Studies on the Feeding Habits of Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) Populations from Endemic Areas of American Visceral Leishmaniasis in Northeastern Brazil.
The aim of this study was to identify potential blood feeding sources of L. (L.) longipalpis specimens from populations in Northeastern Brazil, endemic areas of American Visceral Leishmaniasis (AVL) and its correlation with the transmission of L. (L.) i. chagasi. The ELISA technique was applied using bird, dog, goat, opossum, equine, feline, human, sheep, and rodent antisera to analyze 609 females, resulting in an overall positivity of 60%. In all municipalities, females showed higher positivity for bird followed by dog antiserum and sand fly specimens were also positive for equine, feline, human, sheep, goat, opossum, and rodent antisera. The finding for 17 combinations of two or three types of blood in some females corroborates the opportunistic habit of this sand fly species. The results demonstrating the association between L. (L.) longipalpis and opossum suggest the need for further evaluation of the real role of this synanthropic mammal in the eco-epidemiology of AVL.
Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmanioses, Laboratório de Referência em Vigilância Entomológica, Taxonomia e Ecologia de Vetores das Leishmanioses do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil, 4365, 21040-360 Manguinhos, RJ, Brazil.
Margarete Martins Dos Santos
MM
Afonso
Rosemere
R
Duarte
José Carlos
JC
Miranda
Lindenbergh
L
Caranha
Elizabeth Ferreira
EF
Rangel