Rattus norvegicus(Rodentia: Muridae) Infected byLeishmania(Leishmania)infantum(syn.Le. chagasi) in Brazil

In the present study we surveyed the fauna of phlebotomine sand flies and small mammals in peridomestic areas from a Brazilian municipality where the American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is endemic. A total of 608 female phlebotomine sand flies were captured during nine months in 2009 and 2010. Seven different species were represented with 60% of them beingLutzomyia intermediaandLu. whitmani, both incriminated vectors of ACL.Lu. longipalpis, a proven vector of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was also captured at high proportion (12.8%). Genomic DNA analysis of 136 species-specific pools of female sand flies followed by molecular genotyping showed the presence ofLeishmania infantumDNA in two pools ofLu. longipalpis. The sameLeishmaniaspecies was found in one blood sample fromRattus norvegicusamong 119 blood and tissue samples analysed. This is the first report ofLe. infantuminR. norvegicusin the Americas and suggests a possible role for this rodent species in the zoonotic cycle of VL. Our study coincided with the reemergence of VL in Governador Valadares.

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Sexual and vertical transmission of visceral leishmaniasis

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.4108 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (04) ◽

pp. 403-407 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Andreia P Turchetti ◽

Tayse D Souza ◽

Tatiane A Paixão ◽

Renato L. Santos

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Vertical Transmission ◽

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Vertebrate Host ◽

Domestic Dog ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important zoonosis caused by Leishmania infantum, which has in the domestic dog its principal vertebrate host. VL is usually transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, however atypical routes of transmission have been described. In this review we discuss the the role of sexual and vertical transmissions, and their role in the maintenance of VL in canine populations.

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Aspects on the Ecology of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) From Guaraí, State of Tocantins, Brazil, Endemic Area for American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjw148 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 229-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Rodrigo Espíndola Godoy ◽

Antônio Luís Ferreira de Santana ◽

Carina Graser ◽

Elizabeth Ferreira Rangel ◽

Maurício Luiz Vilela

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Endemic Area ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽

American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

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Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in forest fragments of Belém metropolitan area, Pará State, Brazil, with considerations on vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis agents

Revista Pan-Amazônica de Saúde ◽

10.5123/s2176-62232014000200004 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 29-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

João Victor Silva Ferreira ◽

Thiago Vasconcelos dos Santos ◽

Emerson Monteiro dos Santos ◽

Inocêncio de Sousa Gorayeb

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Metropolitan Area ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽

American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

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NaturalLeishmania(Viannia) spp. infections in phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Brazilian Amazon region reveal new putative transmission cycles of American cutaneous leishmaniasis

Parasite ◽

10.1051/parasite/2016022 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 ◽

pp. 22 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Adelson Alcimar Almeida de Souza ◽

Thiago Vasconcelos dos Santos ◽

Yara Lúcia Lins Jennings ◽

Edna Aoba Yassui Ishikawa ◽

Iorlando da Rocha Barata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Brazilian Amazon ◽

Amazon Region ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽

American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Brazilian Amazon Region ◽

Transmission Cycles

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Detection of Leishmania tarentolae in lizards, sand flies and dogs in southern Italy, where Leishmania infantum is endemic: hindrances and opportunities

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-021-04973-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan ◽

Maria Stefania Latrofa ◽

Roberta Iatta ◽

Ranju R. S. Manoj ◽

Rossella Panarese ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Canine Leishmaniasis ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Leishmania Tarentolae ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Podarcis Siculus ◽

