Leishmaniases are vector-borne diseases transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. Three species of Leishmania are found in the Mediterranean basin: Leishmania infantum, the most common species responsible for both visceral (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL); Leishmania major, found in North Africa and Middle East causing CL; Leishmania tropica with a limited presence in Europe, causing CL. Dur...

BACKGROUND Visceral leishmaniasis is caused by Leishmania infantum, transmitted to humans by bites of phlebotomine sand flies and is one of the most important public health problems in Iran. To identify the vector(s), an investigation was carried out in Bilesavar District, one of the important foci of the disease in Ardebil Province in northwestern Iran, during July-September 2008. METHODS Us...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES The recently recognized endemic focus of leishmaniasis in Satluj river valley in Himachal Pradesh (India) lies in north-western Himalayas (30 degrees N, 70 degrees E). This endemic focus of leishmaniasis appears peculiar where localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) co-exists with visceral leishmaniasis (VL), and Leishmania donovani is predominant pathogen for LCL wherea...

Individual, naturally occurring Phlebotomus mongolensis and Phlebotomus caucasicus from Iran were screened for infections with the maternally inherited intracellular Rickettsia-like bacterium Wolbachia pipientis via targeting a major surface protein gene (wsp). The main objective of this study was to determine if W. pipientis could be detected in these species. The sandflies were screened using...

Phlebotomus sergenti Parrot, 1917 is the main vector of Leishmania tropica; however, its broad geographical range and molecular heterogeneity suggest possible variability in vector competence. We infected laboratory-reared P. sergenti originating from Turkey and Israel to compare their susceptibility to L. tropica. In both tested groups, heavy late-stage infections with the presence of metacycl...

BACKGROUND Stigmaeids mites have been recorded only on Phlebotominae sand flies up to now. Five species of Eustigmaeus, and three of Stigmaeus were reported on infested sandflies in different country up to the present. METHODS Sand flies collection was done using CDC light trap and sticky paper. The mites were isolated from infested specimens, mounted in Puri's medium and identified using rel...

a brief resume of the events leading up to them. At an informal discussion between Majors II. W. Acton and R. Knowles and Dr. Napier in 1922 it was resolved that the difficult and important problem of kala-azar transmission should be the first to be investigated by the various workers at the School who were in a position to undertake this work. It was shewn by Acton and Knowles (1914) in their ...

We report the 1st collection of Phlebotomus sergenti, a vector of the cutaneous and visceralizing forms of Leishmania tropica, from southern Egypt. Four female and 1 male P. sergenti were collected from unlit Centers for Disease Control light traps placed in a village on the Nile River, 6 km north of Aswan, Egypt, during studies conducted from 1998 to 1999. This extends the known distribution o...

BACKGROUND The saliva of sand flies strongly enhances the infectivity of Leishmania in mice. Additionally, pre-exposure to saliva can protect mice from disease progression probably through the induction of a cellular immune response. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We analysed the cellular immune response against the saliva of Phlebotomus papatasi in humans and defined the phenotypic character...