaniasis transmission , Aguiar et al 1985a, Gomes & Galati 1987, Dourado et al 1989, Azevedo & Rangel 1991, Azevedo et al 1993, Galati et al 1996, Brazil et al 2000, Barros et al 2000. In spite of the fact that this kind of collection does not allow access to the great number of species, which may constitute the local fauna (Shaw & Lainson 1972) Martins et al 1978, Young & Duncan 1994.…”