Isolation of Leishmania mexicana (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) from Lutzomyia anthophora (Diptera: Psychodidae) collected in Texas.
Three of 27 female Lutzomyia anthophora (Addis) collected in Texas from the nest of a southern plains woodrat, Neotoma micropus Baird, during October 1991 were infected with flagellate protozoans. Isolates were grown in Schneider's Drosophila medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum, and isozyme analysis of two of the isolates determined the parasites to be Leishmania mexicana (Biagi). These are the first isolations of Leishmania from field-collected sand flies in North America north of Mexico. Possible reasons for the lack of human cases near the focus are presented.
Occupational and Environmental Health Directorate, Armstrong Laboratory, Brooks Air Force Base, TX 78235.
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McHugh
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Grogl
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Kreutzer
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D013781:Texas