Abstract
Phlebotominae are small insects distributed in the Americas from Canada to Argentina and Uruguay, counting with more than 500 neotropical species. Some of them have a vectorial role in the transmission of Leishmania Ross, the causative agent of leishmaniases, a group of worldwide distributed diseases with different clinical manifestations and transmission cycles. Our aim was to update the Phlebotominae fauna of Argentina and to make observations on the American Cutaneous (ACL) and Visceral Leishmaniasis (AVL) transmission scenarios, according to the distribution of proven or suspected Leishmania vector species and recent changes in land use. Primary data (entomological captures) and secondary data (review of 65 scientific publications with Phlebotominae records) were used. With 9 new records, 46 Phlebotominae species are now recorded through the area comprising 14 political jurisdictions and 6 phytogeographic provinces. Distribution maps were constructed for the 5 proven or incriminated Leishmania vector species, and the evidence supporting the vectorial incrimination of these species is discussed. Three main ACL transmission scenarios are described in the phytogeographic provinces of the Yungas, Chaco, and Paranaense, associated with deforestation processes, while the transmission scenarios of AVL are urban outbreaks and scattered cases in rural areas. We update the available knowledge on the Phlebotominae fauna present in Argentina, emphasizing its epidemiological relevance in the current context of the increasing frequency of ACL outbreaks and geographic spread of AVL.
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Data Availability
The published data can be found in the reference articles; records of new captures are available from the author in the INMeT documentation on request.
Code Availability
Not applicable.
Change history
14 February 2022
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-022-00941-2
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The authors would like to thank the families who collaborated by opening their homes to us for this study and the INMeT staff who participated in the field and laboratory work, especially Juan and Nilso Molina.
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E.A.S. and S.L.M. had the idea for the article, all authors contributed to the study conception and design. Fieldwork was done by M.M.A. and S.L.M. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by S.L.M. The first draft of the manuscript was written by S.L.M. and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Moya, S.L., Szelag, E.A., Manteca-Acosta, M. et al. Update of the Phlebotominae Fauna with New Records for Argentina and Observations on Leishmaniasis Transmission Scenarios at a Regional Scale. Neotrop Entomol 51, 311–323 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-021-00934-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-021-00934-7