Natural Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana infection and biting activity of anthropophilic sand fly Lutzomyia ayacuchensis in the Ecuadorian Andes.

Natural Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana infection and biting activity of anthropophilic sand fly Lutzomyia ayacuchensis in the Ecuadorian Andes. Acta Trop. 2019 Dec 23;:105321 Authors: Hashiguchi Y, Hashiguchi K, Zambrano FC, Parraga FD, Martillo VP, Torres EX, Velez LN, Villegas NV, Gomez EA, Kato H Abstract To elucidate the transmission mode of Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL), natural Leishmania infection and biting activity of sand flies were tested in a selected sylvatic focus of the endemic area of the Ecuadorian Andes. Monthly sand fly collections and dissections were conducted during 12 months from July 2018 to June 2019. The Leishmania positive specimens/slides with innumerable amounts of actively mobile flagellates made us easy to detect positive sand flies. The promastigotes observed located in the anterior and posterior midgut, without the hindgut localization. The parasite isolated was identified as L. (L.) mexicana by cytochrome b gene analysis. No other Leishmania or flagellate species parasitic in sand flies was observed in the area. Only Lu. ayacuchensis was caught throughout. Monthly microscopic examination of Lu. ayacuchensis revealed 0.75% to 8.33% of natural L. (L.) mexicana infection rates. Higher Leishmania infection months were present at the end of the wet season of the Andes, while higher sand fly numbers occurred during the dry season. Diurnal biting (blood meal seeking) activity of sand flies st...
Source: Acta Tropica - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Tags: Acta Trop Source Type: research