Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo (Jul 2014)

MOLECULAR DETECTION OF Leishmania IN PHLEBOTOMINE SAND FLIES IN A CUTANEOUS AND VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS ENDEMIC AREA IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

  • Vanessa Cristina Fitipaldi Veloso Guimarães,
  • Pietra Lemos Costa,
  • Fernando José da Silva,
  • Fábio Lopes de Melo,
  • Filipe Dantas-Torres,
  • Eduardo Henrique Gomes Rodrigues,
  • Sinval Pinto Brandão Filho

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652014000400015
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 56, no. 4
pp. 357 – 360

Abstract

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Several phlebotomine sand fly species have been regarded as putative or proven vectors of parasites of the genus Leishmania in Brazil, but data for the northeastern region remains incipient. In this study, a total of 600 phlebotomine sand flies were grouped in pools of 10 specimens each and tested by a Leishmania genus-specific PCR and by a PCR targeting Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum. Fourteen out of 60 pools were positive by the genus-specific PCR, being five pools of L. migonei, seven of L. complexa, one of L. sordellii and one of L. naftalekatzi, which correspond to a minimal infection rate of 2.3% (14/600). Our results, associated with their known anthropophily and their abundance, suggest the participation of L. migonei and L. complexa as vectors of Leishmania in northeastern Brazil. Remarkably, this is the first time in this country that the detection of Leishmania DNA in L. sordellii and L. naftalekatzi has been reported, but future studies are necessary to better understand the significance of these findings.

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