Species diversity and relative abundance of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) on three Army installations in the southern United States and susceptibility of a domestic sand fly to infection with Old World Leishmania major.
Leishmania infections in American veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have raised concern that veterans could serve as reservoirs of Old World parasites for domestic vector populations. A survey of sand flies on three U.S. Army facilities in the southern United States was conducted to identify potential vectors. Five species, including two new state records, are reported for Fort Hood, TX. Very few flies were detected in Fort Bragg, NC. Large numbers of a man-biting species, Lutzomyia shannoni, were trapped on Fort Campbell, KY. Weekly activity patterns for dominant species are presented. In addition, an infection experiment was conducted to determine if a domestic sand fly is susceptible to infection with Old World Leishmania major. Lu. shannoni became infected and supported Le. major up to 6 days postprandial. Metacyclogenesis and actual transmission of Le. major to an uninfected mouse did not occur because infected flies did not take subsequent blood meals.
Claborn
David M
DM
Department of Nursing, Missouri State University, 901 South National Avenue, Springfield, MO 65897, USA.
Rowton
Edgar D
ED
Lawyer
Phillip G
PG
Brown
Grayson C
GC
Keep
Lisa W
LW
D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D007891:Leishmania / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D011576:Psychodidae; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014197:Trees; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology