Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- Fahimeh Firouzjaie 1
- Vahideh Moin-Vaziri 1
- Alireza Zahraei Ramezani 2
- Hamed Behniafar 3
- Mehdi Badakhshan 4
- Adel Spotin 5
- Zabih Zarei 6
1 Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Medical Parasitology, Sarab Faculty of Medical Sciences, Sarab, Iran
4 Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
5 Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
6 Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal and vector-borne disease. World health organization has considered the disease as a neglected tropical disease. Phlebotomus and Lutzumyia species (order: Diptera, family: Psychodidae) are human leishmaniasis vectors in new and old worlds. Sergentomyia spp. (Diptera, Psychodidae) are proven vectors of lizard leishmaniasis. Although some studies have identified human Leishmania parasites in Sergentomyia, their role in parasite circulation is unknown yet. Hence, the parasitological and molecular methods were used to study the possible Leishmania infection of Sergentomyia spp., in the human and canine visceral leishmaniasis endemic area in North West of Iran. Even though Sergentomyia specimens were caught in a dominant number compared to Phlebotomus spp., no Leishmania promastigote or DNA was detected in live-caught or sticky trap-caught specimens, respectively. Sergentomyia spp. are proven vectors of sauroleishmaniasis, and despite several global reports of Leishmania infection in Sergentomyia spp., such findings should be carefully interpreted to avoid false vector incriminations.
Keywords
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