Abstract
Sand flies are hematophagous dipterans and are considered vectors of the parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania, which can infect mammals, including humans, and subsequently cause leishmaniasis. Rio Grande do Sul State (RS), southern Brazil, was considered free of this disease for the last few decades. However, several autochthonous cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been recorded in different municipalities in recent years. Since 2017, cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) have been reported in the municipality of Santa Maria, located in the central region of RS. In 2021, two cases of human VL were confirmed in the city, resulting in one death. To capture the possible vectors involved in the disease transmission cycle, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) modified light traps were installed in the peridomestic residential areas. These points were situated in two city districts where cases of CVL had been reported from January 2021 to January 2022. In the 41 sample collections of sand flies, 9 specimens of Lutzomyia longipalpis were identified, confirming the municipality as an area of VL transmission, according to Brazilian sanitary standards. The spread of Leishmania spp. has been occurring efficiently, resulting in a negative impact on the One Health. This study reports the first detection of L. longipalpis in the central region of RS.
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This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by [Vanessa Osmari], [Maurício Tatto], [Andrey José de Andrade], [Fabiana Raquel Ratzlaff], [Jaíne Soares de Paula Vasconcellos], [Sônia de Avila Botton], [Fernanda Silveira Flores Vogel], and [Luís Antônio Sangioni]. The first draft of the manuscript was written by [Vanessa Osmari] and all the authors commented on the previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Osmari, V., Tatto, M., de Andrade, A.J. et al. First identification of Lutzomyia longipalpis in an area of visceral leishmaniasis transmission in central Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. Parasitol Res 121, 3327–3330 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-022-07647-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-022-07647-9