Diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil

Abstract Background The Cacao Region spans several municipalities in the state of Bahia. It is one of the major foci of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) in Brazil. We report the findings of a pilot cross-sectional study describing the phlebotomine fauna found around living sites of newly dia...

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Main Authors: Bruno Oliveira Cova, Livia Alves de Oliveira, Paulo Roberto Lima Machado, Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho, Adriano Figueiredo Monte-Alegre, Albert Schriefer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:Parasites & Vectors
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06717-y
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author Bruno Oliveira Cova
Livia Alves de Oliveira
Paulo Roberto Lima Machado
Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho
Adriano Figueiredo Monte-Alegre
Albert Schriefer
author_facet Bruno Oliveira Cova
Livia Alves de Oliveira
Paulo Roberto Lima Machado
Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho
Adriano Figueiredo Monte-Alegre
Albert Schriefer
author_sort Bruno Oliveira Cova
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The Cacao Region spans several municipalities in the state of Bahia. It is one of the major foci of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) in Brazil. We report the findings of a pilot cross-sectional study describing the phlebotomine fauna found around living sites of newly diagnosed ATL cases in that area. Methods The sand fly fauna was studied from May 2018 to June 2019 via an entomological survey, as recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Results Six hundred nineteen phlebotomine sand flies of 20 species were captured: 272 males (44%) and 347 females (56%). Nyssomyia whitmani was the most prevalent (62.2%), followed by Nyssomyia intermedia (9.2%), Evandromyia bahiensis (6.3%), endemic to Bahia, and Trichophoromyia viannamartinsi (4.5%). Ninety-four percent of the female sand flies collected were screened for infection with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the 97 sand fly pools analyzed, seven were positive for L. (V.) braziliensis: three of Nyssomyia whitmani, two of Th. viannamartinsi and one each of Psychodopygus hirsutus hirsutus and Trichopygomyia longispina. The overall value of minimum infection rate (MIR) was 2.2%, and its stratification rates for the above species were 1.9, 10, 33 and 50%, respectively. All positive pools consisted of phlebotomine sand flies collected from the peridomiciles and extradomiciles of homes in the municipality of Taperoá in July 2018, resulting in an adjusted MIR of 7.8%, with 50% of the pools positive for L. (V.) braziliensis during that outbreak of ATL. Conclusions Our findings suggest that areas experiencing outbreaks of ATL in affected regions present high proportions of infected phlebotomine sand flies involving a variety of species, some not usually considered involved in the L. (V.) braziliensis transmission cycle, such as Th. viannamartinsi. Graphical Abstract
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spelling doaj-art-3371ce00b267457c8db98455cbbe26bd2025-08-20T02:59:28ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052025-02-0118111010.1186/s13071-025-06717-yDiversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, BrazilBruno Oliveira Cova0Livia Alves de Oliveira1Paulo Roberto Lima Machado2Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho3Adriano Figueiredo Monte-Alegre4Albert Schriefer5Serviço de Imunologia, Hospital Universitário Professor Edgard Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA)Serviço de Imunologia, Hospital Universitário Professor Edgard Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA)Serviço de Imunologia, Hospital Universitário Professor Edgard Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA)Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, UFBADepartamento de Ciências da Biointeração, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, UFBAServiço de Imunologia, Hospital Universitário Professor Edgard Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA)Abstract Background The Cacao Region spans several municipalities in the state of Bahia. It is one of the major foci of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) in Brazil. We report the findings of a pilot cross-sectional study describing the phlebotomine fauna found around living sites of newly diagnosed ATL cases in that area. Methods The sand fly fauna was studied from May 2018 to June 2019 via an entomological survey, as recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Results Six hundred nineteen phlebotomine sand flies of 20 species were captured: 272 males (44%) and 347 females (56%). Nyssomyia whitmani was the most prevalent (62.2%), followed by Nyssomyia intermedia (9.2%), Evandromyia bahiensis (6.3%), endemic to Bahia, and Trichophoromyia viannamartinsi (4.5%). Ninety-four percent of the female sand flies collected were screened for infection with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the 97 sand fly pools analyzed, seven were positive for L. (V.) braziliensis: three of Nyssomyia whitmani, two of Th. viannamartinsi and one each of Psychodopygus hirsutus hirsutus and Trichopygomyia longispina. The overall value of minimum infection rate (MIR) was 2.2%, and its stratification rates for the above species were 1.9, 10, 33 and 50%, respectively. All positive pools consisted of phlebotomine sand flies collected from the peridomiciles and extradomiciles of homes in the municipality of Taperoá in July 2018, resulting in an adjusted MIR of 7.8%, with 50% of the pools positive for L. (V.) braziliensis during that outbreak of ATL. Conclusions Our findings suggest that areas experiencing outbreaks of ATL in affected regions present high proportions of infected phlebotomine sand flies involving a variety of species, some not usually considered involved in the L. (V.) braziliensis transmission cycle, such as Th. viannamartinsi. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06717-yAmerican tegumentary leishmaniasisPhlebotominaeLeishmania (Viannia) braziliensisBahiaBrazil
spellingShingle Bruno Oliveira Cova
Livia Alves de Oliveira
Paulo Roberto Lima Machado
Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho
Adriano Figueiredo Monte-Alegre
Albert Schriefer
Diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil
Parasites & Vectors
American tegumentary leishmaniasis
Phlebotominae
Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis
Bahia
Brazil
title Diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil
title_full Diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil
title_fullStr Diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil
title_short Diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil
title_sort diversity and natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies diptera psychodidae in an endemic area of american tegumentary leishmaniasis in southeastern bahia brazil
topic American tegumentary leishmaniasis
Phlebotominae
Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis
Bahia
Brazil
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06717-y
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