title: The effects of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum on different stages of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae).
abstract: The control of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) vector is often based on the application of chemical residual insecticide. However, this strategy has not been effective. The continuing search for an appropriate vector control may include the use of biological control. This study evaluates the effects of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum on Lutzomyia longipalpis. Five concentrations of the fungus were utilized, 1 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(8) conidia/ml, accompanied by controls. The unhatched eggs, larvae and dead adults previously exposed to fungi were sown to reisolate the fungi and analysis of parameters of growth. The fungus was subsequently identified by PCR and DNA sequencing. M. anisopliae var. acridum reduced egg hatching by 40%. The mortality of infected larvae was significant. The longevity of infected adults was lower than that of negative controls. The effects of fungal infection on the hatching of eggs laid by infected females were also significant. With respect to fungal growth parameters post-infection, only vegetative growth was not significantly higher than that of the fungi before infection. The revalidation of the identification of the reisolated fungus was confirmed post-passage only from adult insects. In terms of larvae mortality and the fecundity of infected females, the results were significant, proving that the main vector species of VL is susceptible to infection by this entomopathogenic fungus in the adult stage.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará 60740-000, Brazil. stheniasantos@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Sthenia Santos Albano
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Amóra
authors.forename: Claudia Maria Leal
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bevilaqua
authors.forename: Francisco Marlon Carneiro
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Feijó
authors.forename: Romeika Hermínia de Macedo Assunção
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Nilza Dutra
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Fúlvio Aurélio de Morais
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Michel Toth
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.forename: Diana Magalhães
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Elza Aurea
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Luna-Alves Lima
authors.forename: Marcos Fábio Gadelha
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D052981:Metarhizium / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016019:Survival Analysis