Elevated and sustained anti‐feeding effect of Scalibor® deltamethrin collar against the sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus in dogs confirmed for 1 year following treatment

AbstractGreen periurban residential areas in Mediterranean countries have flourished in the last decades and become foci for leishmaniasis. To remedy the absence of information on vector ecology in these environments, we examined phlebotomine sand fly distribution in 29 sites in Murcia City over a 3-year period, including the plots of 20 detached houses and nine non-urbanized sites nearby. We collected 5,066 specimens from five species using “sticky” interception and light attraction traps. The relative frequency of the main Leishmania infantum vector Phlebotomus perniciosus in these traps was 32% and 63%, respectively. Sand fly density was widely variable spatially and temporally and greatest in non-urbanized sites, particularly in caves and abandoned buildings close to domestic animal holdings. Phlebotomus perniciosus density in house plots was positively correlated with those in non-urbanized sites, greatest in larger properties with extensive vegetation and non-permanently lived, but not associated to dog presence or a history of canine leishmaniasis. Within house plots, sand fly density was highest in traps closest to walls. Furthermore, the study provides a guideline for insect density assessment and reporting and is envisioned as a building block towards the development of a pan-European database for robust investigation of environmental determinants of sand fly distribution.

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Diversity and Dynamics of Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Two Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Foci in the Fes-Boulemane Region of Northern Morocco

International Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1155/2015/497169 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Fatima Zahra Talbi ◽

Chafika Faraj ◽

Fouad EL-Akhal ◽

Fatiha El Khayyat ◽

Driss Chenfour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

Control Measures ◽

Sand Fly ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomus Papatasi ◽

Phlebotomus Perniciosus ◽

Phlebotomus Sergenti ◽

Sergentomyia Minuta ◽

Two Peaks

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an infectious disease caused by various species ofLeishmaniaand transmitted by several species of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae). In order to evaluate the risk of leishmaniasis transmission in Fes-Boulemane, an investigation was carried out in two localities, Aichoun and Bouasseme, during 2011. From January to December, 1120 specimens were collected in Aichoun comprising six species belonging to two genera:Phlebotomus sergenti(76.07%),Phlebotomus longicuspis(9.01%),Phlebotomus perniciosus(8.48%),Phlebotomus papatasi(4.82%),Sergentomyia minuta,andSergentomyia fallax. For Bouasseme, seven species were identified withPhlebotomus sergenti(60.39%) dominating, followed byPhlebotomus perniciosus(20%) andPhlebotomus longicuspis(12.15%). The remaining species,Phlebotomus papatasi,Phlebotomus ariasi,Sergentomyia minuta,andSergentomyia fallax,were less prevalent. The activity of sand flies in both localities is marked by the dominance ofPh. sergentiwith two peaks occurring in June and September. In order to obtain a better understanding of sand fly diversity among their species, results were analyzed by the ecological indices determinant: specific richness, the relative abundance, and Shannon-Weiner index (H′). Further studies of sand fly diversity should employ statistical tests and molecular analyses. This study can be useful in the implementation of appropriate future control measures.

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Insecticidal efficacy against Phlebotomus perniciosus in dogs treated orally with fluralaner in two different parallel-group, negative-control, random and masked trials

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-021-05128-z ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gioia Bongiorno ◽

Leon Meyer ◽

Alec Evans ◽

Nouha Lekouch ◽

Padraig Doherty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Control ◽

Western Mediterranean ◽

Reservoir Host ◽

Sand Fly ◽

Control Group ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomus Perniciosus ◽

