The Fauna and Bioecology of Vectors of Leishmaniasis (Phlebotominae sandflies) in Nourabad Mamassani County, Fars Province

Introduction & The incidence of human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has recently increased in the Nourabad-Mamassani district of Fars province. This study was designed to detect fauna and bioecology of Phlebotomiae sand flies which are vectors of leishmaniasis worldwide. The study was a descriptive – cross sectional which was carried out during 2004 to 2005. Sand flies were caught using CDC miniature light traps, sticky traps and aspirators. Microscopic dissection and a Leishmania species specific seminested-PCR technique using minicircle kinetoplast DNA primers were used to detect leptomonad infection. A total of 12688 sand flies were caught, of them, 7040 specimens (55.48%) were male and 5648 (44.52%) were female. The fauna was identified as 25 species (14 Phlebotomus and 11 Sergentomyia species). Six species consist of four Phlebotomus species (P. ansari, P. salehi, P. eleanorae and P. bergeroti) and two Sergentomyia species (S. squamipleuris and S. africana) were reported for the first time in the Fars province. Ph. papatasi and S. dentata were the dominant species in indoor (39.2%) and outdoor (21.1%) places, respectively. Monthly activity of sand flies begins in mid Ordibehesht, lasting to mid Aban with a peak in mid Mordad. Leishmania leptomonad infection was observed in two dissected specimens of each of Ph. alexandri and Ph. papatasi species. Anthropophilic indices of these two sand flies were 32.8 and 37.3% using ELISA technique. Sand flies fauna is rich in this county because of high bioecological diversity. P. papatasi and P. alexandri are introduced as the vectors of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in this focus, respectively. Our findings will be used as the basis of leishmaniasis control strategies in this focus.