Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases (Feb 2024)

Evaluation of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana on Different Stages of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae), Vector of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iran

  • Masoumeh Pirmohammadi,
  • Reza Talaei-Hassanloui,
  • Seyed Hassan Moosa-Kazemi,
  • Yavar Rassi,
  • Sara Rahimi,
  • Mahboubeh Fatemi,
  • Marzieh Ghassemi,
  • Mohammad Hossein Arandian,
  • Reza Jafari,
  • Seyedeh Reyhaneh Golzan,
  • Amir Ahmad Akhavan,
  • Hassan Vatandoost

DOI
https://doi.org/10.18502/jad.v17i3.14986
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 3

Abstract

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Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is a major public health problem in Iran with the main vector of Phlebotomus papatasi. The use of entomopathogenic fungi for biological control of the vector is a potential substitute for the current methods which are being used. The purpose of the current study was to assess the virulence of two local isolates of Beauveria bassiana (OZ2 and TV) against Ph. papatasi. Methods: To perform the bioassay test, fungal suspensions were applied for every stage of the sand fly life cycle. The mortality rate, longevity, and number of eggs laid were determined. Also, the probability of fungal survival on the sur­face of rodent’s body was assessed. Results: The longevity of infected adult sand flies with both isolates of B. bassiana was significantly lower (P 0.05). According to our findings for both isolates, the fungus continued to spread throughout the sur­face of the rodent's body for 144 hours after spraying. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that both isolates of B. bassiana have considerable biological control ca­pacity against adult sand flies.

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