title: Recent advances in phlebotomine sand fly research related to leishmaniasis control.
abstract: Phlebotomine sand flies are the subject of much research because of the role of their females as the only proven natural vectors of Leishmania species, the parasitic protozoans that are the causative agents of the neglected tropical disease leishmaniasis. Activity in this field was highlighted by the eighth International Symposium on Phlebotomine Sand flies (ISOPS) held in September 2014, which prompted this review focusing on vector control. Topics reviewed include: Taxonomy and phylogenetics, Vector competence, Genetics, genomics and transcriptomics, Eco-epidemiology, and Vector control. Research on sand flies as leishmaniasis vectors has revealed a diverse array of zoonotic and anthroponotic transmission cycles, mostly in subtropical and tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Latin America, but also in Mediterranean Europe. The challenge is to progress beyond descriptive eco-epidemiology, in order to separate vectors of biomedical importance from the sand fly species that are competent vectors but lack the vectorial capacity to cause much human disease. Transmission modelling is required to identify the vectors that are a public health priority, the ones that must be controlled as part of the integrated control of leishmaniasis. Effective modelling of transmission will require the use of entomological indices more precise than those usually reported in the leishmaniasis literature.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK. p.bates@lancaster.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.affiliation: Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, ANSES, EA4688 - USC [Transmission vectorielle et épidémiosurveillance de maladies parasitaires (VECPAR)], 51, rue Cognacq-Jay, 51096, Reims Cedex, France. jerome.depaquit@univ-reims.fr.
authors.forename: Jerôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Depaquit
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, SP 01246-904, São Paulo, Brazil. egalati@usp.br.
authors.forename: Eunice A B
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Galati
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA. skamhawi@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Shaden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamhawi
authors.affiliation: c/o Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. michele.maroli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maroli
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA. mcdowell.11@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, E-08036, Spain. albert.picado@cresib.cat.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picado
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK. Paul.Ready@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Ready
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Tropical Medicine-MOH, CONICET, Neuquen y Jujuy s/n, 3370, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina. odanielsalomon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: O Daniel
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Salomón
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, São Paulo, Brazil. jayusp@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ytraub@ioc.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Yara M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Traub-Csekö
authors.affiliation: Kuvin Center for the study of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada/ Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel. alonw@ekmd.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Warburg
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004772:Entomology / Q000639:trends*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000502:physiology*; D014329:Tropical Climate