Parallel Group ◽

Insecticidal Efficacy ◽

And Control

Abstract Background Dogs are the reservoir host of Leishmania infantum, the agent of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL), which is transmitted by the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. The sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus is the main vector of zoonotic VL in the western Mediterranean region. Fluralaner has been shown to effectively kill this vector. The aim of this study was to evaluate the insecticidal efficacy of oral fluralaner in dogs bitten by P. perniciosus. Methods Two parallel-group, negative-controlled, randomized, masked laboratory trials with equivalent designs were performed in two different locations using two different pathogen-free laboratory-bred P. perniciosus strains for the challenge. In each trial, 12 purpose-bred beagles, initially ranked on natural attractiveness to sand flies, were randomly allocated to two groups (6 animals/group). Dogs in one group received fluralaner orally at the approved dose on day 0, and dogs in the control group were not treated. Each dog was subsequently exposed to an average of 70 unfed live sand fly females on days 1, 28, 56 and 84. Viability of blood-fed females was then evaluated for up to 96 h after exposure, and insecticidal efficacy was measured as the survival rate of flies fed on the fluralaner-treated dogs versus that of dogs in the control group. Significance was calculated for the proportion of live fed sand fly counts from treated versus control group dogs. Results Comparison of the survival proportions between treated and control groups showed that fluralaner insecticidal efficacy was highly significant in both trials (P < 0.001 or P < 0.01 in different assessments) through to day 56. In the first trial, efficacy reached 100% on days 1 and 28, and 99.1% on day 56; in the second trial, the insecticidal efficacy was 98.5, 100 and 85.9%, respectively on the same days. On day 84, efficacy was in the range of 53–57% (P < 0.05) in the first trial and 0% in the second trial. Conclusion A single oral fluralaner administration to dogs under laboratory conditions results in strong and reproducible insecticidal efficacy against P. perniciosus for at least 8 weeks. Graphical Abstract

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Growth of Two Phleboviruses after Experimental Infection of their Suspected Sand Fly Vector, Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae)

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.4269/ajtmh.1985.34.174 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 174-179 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

M. G. Ciufolini ◽

M. Maroli ◽

P. Verani

Keyword(s):

Experimental Infection ◽

Sand Fly ◽

Phlebotomus Perniciosus

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Laboratory transmission of an Asian strain of Leishmania tropica by the bite of the southern European sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus

International Journal for Parasitology ◽

10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.12.009 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 49 (6) ◽

pp. 417-421 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Gioia Bongiorno ◽

Trentina Di Muccio ◽

Riccardo Bianchi ◽

Marina Gramiccia ◽

Luigi Gradoni

Keyword(s):

Sand Fly ◽

Leishmania Tropica ◽

Phlebotomus Perniciosus ◽

Asian Strain

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Examining the Relationship of Clinical and Laboratory Parameters With Infectiousness to Phlebotomus perniciosus and Its Potential Infectivity in Dogs With Overt Clinical Leishmaniasis

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/fvets.2021.667290 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Manuela Gizzarelli ◽

Antonio Bosco ◽

Valentina Foglia Manzillo ◽

Gioia Bongiorno ◽

Riccardo Bianchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antibody Test ◽

Clinical Score ◽

Blood Feeding ◽

Skin Lesions ◽

Domestic Animal ◽

Sand Fly ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Laboratory Parameters ◽

Phlebotomus Perniciosus ◽

The Relationship

Infected dogs are considered the main domestic animal reservoirs for Leishmania infantum parasite. Infectiousness to competent phlebotomine vectors has been associated with many factors, the main being the severity of the disease exhibited by infected dogs. This study examines the relationship between different clinical parameters and the infectiousness to colonized Phlebotomus perniciosus sand flies having a blood meal on dogs. Data obtained in the present study come from an untreated group of Leishmania sick dogs submitted to xenodiagnosis for the evaluation of a spot on insecticide solution. Seventeen dogs were diagnosed as affected by leishmaniasis through clinical examination, immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) serology, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The disease severity (clinical score) was staged by using a numeric value derived from eight clinical and parasitological parameters. Xenodiagnosis was performed on caged dogs exposed for 1.5 h to sand-fly bites. The following parameters related to sand flies were examined: blood feeding (% of blood engorged females), promastigote detection (% of promastigote-positive sand flies), promastigote burden, and the promastigote stage maturation (potential transmissibility rate). Statistical relationship between the clinical score and entomological parameters was investigated, as well as the possible correlation between each clinical and laboratory parameters and sand fly infection/infectivity. The severity of clinical score may influence the blood feeding by, and the probability of promastigote detection in, sand flies; skin lesions seem to be the main factor that influences the rate of blood feeding. Promastigote burden is related to IFAT titer, skin lesions, and clinical score. All entomological parameters are strongly related among them. This study confirms that both P. perniciosus infection and infectivity are influenced by a dog's clinical condition.

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