title: Physiological Age Structure and Leishmania spp. Detection in Phlebotomus (Larroussius) orientalis (Parrot, 1936) (Diptera: Psychodidae) at an Endemic Focus of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Northern Ethiopia.
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani is endemic in northern Ethiopia, where P. orientalis is the most important presumed vector. This study was designed to determine the physiological age structure and the occurrence of Leishmania infection in the vector of VL in Tahtay Adiyabo district, northern Ethiopia. Sand flies were collected using CDC light traps from peridomestic and agricultural fields between May 2011 and April 2012 and P. orientalis females were dissected for age determination and detection of Leishmania promastigotes. Sand flies were also analyzed for L. donovani detection using molecular methods. Of 1,282 P. orientalis examined for abdominal stages and age characterization, 66.2%, 28.2%, 4.1%, and 1.6% were unfed, freshly fed, half-gravid, and gravid. Parous rate in unfed females was 34.1% and 35.4% in peridomestic and agricultural fields, respectively. Out of 921 P. orientalis females dissected, one specimen (0.1%) was found naturally infected with promastigotes. Five pools (25 females) of unfed P. orientalis were also found with DNA of Leishmania spp. In particular, a single P. orientalis was positive for L. donovani (0.5%). Based on this and other evidences (abundance, human blood feeding, and xenodiagnostic studies), P. orientalis is the principal vector of VL in this endemic focus.
authors: Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Araya
authors: A
authors: Gebresilassie
authors: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Abbasi
authors: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Oscar David
authors: OD
authors: Kirstein
authors: Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Essayas
authors: E
authors: Aklilu
authors: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Solomon
authors: S
authors: Yared
authors: Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Habte
authors: H
authors: Tekie
authors: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Meshesha
authors: M
authors: Balkew
authors: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Alon
authors: A
authors: Warburg
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Asrat
authors: A
authors: Hailu
authors: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Teshome
authors: T
authors: Gebre-Michael