Phlebotomine sandfly (Diptera: Psychodidae) diversity and their Leishmania DNA in a hot spot of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis human cases along the Brazilian border with Peru and Bolivia

Abstract

In this study, we identified the phlebotomine sandfly vectors involved in the transmission of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) in Assis Brasil, Acre, Brazil, which is located on the Brazil-Peru-Bolivia frontier. The genotyping of Leishmania in phlebotomines was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. A total of 6,850 sandflies comprising 67 species were captured by using CDC light traps in rural areas of the municipality. Three sandfly species were found in the state of Acre for the first time: Lutzomyia georgii, Lu. complexa and Lu. evangelistai. The predominant species was Lu. auraensis/Lu. ruifreitasi and Lu. davisi (total 59.27%). 32 of 368 pools were positive for the presence of Leishmania DNA (16 pools corresponding to Lu. davisi, and 16 corresponding to Lu. auraensis/Lu. ruifreitasi), with a minimal infection prevalence of 1.85% in Lu. davisi and 2.05% in Lu. auraensis/Lu. ruifreitasi. The Leishmania species found showed maximum identity with L. (Viannia) guyanensis and L. (V.) braziliensis in both phlebotomine species. Based on these results and similar scenarios previously described along the Brazil/Peru/Bolivia tri-border, the studied area must take into consideration the possibility of Lu. davisi and Lu. auraensis/Lu. ruifreitasi as probable vectors of ACL in this municipality.

Molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic area of Acre State in the Amazonian Region of Brazil

“…Infection with L. (V.) braziliensis in 61.1% of the patients suggests that this species is the main etiological agent responsible for CL cases in the municipality of Brasiléia, which agrees with previous findings in Rio Branco and other areas in Bolivia and Peru, bordering the State of Acre [6][7][8]13 . This result was expected, considering that L. (V.) braziliensis is recognized as the predominant species associated with the evolution to the mucosal form of CL in Latin America 6 .…”

“…This ongoing transmission in urban and peri-urban settings reinforces the need to better characterize the epidemiological patterns of CL in the state. A few studies have been conducted in the area, most of them in Rio Branco, the capital of Acre [6][7][8] . Furthermore, the difficulty of providing an accurate diagnosis may result in an underestimation of the incidence of leishmaniasis in Acre.…”

“…In spite of the proximity between Cobija and Brasiléia, it is worth mentioning that the construction of the Pacific Highway BR317 promoted an increase in migration across the Brazil/Peru/Bolivia borders. Together with the growth of tourism, this may have had a role in the dissemination of CL in the region 8 .…”

Relationship of sanitation, water boiling, and mosquito nets to health biomarkers in a rural subsistence population

“…Mosquitos are vectors for a number of diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, West Nile virus, chikungunya, and other neglected tropical diseases. In the context of Bolivia, bed nets also are protective against phlebotomine sand flies, which transmit leishmaniosis (Teles et al, ). Malaria and other neglected tropical diseases account for an estimated 720 000 deaths and 49 000 years of life lost per year (Roth et al, ).…”

Trichophoromyia auraensis is a putative vector

“…auraensis , that was identified between male specimens collected in the municipality of Assis Brasil ( Oliveira et al 2015 , Teles et al 2016 ). As mentioned by Oliveira et al (2015) , “ This species is similar to Th.…”