Establishment and mass breeding of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera:Pshychodidae) in Orzouieh county in Kerman Province, Southeast of Iran

Abstract

Background & objectives: Sand flies are important carriers of Leishmania parasites. Leishmaniosis, spread by sand fly vectors, is a major public health problem worldwide Particular in the tropics and the subtropics. The parasite transmission capacity of vectors, life cycle of parasites in the body of vectors, disease transmission, and the physiology and behavior of carrier vectors can be extensively studied by establishing insect colonies in the insectarium. In addition, response of vectors to repellents and insecticides, mating behaviors, blood feeding habits, interaction between parasites, and vectors, and taxonomic studies can be investigated by establishing insect colonies. The goal of the present study was to establish a colony of Phlebotomus papatasi in the insectarium in a ZCL endemic area in the Kerman Province of Iran. Methods: The Killick -Kendrick and Killick -Kendrick method (1991) was used for individual rearing and the volf and volfa (2011) method was used for mass rearing of the collected sand flies. The larvaewere fed by a diet with liver powder, which is the recommended diet for Phlebotomus papatasi larvae. Adult sand flies were allowed to feed on Balb/c mice blood in the laboratory. Results: 80 sand flies specimens (75 female+5 male) were collected with aspirator and reared for f1 and f2 generations in the laboratory. Interpretation & conclusion: The Phlebotomus sand flies were colonized in laboratory condition. Then sand flies successfully maintained for the first time as a laboratory species in Kerman Province.