title: Sandflies (Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) survey in an urban transmission area of visceral leishmaniasis, Northeastern Brazil.
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a major public health challenge in Brazil, especially in states where it is endemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of sand fly population density with environmental variables (temperature, rainfall and relative humidity) in urban areas of the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Northeastern Brazil. Sand flies were captured with Center Disease Control (CDC) traps installed monthly in the intra and peridomicile of three houses. Data analysis was based on the chi-square test and linear regression. A total of 7,347 sand flies were captured, being 93.85% Lutzomyia longipalpis and 6.15% Lutzomyia evandroi. Sand flies were more commonly found in the peridomicile and there was no difference between the number of males and females. The variables rainy season as well as relative humidity and rainfall, alone or together, did not have an effect on sand fly population density. However, high temperatures had a negative effect. The study of the behavior of sand flies in specific units of endemic areas can provide input to public health authorities for planning appropriate VL vector control measures.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Campus do Itaperi, Av. Paranjana 1700, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
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: Paula Gabriela Melo de
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Gislayne Christianne Xavier
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Peixoto
authors.forename: Raimundo Nonato de
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Nilza Dutra
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Lorena Mayana Beserra de
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Iara Térsia Freitas
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Macedo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D011156:Population Density; D011576:Psychodidae; D014504:Urban Health