Vertebrate Hosts ◽

And Control

Abstract Background Leishmania tarentolae is a protozoan isolated from geckoes (Tarentola annularis, Tarentola mauritanica), which is considered non-pathogenic and is transmitted by herpetophilic Sergentomyia spp. sand flies. This species occurs in sympatry with Leishmania infantum in areas where canine leishmaniasis is endemic. In the present study, we investigated the circulation of L. tarentolae and L. infantum in sand flies, dogs and lizards in a dog shelter in southern Italy, where canine leishmaniasis by L. infantum is endemic. Methods Sheltered dogs (n = 100) negative for Leishmania spp. (March 2020) were screened by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) using promastigotes of both species at two time points (June 2020 and March 2021). Whole blood from dogs, tissues of Podarcis siculus lizards (n = 28) and sand flies (n = 2306) were also sampled and tested by a duplex real-time PCR (dqPCR). Host blood meal was assessed in sand flies by PCR. Results Overall, 16 dogs became positive for L. infantum and/or L. tarentolae by IFAT at one or both sampling periods. One canine blood sample was positive for L. infantum, whilst two for L. tarentolae by dqPCR. At the cytology of lizard blood, Leishmania spp. amastigote-like forms were detected in erythrocytes. Twenty-two tissue samples, mostly lung (21.4%), scored molecularly positive for L. tarentolae, corresponding to 10 lizards (i.e., 35.7%). Of the female Sergentomyia minuta sampled (n = 1252), 158 scored positive for L. tarentolae, four for L. infantum, and one co-infected. Two Phlebotomus perniciosus (out of 29 females) were positive for L. tarentolae. Engorged S. minuta (n = 10) fed on humans, and one P. perniciosus, positive for L. tarentolae, on lagomorphs. Conclusions Dogs and lacertid lizards (Podarcis siculus) were herein found for the first time infected by L. tarentolae. The detection of both L. tarentolae and L. infantum in S. minuta and P. perniciosus suggests their sympatric circulation, with a potential overlap in vertebrate hosts. The interactions between L. tarentolae and L. infantum should be further investigated in both vectors and vertebrate hosts to understand the potential implications for the diagnosis and control of canine leishmaniasis in endemic areas. Graphical abstract

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Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of the Maghreb region: A systematic review of distribution, morphology, and role in the transmission of the pathogens

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

10.1371/journal.pntd.0009952 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0009952

Author(s):

Kamal Eddine Benallal ◽

Rafik Garni ◽

Zoubir Harrat ◽

Petr Volf ◽

Vít Dvorak

Keyword(s):

Google Earth ◽

Sand Fly ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Bartonella Bacilliformis ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽

Distribution Maps ◽

Vector Borne Diseases ◽

Animal Pathogens ◽

Species Specific

Background Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are important vectors of various human and animal pathogens such as Bartonella bacilliformis, Phlebovirus, and parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania, causative agent of leishmaniases that account among most significant vector-borne diseases. The Maghreb countries Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya occupy a vast area of North Africa and belong to most affected regions by these diseases. Locally varying climatic and ecological conditions support diverse sand fly fauna that includes many proven or suspected vectors. The aim of this review is to summarize often fragmented information and to provide an updated list of sand fly species of the Maghreb region with illustration of species-specific morphological features and maps of their reported distribution. Materials and methods The literature search focused on scholar databases to review information on the sand fly species distribution and their role in the disease transmissions in Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, surveying sources from the period between 1900 and 2020. Reported distribution of each species was collated using Google Earth, and distribution maps were drawn using ArcGIS software. Morphological illustrations were compiled from various published sources. Results and conclusions In total, 32 species of the genera Phlebotomus (Ph.) and Sergentomyia (Se.) were reported in the Maghreb region (15 from Libya, 18 from Tunisia, 23 from Morocco, 24 from Algeria, and 9 from Mauritania). Phlebotomus mariae and Se. africana subsp. asiatica were recorded only in Morocco, Ph. mascitti, Se. hirtus, and Se. tiberiadis only in Algeria, whereas Ph. duboscqi, Se. dubia, Se. africana africana, Se. lesleyae, Se. magna, and Se. freetownensis were reported only from Mauritania. Our review has updated and summarized the geographic distribution of 26 species reported so far in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, excluding Mauritania from a detailed analysis due to the unavailability of accurate distribution data. In addition, morphological differences important for species identification are summarized with particular attention to closely related species such as Ph. papatasi and Ph. bergeroti, Ph. chabaudi, and Ph. riouxi, and Se. christophersi and Se. clydei.

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