Phlebotomine Sand Fly Composition (Diptera: Psychodidae) and Putative Vectors of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Porto Velho Municipality, Western Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

This study evaluated the species composition of sand flies and identified potential vectors of Leishmania Ross species in rural areas of Porto Velho, Rondônia State, Brazil. American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is one of the gravest threats to public health in this state. Sand flies were collected over the course of 2014 and 2015 using HP light traps. Polymerase chain reaction was performed by targeting the Leishmania mkDNA region. In total, 2,344 sand flies were collected, from which 45 species, nine subgenera, and five species group were identified. The most abundant species were Lutzomyia antunesi (Coutinho) (n = 597, 25.47%), Lutzomyia ubiquitalis (Mangabeira) (n = 496, 21.16%), and Lutzomyia octavioi (Vargas) (n = 199, 8.49%). The greatest diversity occurred in the forest environment where the most abundant species were L. antunesi (n = 588, 25.07%), L. ubiquitalis (n = 493, 21.02%), L. octavioi (n = 199, 8.49%), and Lutzomyia flaviscutellata (Mangabeira) (n = 132, 5.63%). Two pools of L. ubiquitalis were positive for Leishmania DNA, which suggests that L. ubiquitalis is a putative vector of leishmaniasis in the municipality of Porto Velho.

Diversity, natural infection and blood meal sources of phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in the western Brazilian Amazon

“…Brazil is also home to a range of putative vectors such as Nyssomyia intermedia , Nyssomyia neivai , 3 Nyssomyia shawi , 4 Psychodopygus carrerai , Psychodopygus hirsutus hirsutus 5 - 7 and Trichophoromyia auraensis (Mangabeira). Leishmania ( Leishmania ) infantum Nicolle is the causative agent of VL, and its primary vector is Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva), which is distributed throughout Brazil.…”

“…ubiquitalis , 4 , 13 few studies conducted in RO have demonstrated the natural infection of sandflies. 4 , 7 , 13 , 17 The presence and high abundance of Leishmania in RO suggest that sandflies maintain their transmission cycles in the this region. 4 , 7 , 13 , 17 …”

“… 4 , 7 , 13 , 17 The presence and high abundance of Leishmania in RO suggest that sandflies maintain their transmission cycles in the this region. 4 , 7 , 13 , 17 …”

Increasing putative vector importance of Trichophoromyia phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae)

“…auraensis positive to Leishmania kDNA, with three of them revealed as L. (V.) braziliensis. Resadore et al (26) found Th. auraensis DNA positive for Leishmania sp.…”

“…Martinez et al (19) Th. auraensis Valdivia et al (20) Ogawa et al (23) Araújo-Pereira et al (25) Resadore et al (26) Th. auraensis/Th.…”