title: First molecular detection of Leishmania tarentolae-like DNA in Sergentomyia minuta in Spain.
abstract: Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) are vectors of multiple Leishmania species, among which Leishmania infantum stands out as a being frequently pathogenic to humans and dogs in Mediterranean countries. In this study, Sergentomyia minuta sand flies were collected using CDC miniature light traps in different 431 biotopes from Southwest Spain. A total of 114 females were tested for the presence of Leishmania DNA by targeting ITS-1 and cyt-B sequences by PCR. Leishmania DNA was detected in one S. minuta. Characterization of the obtained DNA sequences by phylogenetic analyses revealed close relatedness with Leishmania tarentolae Wenyon, 1921 as well as with both human and canine pathogenic strains of Asian origin (China), previously described as Leishmania sp. To our knowledge, this is the first report of phlebotomine sand flies naturally infected with L. tarentolae-like in Spain. The possible infection of sand flies with novel Leishmania species should be taken into consideration in epidemiological studies of vector species in areas where leishmaniosis is endemic.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bravo-Barriga
authors.affiliation: Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Grupo de Virologia/Unidade de Microbiología Médica, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parreira
authors.affiliation: Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blanco-Ciudad
authors.affiliation: Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria Odete
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Afonso
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frontera
authors.affiliation: Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lenea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campino
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Enrique
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pérez-Martín
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Serrano Aguilera
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain. dreina@unex.es.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Leishmania tarentolae-like; Phlebotomine sand flies; Sergentomyia minuta; Southwest Spain; Vectors