title: Diversity and incrimination of sandflies (Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) captured in city and suburbs of Hamadan, Hamadan province, west of Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate Phlebotomus sand fly fauna and their vectorial capacity in Hamadan, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the three consecutive years (2010-2012), from May to October, sandflies were sampled monthly from residential areas of Hamadan and selected villages using sticky traps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3 089 sandflies comprising 12 species from 2 genera were collected, of which 6 species are known vectors of leishmaniasis in Iran and/or other parts of the world. About 75% of the collected sandflies were of two dominant species, Phlebotomus kandelaki (38%) and Phlebotomus papatasi (36.6%). These species in combination with Phlebotomus major (6.8%), Phlebotomus sergenti (6.3%), Phlebotomus caucasicus (5.3%), Phlebotomus wenyoni (1.3%), Sergentomyia sintoni (2.9%) and Sergentomyia dentate (2%) collectively comprised the majority of the sandflies. Other species including Phlebotomus halpensis, Phlebotomus longiductus, Phlebotomus comatus and Phlebotomus alexandri each comprised only less than 1% of collected samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although none of the 158 dissected female Phlebotomus kandelaki and Phlebotomus papatasi were infected with leishmania promastigote, it is probable that in the future, factors such as environmental changes, migration and urbanization can ease the transmission of leishmaniases in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address: A_Salehzadeh@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Aref
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salehzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Somayeh Rafatbakhsh
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Iran
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Milad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Latifi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Motahare
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirhoseini
keywords: Fauna; Hamadan, Iran; Phlebotominae; Vector incrimination