title: Phlebotomus sergenti in a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus in Azilal province (High Atlas, Morocco): molecular detection and genotyping of Leishmania tropica, and feeding behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Phlebotomus (Paraphlebotomus) sergenti is at least one of the confirmed vectors for the transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica and distributed widely in Morocco. This form of leishmaniasis is considered largely as anthroponotic, although dogs were found infected with Leishmania tropica, suggestive of zoonosis in some rural areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This survey aimed at (i) studying the presence of Leishmania in field caught Phlebotomus sergenti, (ii) investigating genetic diversity within Leishmania tropica and (iii) identifying the host-blood feeding preferences of Phlebotomus sergenti. A total of 4,407 sand flies were collected in three rural areas of Azilal province, using CDC miniature light traps. Samples collected were found to consist of 13 species: Phlebotomus spp. and 3 Sergentomyia spp. The most abundant species was Phlebotomus sergenti, accounting for 45.75 % of the total. 965 female Phlebotomus sergenti were screened for the presence of Leishmania by ITS1-PCR-RFLP, giving a positive rate of 5.7% (55/965), all being identified as Leishmania tropica. Nucleotide heterogeneity of PCR-amplified ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene-ITS2 was noted. Analyses of 31 sequences obtained segregated them into 16 haplotypes, of which 7 contain superimposed peaks at certain nucleotide positions, suggestive of heterozygosity. Phlebotomus sergenti collected were found to feed on a large variety of vertebrate hosts, as determined by Cytochrome b sequencing of the DNA from the blood meals of 64 engorged females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings supported the notion that Phlebotomus sergenti is the primary vector of Leishmania tropica in this focus, and that the latter is genetically very heterogeneous. Furthermore, our results might be suggestive of a certain level of heterozygosity in Leishmania tropica population. This finding, as well as the feeding of the vectors on different animals are of interest for further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Vectorielles, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco; Centre d'Etudes Doctorales des Sciences de la Santé, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Malika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ajaoud
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Vectorielles, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Nargys
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Es-Sette
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille University, IRD French Institute of Research for Development, EHESP French School of Public Health, EPV UMR_D 190 "Emergence des Pathologies Virales", & IHU Méditerranée Infection, APHM Public Hospitals of Marseille, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Rémi N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Charrel
authors.affiliation: Service de Parasitologie, Direction d'Epidémiologie et de Lutte contre les Maladies, Ministère de la Santé, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Abderahmane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laamrani-Idrissi
authors.affiliation: Service de Parasitologie, Direction d'Epidémiologie et de Lutte contre les Maladies, Ministère de la Santé, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Haddou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nhammi
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Etudes Doctorales des Sciences de la Santé, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Casablanca, Morocco; Equipe de Recherche sur les Leishmanioses Cutanées, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riyad
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Vectorielles, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Meryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemrani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000235:genetics*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000469:parasitology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
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