title: Fluorescence-based detection of Leishmania infantum DNA in phlebotomus vectors.
abstract: The geographical diffusion of leishmaniasis can depend on the factors limiting the distribution of sandfly vectors. In Sicily, as in all Mediterranean areas, sandflies are present almost all year round because the climate permits perpetuation of this vector's life cycle. Transmission can occurs in rural and domestic habitats through the bite of infected female phlebotomine sandflies. In Italy, the visceral form of leishmaniasis is commonly found, which is due exclusively to L. infantum. Two species of sandfly are considered the main vectors: Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. perfiliewi. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology was used to determine the parasite load in phlebotomine vectors, and the test was targeted on a 117-bp fragment of kinetoplast DNA minicircles. The assay was evaluated, focusing on analytical sensitivity, discriminatory power, and reliability of quantification. During 2005, a total of 1686 sandflies were trapped in various Sicilian provinces and in farms randomly selected using black light traps. We found 20, 30, and 16 sandflies positive for Leishmania for each kind of analyzed phlebotomine sandfly, respectively, corresponding to 6.5% for the gravid, 2.7% for the fed, and 6.3% for other groups. Previously the insects were identified on the basis of morphology and the most prevalent sandfly species were P. Sergentomyia minuta, P. perfiliewi, and P. perniciosus.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilià, Palermo, Italy. stefano.reale@izssicilia.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torina
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sole
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calderone
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lupo
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manna
authors.forename: Angelo Elio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Gravino
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Currò
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005453:Fluorescence; D007303:Insect Vectors; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016054:DNA, Protozoan