Abstract
ABSTRACT The preliminary results are given of studies on the sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) in forest surrounding the Humboldt Research Centre, Municipio of Aripuanã, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. A total of 712 sandflies were obtained, including 26 different species: of these, 387 were caught off human bait; 317 from tree-trunks; 4 in a malaise-trap; 3 in rodent baited oil traps; and 1 in a light-trap. Man-biting species were absent or very rare during studies in the dry season (August and September, 1974), but relatively abundant at the end of the rainy season (June, 1975): this suggests a seasonal transmission of leishmaniasis. The species at present known as Lutzomyia anduzei of Floch & Abonnenc (1942) was a major man-biter, this species is an important vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in North Pará, Brazil, and could be responsible for transmission in Aripuanã. Among a total of 349 female sandflies dissected, promastigote flagellates were found in 2 Lutzomyia yuilli; epimastigote flagellates in 1 L. yuilli; a microsporidian in Psychodopygus (1) complexus; a gregarine, probably Monocystis chagasi, in P. davisi; and a nematode larva in P. complexus. Inoculation of the promastigote flagellates into the skin of hamsters failed to give Leishmania infections: possibly they were developmental stages of some other parasite. Two research workers of Project RADAM acquired cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Humboldt area; and 6 cases of malaria were diagnosed, 3 due to P. falciparum and 3 to P. vivax. Transmission of malaria was shown to be taking place in the camp site itself. Finally, man-biting "black-flies" (Diptera: Simuliidae) were found to be a serious problem, necessitating constant use of insect repellent.
Highlights
In January, 1973, plans were laid by the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Education, and the Governor of the State of Mato Grosso, to establish a pioneer nucleus of workers to investigate and develop the region of Aripuana, Mato Grosso.Health hazards for such personel were clearly important factors to consider, and workers of the Instituto Evandro Chagas were among those asked to initiate a programme of epidemiological research, principally on the zoonotic diseases likely to be encountered in the region
The observations to date are insufficient to draw very firm conclusions, but our failure to obtain sandflies from human bait during a whole week in the dry season does suggest that transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in this area may be limited to the rainy season and shortly afterwards
The apparent absence of the sandfly Lutzomyia flaviscutellata surprised us, particu larly as we used traps baited with rodents, to which this insect is highly attracted
Summary
In January, 1973, plans were laid by the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Education, and the Governor of the State of Mato Grosso, to establish a pioneer nucleus of workers to investigate and develop the region of Aripuana, Mato Grosso. Health hazards for such personel were clearly important factors to consider, and workers of the Instituto Evandro Chagas were among those asked to initiate a programme of epidemiological research, principally on the zoonotic diseases likely to be encountered in the region. The precise geographical situation is latitude 7°, 19', 45" N and 12°, 22', 30" S: longitude 55°, 54', 15" E and 16°, 3 1 ' , 15" W (Fig. 1 )
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