The breeding habitat of sandflies is a little studied and poorly understood phenomenon. More importantly, oviposition behaviour is a largely neglected aspect of sandfly biology and this knowledge gap further undermines our understanding of the biology of sandflies. Pheromones released by the eggs play an important role in identifying good sites for oviposition by female insects. Several recent ...

The taxonomy of the leishmanias is based on an intricate combination of features that includes “extrinsic” epidemiologic and biologic characters-such as the clinical picture of the infection in man (I, 21, experimental and natural development of the infection in sandflies, behavior of the organism in hamsters, growth rates of the organism in vitro, and morphology-supported by “intrinsic” charac...

INTRODUCTION An epidemiological study was undertaken to identify determinant factors in the occurrence of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in areas under the influence of hydroelectric plants in Paranapanema river, State of Paraná, Brazil. The ecological aspects of the phlebotomine fauna were investigated. METHODS Sandflies were sampled with automatic light traps from February 2004 to June 20...

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne disease that caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum and transmitted to humans other mammals through bites of infected female sandflies. VL has been prevalent in Minas Gerais, Brazil, since 1940s. As vector completes its reproductive cycle soil with organic matter, association between occurrence unimproved solid waste disposal sites investigated...

Editor – Vector resistance to insecticides has been highlighted by Kasap et al. in their comparative study relating to malaria in Turkey (1). In India, phlebotomine sandflies used to be considered highly susceptible to all insecticides; but indiscriminate use poses a problem of resistance, for example, in Bihar, where spraying with DDT has continued since 1976 (2). Resistance to DDT in Phleboto...

The term leishmaniasis includes multiple clinical syndromes: visceral, cutaneous, and mucosal leishmaniasis, resulting from an infection of macrophages throughout the reticuloendothelial system in dermis naso-oropharyngeal mucosa, respectively. phenotype is mainly driven by leishmania biologic characteristics and, ultimately, also host immune status. disease endemic focal areas tropics, subtrop...

Nyssomyia intermedia and Nyssomyia neivai constitute a species complex associated with Leishmania transmission. The aim of this study was to analyse the ecological profiles of the Ny. intermedia and Ny. neivai populations in a sympatric area in the Brazilian savannah along the banks of the Velhas River. Captures were performed from July 2003-June 2005 in two distinct environments: a gallery for...

We studied the distribution of sandflies (Diptera: Phlebotominae)--insect vectors of several diseases, including leishmaniasis--at the interface between primary forest and cattle pasture and between primary forest and secondary forest (< 15 yr old) in Southern Brazilian Amazonia. Sandflies were collected by using a combination of light traps and traps having vertebrates as baits. Strong differe...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis is caused by Leishmania infantum, which is transmitted to humans by bites of phlebotomine sandflies and is one of the most important public health problems in Iran. To detect and identify the Leishmania parasites and their corresponding vector(s), an investigation was carried out in Azarshahr County, a new and important focus of the diseas...