Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi in the Americas. In Brazil, it is transmitted by sandflies of the species Lutzomyia longipalpis and L. cruzi, and dogs are the main domestic reservoirs. The aim of this study was to analyze data relating to VL transmission in Jaciara, state of Mato Grosso, and discuss vector distribution, domestic reservoirs, and human ca...

The aim of this work was to identify the natural breeding sites of sandflies in the province of Chaco, Argentina, for the first time. Preliminary studies were conducted in two different phytogeographic regions: dry Chaco (Parque Provincial Pampa del Indio), in January 2010, and humid Chaco (Resistencia, Margarita Belén and Colonia Benítez), from May-September 2010. A total of 127 samples were c...

Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most important vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. When female sandflies feed on blood, a peritrophic matrix (PM) is formed around the blood bolus. The PM is secreted by midgut cells and composed of proteins, glycoproteins and chitin microfibrils. The PM functions as both a physical barrier against pathogens present in the food bolus and blood meal digestion...

Protozoan parasites [1]: 1) Leishmania major; 2) L. tropica; 3) L. infantum (very rare) WHO case definition Suspected case A person showing clinical signs (skin lesions). A papule appears, which may enlarge to become an indolent ulcerated nodule or plaque. The sore remains in this stage for a variable time before self healing and typically leaves a depressed scar. Other atypical forms may occur...

A new member of the phlebovirus genus, tentatively named Granada virus, was detected in sandflies collected in Spain. By showing the presence of specific neutralizing antibodies in human serum collected in Granada, we show that Granada virus infects humans. The analysis of the complete genome of Granada virus revealed that this agent is likely to be a natural reassortant of the recently describ...

Phlebotomine sandflies transmit pathogens that affect humans and animals worldwide. We review the roles of phlebotomines in the spreading of leishmaniases, sandfly fever, summer meningitis, vesicular stomatitis, Chandipura virus encephalitis and Carrión's disease. Among over 800 species of sandfly recorded, 98 are proven or suspected vectors of human leishmaniases; these include 42 Phlebotomus ...

An analysis of the dietary content of haematophagous insects can provide important information about the transmission networks of certain zoonoses. The present study evaluated the potential of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome B (cytb) gene to differentiate between vertebrate species that were identified as pos...

Studies on natural infection by Leishmania spp of sandflies collected in endemic and nonendemic areas can provide important information on the distribution and intensity of the transmission of these parasites. This study sought to investigate the natural infection by Leishmaniain wild female sandflies. The specimens were caught in the city of Corumbá, state of Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil) betwee...

10 Leishmania parasites must survive and proliferate in two vastly different environs – the guts of 11 poikilothermic sandflies and the antigen-presenting cells of homeothermic mammals. The change of 12 temperature during transmission from sandflies to mammals is both a key trigger for the 13 progression of their life cycle and for elevated synthesis of heat shock proteins which have been 14 im...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES An outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) among children from Nagpur division, Maharashtra was investigated to confirm the aetiology and to describe clinico-epidemiological features. METHODS AES cases among children<15 yr, from Nagpur division, hospitalized between June-September 2007, were investigated. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were tested for IgM an...