title: Effect of night time-intervals, height of traps and lunar phases on sand fly collection in a highly endemic area for canine leishmaniasis.
abstract: The activity of phlebotomine sand flies was monitored in a sub-urban area of Sicily in order to acquire data on seasonality and to elucidate the effect of the night time-intervals, height of traps from ground and lunar phases on the abundance of the capture. The study was conducted in the farm of the University of Messina (Italy). Light traps were placed as in the following: biweekly, from dusk to dawn, and from May to November; for three consecutive nights from 18:00 to 6:00, with the net bag being changed every 2h; for 30 days, at different heights from 18:00 to 6:00. A total of five species (i.e., Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus neglectus, Phlebotomus sergenti, Phlebotomus perfiliewi, and Sergentomyia minuta), three of which are proven vectors of Leishmania infantum, were captured. The most abundant species was P. perniciosus (73.3%) followed by S. minuta (23.3%). The highest number of phlebotomine sand flies was collected in August and September with a peak of collection recorded in the evening (i.e., from 20:01 to 22.00). The number of phlebotomine sand flies collected at 50cm above the ground was significantly higher (P=0.041) than that captured at 150cm. Results of this study shed light on the ecology of main phlebotomine species in the Mediterranean area, and on the influence of some factors, such as time and height of traps, on the light trap capture efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy. Electronic address: ggaglio@unime.it.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaglio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brianti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falsone
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães (Fiocruz-PE), 50670-420 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Strada Provinciale per Casamassima, 70010, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dantas-Torres
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Strada Provinciale per Casamassima, 70010, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Viviana D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Tarallo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Strada Provinciale per Casamassima, 70010, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giannetto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D004285:Dogs; D004772:Entomology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016081:Moon; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000254:growth & development*; D012802:Sicily; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Ecology; Leishmaniasis; Light trap; Phlebotomus spp.; Sand fly; Sergentomyia minuta