title: Could Phlebotomus mascittii play a role as a natural vector for Leishmania infantum? New data.
abstract: The occurrence of phlebotomine sand flies in Central Europe was questioned until they were recorded for the first time in Germany in 1999, and ten years later also in Austria. The aim of this study was to investigate sand flies collected in Austria for their carrier status of Leishmania spp.
  
  
  
  From 2012 to 2013 field studies were conducted in eastern Austria. Altogether, 22 individuals of sand flies were found, all morphologically identified as Phlebotomus (Transphlebotomus) mascittii Grassi, 1908. Twelve non-engorged female specimens with no visible remnants of a blood meal in their bodies were individually investigated for Leishmania spp. by ITS-1 real-time PCR. One out of these was positive for Leishmania, identified as Leishmania infantum by DNA sequencing. This finding suggests that L. infantum is not excreted by P. mascittii and possibly can establish an infection within P. mascittii. Interestingly, an asymptomatic dog living on the farm where this sand fly had been caught was also Leishmania-positive.
  
  
  
  This study provides new data on the suspected vector capacity of P. mascittii, being the northernmost sand fly species in Europe and in most central European regions the only sand fly species found. Proven vector capacity of P. mascittii for Leishmania spp. would be of significant medico-veterinary importance, not only with respect to expanding sand fly populations in Central Europe related to global warming, but also in the light of globalization and increasing movements of humans.
authors.affiliation: Division of Science, Research and Development, Federal Ministry of Defence and Sports, Rossauer Laende 1, 1090, Vienna, Austria.|Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Adelheid G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Obwaller
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, 35100, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.|Near East University, Faculty of Science and Letters, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karakus
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Poeppl
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, 35100, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seray
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Töz
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, 35100, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Özbel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aspöck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria. julia.walochnik@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0356-2853
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walochnik
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001317:Austria; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000145:classification* / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: Austria; Central Europe; Leishmania infantum; Natural infection; Phlebotomine sand fly; Phlebotomus mascittii