Abstract
This study was conducted to identify the sandfly fauna and the anthropophilic species in a coffee-growing area of Villanueva, Norte de Santander, Colombia, a focus of American cutaneous leishmaniasis, and to analyse the relationship between the most frequent species and rainfall, relative humidity and temperature, with the aim of contributing to epidemiological surveillance in the area. Sandfly collections were performed fortnightly between February 2006-September 2007 using automatic light traps, Shannon traps, protected human bait and aspiration in resting places. A total of 7,051 sandflies belonging to 12 species were captured. Pintomyia spinicrassa (95.7%) predominated. Pintomyia oresbia and Lutzomyia sp. of Pichinde were found in the state of Norte de Santander for the first time. Pi. spinicrassa, Pintomyia nuneztovari, Micropygomyia venezuelensis, Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) scorzai and Lu. (Helcocyrtomyia) sp. were captured on the protected human bait. A significant association between Pi. spinicrassa abundance and the total rainfall and the average temperature and humidity 10 days before the collection was observed. The dominance of Pi. spinicrassa, a recognised vector of Leishmania braziliensis, especially during the dry periods, indicates that the risk of parasite transmission may increase.
Highlights
Leishmaniasis are considered to be re-emerging diseases of great significance to public health due to the severity of their clinical manifestations
The phlebotomine fauna was represented by 12 species: Evandromyia (Aldamyia) dubitans (Sherlock, 1962), Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) hartmanni (Fairchild & Hertig, 1957), Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) scorzai (Ortiz, 1965), Lu. (Hel.) sp., Lu. (Hel.) sp. of Pichinde Young 1979, Micropygomyia (Sauromyia) venezuelensis (Floch & Abonnenc, 1948), Psathyromyia (Psathyromyia) shannoni (Dyar, 1929), Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) nuneztovari (Ortiz, 1964), Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) oresbia (Fairchild & Hertig, 1961), Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) sauroida (Osorno-Mesa, Morales & Osorno, 1972), Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) serrana (Damasceno & Arouck, 1949) and Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) spinicrassa (Morales, Osorno-Mesa, Osorno & Hoyos, 1969)
With the identification of the Villanueva fauna, 19 species of sandfly have been identified in Gramalote, Norte de Santander (NS); the species Pi. oresbia and Lutzomyia sp. of Pichinde were recorded in this state for the first time
Summary
Leishmaniasis are considered to be re-emerging diseases of great significance to public health due to the severity of their clinical manifestations. Among the species of sandflies registered in Colombia, the species grouped in the townsendi series Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) (Galati 2003) of the Andean Region are epidemiologically relevant due to their involvement in the transmission of agents of ACL and human bartonellosis (Bejarano et al 2003, Cohnstaedt et al 2011). The Leishmania species most frequently related to ACL is Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis, followed by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, which has the most extensive geographical distribution in Colombia, especially in coffee-growing areas (Corredor et al 1990). In the northeastern region of Colombia, the state of Norte de Santander (NS) (Fig. 1) is a mesoendemic area for ACL; in the past seven years, 1,524 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis have been registered there. This study sought to identify the anthropophilic species and their endophagic habits and to analyse the relationships between the most frequent species and the rainfall regime, relative humidity and temperature, with the aim of contributing to epidemiological surveillance in this transmission area
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