Considerations on the effect of anti-sandfly antibodies on biological parameters of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

Abstract

ABSTRACTthe immunization of vertebrate hosts with vector components may be an alternative for the control of diseases transmitted by insects. in the present study we evaluated the effects of anti-sandfly antibodies on some of the biological parameters of female Lutzomyia longipalpis, a vector of visceral leishmaniasis. rabbits were immunized with extracts of gut from blood-fed (gb) or sugar-fed (gs) females, carcass of sugar-fed (Cs) or blood-fed (Cb) females, and with repeated sandfly bites (bite). immune sera showed increased antibody titers compared to pre-immunized animals, and specific bands were detected by Western blot. An analysis of biological parameters revealed a decline in fecundity in the group of females fed on rabbits immunized with gb and bite. longevity and mortality were studied in females with oviposition (parous) and without oviposition (nulliparous). nulliparous females that fed on rabbits immunized with bites died in the highest percentage. A mortality analysis after egg laying revealed a peak on the fifth day in all the groups, but females fed on rabbit subjected to repeated bites showed a shift towards the third day.

Impact of anti-sandfly saliva antibodies on biological aspects of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae), vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis

“…Similarly, the percentage of engorgement in females of P. argentipes feeding on hamsters immunized by bites, gradually decreased ( Ghosh and Mukhopadhyay, 1998 ). However, no differences were observed in relation to the success of first feeding among the groups fed on animals immunized with different extracts or bite and the controls ( Vilela et al, 2006 ). Anti-saliva antibodies bind to the respective region of the antigen-presenting areas of the salivary gland.…”

Interactions between host biogenic amines and sand fly salivary yellow-related proteins

“…In our experiments, hamsters were exposed to about 100-290 P. argentipes females six times at 7-15-day intervals, and antibody titres were very high compared to the control group. In L. longipalpis, Vilela et al [12] reported that females fed on animals immunized by repeated bites obtained lesser amounts of haemoglobin, laid fewer eggs and had higher mortality than females fed on naive animals [12]. On the contrary, Tripet et al [14] showed that egg production by L. longipalpis is not affected by feeding on immunized hosts, and studies on P. duboscqi and P. perniciosus also did not observe any differences in oviposition or mortality between experimental and control groups of sand flies [13,15].…”

“…In repeatedly-bitten hosts, sand fly saliva also stimulates the production of high levels of species-specific antisaliva antibodies [1]. According to some authors, these antibodies could have an impact on sand fly fecundity and mortality [10][11][12]; however, other studies have not found any significant effects [13][14][15].…”