Ecological and Climatic Factors Affecting on the Abundance and Vector Capacity of the Main Vector of Visceral Leishmaniasis (Ph. Kandlakii) in North-Western of Iran

Abstract

Sand flies are vectors of leishmaniasis, which spread all over the world. One of the most important vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in Iran is Ph. kandlakii, which has been known as the main vector in northwestern Iran. Understanding habits and ecology of this vector can help us abundantly to control and prevent visceral leishmaniasis outbreak. This study has been conducted in Meshkin Shahr which is one of the main foci endemic in Northwest of Iran and in this study 4 villages (2 villages of polluted area and 2 villages of unpolluted area) were selected for examining and collected sand flies and comparing ecological factors. Totally 1100 sand flies were collected in two areas which 700 of them were from polluted area and 400 sand flies were from unpolluted area. Out of this population, 19 sand fly (4.75%) of Ph. kandlakii were in east area (unpolluted) and 29 sand fly (4.14%) of Ph. kandlakii were in west area (polluted). in polluted area (west), frequency of Ph. kandlaky is more than east unpolluted areas which causes the advent of more diseases in west areas.