Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniosis is a crucial public health challenge in Iran.
Sandflies feed on reservoir rodents’ blood infected with
Leishmania parasite and transmit it to other hosts. This study was conducted to find out the composition and monthly activity of sandflies as well as to identify the protozoan pathogens (Leishmania/Crithidia) by
PCR in Abarkooh, Yazd province, Iran, in 2016.sticky traps were used indoor and outdoor to capture sandflies once every fortnight. Their composition and monthly activity were recorded. Following identification of sandflies and DNA extraction from them,
PCR was used to identify their. papatasi sandflies were infected with
Leishmania parasite. No Cri-thidia was detected in either sandflies or human lesions (176 specimen). Based on the highest abundance both indoor and outdoor of P. papatasi, this sandfly was con-sidered the main vector of ZCL in this area.Objectives: This study was conducted to find out the composition and monthly activity of sandflies as well as to identify the protozoan pathogens (Leishmania/Crithidia) by
PCR method.Methods:
Sandflies were caught using sticky paper traps from seven named villages of Abarkooh once every fortnight. For each collection, sandflies were sampled from indoors and outdoors. Following identification of sandflies and DNA extraction from them,
PCR method was used to identify their parasite and match it against samples taken from ZCL confirmed and suspected patients’ lesions.Results: After collection, a total of 2045 sandflies (779 indoor, 1266 outdoor) were identified to species level. Sandfly activity started early April in this area with two active peaks (one late May and the other late August) terminated about mid-November. Seven
Phlebotomus species and three Sergentomyia species were identified P. papatasi sandflies were infected with
Leishmania parasite. No Cri-thidia was detected in either sandflies or human lesions.Conclusion: P. papatasi is the primary and main vector of L.major and it has no role of transmitting Cri-thidia parasite in this area. The identity of L. major from this sandfly species was in consistence with that from human lesions