title: Natural infection of phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae) by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis in an area of ecotourism in Central-Western Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bonito municipality, known as an area of ecoturism, in Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil, is also a focus of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases, with cases registered in both human and canine populations. This study sought to investigate natural infection by flagellate forms of Leishmania in phlebotomines of the urban area of Bonito.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sand flies were collected fortnightly from October 2005 to July 2006 with modified automatic light traps installed in peridomiciles and animal shelters in the center and on the outskirts of the city. The females were dissected and their guts observed under an optical microscope. A total of 1977 specimens were captured, Lutzomyia longipalpis (88.4 %) and Bichromomyia flaviscutelata (3.0 %) being the most frequent species. Bi. flaviscutellata was found infected by flagellates that were identified as Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis by indirect immunofluorescence reaction, employing monoclonal antibodies and the biotin-avidin system. This is the first report of natural infection by L. amazonensis in Bi. flaviscutellata in a Brazilian urban area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As Bi. flaviscutellata is only slightly attracted by humans, the transmission of L. amazonensis in the study area may have a zoonotic character; however, the sympatric occurrence of this parasite and Lu. longipalpis should be taken into consideration by the local health authorities since this sand fly has already been found with L. amazonensis DNA in a focus of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Bonito municipality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, São Paulo, SP CEP 01246-904 Brazil.
authors.forename: Andreia Fernandes
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Brilhante
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Parasitology, Anhanguera-Uniderp University, Campo Grande, MS Brazil.
authors.forename: Vânia Lúcia Brandão
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Parasitology, Anhanguera-Uniderp University, Campo Grande, MS Brazil.
authors.forename: Kleber Augusto
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kohatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, São Paulo, SP CEP 01246-904 Brazil.
authors.forename: Eunice Aparecida Bianchi
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Galati
authors.affiliation: Center for Zoonosis Control, Bonito, MS Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Elizabeth Ghizzi
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medicine Nucleus, Pará Federal University, Pará, PA Brazil.
authors.forename: Edna Aoba Yassui
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
keywords: Bichromomyia flaviscutellata; Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis; Lutzomyia longipalpis; Natural infection