Integrative Approach to Phlebotomus mascittii Grassi, 1908: First Record in Vienna with New Morphological and Molecular Insights

Abstract

Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) are blood-feeding insects that transmit the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp. and various arthropod-borne (arbo) viruses. While in Mediterranean parts of Europe the sand fly fauna is diverse, in Central European countries including Austria mainly Phlebotomus mascittii is found, an assumed but unproven vector of Leishmania infantum. To update the currently understudied sand fly distribution in Austria, a sand fly survey was performed and other entomological catches were screened for sand flies. Seven new trapping locations of Ph. mascittii are reported including the first record in Vienna, representing also one of the first findings of this species in a city. Morphological identification, supported by fluorescence microscopy, was confirmed by two molecular approaches, including sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) protein profiling. Sand fly occurrence and activity were evaluated based on surveyed locations, habitat requirements and climatic parameters. Moreover, a first comparison of European Ph. mascittii populations was made by two marker genes, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI), and cytochrome b (cytb), as well as MALDI-TOF mass spectra. Our study provides new important records of Ph. mascittii in Austria and valuable data for prospective entomological surveys. MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling was shown to be a reliable tool for differentiation between sand fly species. Rising temperatures and globalization demand for regular entomological surveys to monitor changes in species distribution and composition. This is also important with respect to the possible vector competence of Ph. mascittii.

Ecological setting of phlebotomine sand flies in the Republic of Kosovo

“…Noteworthy, the presence of species such as Phlebotomus mascittii in low to moderately rough reliefs indicates nuanced responses of individual species to topographic heterogeneity. Despite the general trend towards less varied terrain, the occurrence of P. mascittii in such environments suggests a degree of adaptability or ecological niche differentiation, which is also supported by its observed patchy distribution in Central European countries [ [64] , [65] , [66] ]. These findings contribute to our understanding of the ecological preferences and habitat associations of sand fly species, highlighting the importance of considering topographic features in conservation and management strategies to mitigate vector-borne disease risks.…”

Reconstructing the post-glacial spread of the sand fly Phlebotomus mascittii Grassi, 1908 (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Europe

“…This might be explained by the fact that Ph. mascittii has been reported to favor urban and semi-urban breeding sites such as animal farms, old barns with natural floors or even cemeteries and is, thus, mostly restricted to these sites 16 , 33 .…”

“…The presence, however, is not restricted to the Mediterranean region and reaches into higher latitudes; the northernmost record is known from Germany 30 . Despite some recent records from Austria 31 – 33 , Germany 34 , Slovakia 35 , and Hungary 36 , its exact distribution in Central Europe is still largely unknown. The species distribution outside Europe is limited to a single finding in northern Algeria that represents its southernmost record 37 .…”

Distribution of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Lombardy Region, Northern Italy

“…mascitti is a suspected vector of L. infantum [ 6 , 32 ]. However, its vector competence has still not been experimentally verified, although the repeated signals of leishmaniasis cases in Germany and Austria [ 33 , 34 ] may indicate the possible role of Ph. mascitti in L. infantum transmission [ 27 , 35 , 36 ].…”