Title
Species diversity and relative abundance of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) on three army installations in the United States and susceptibility of a domestic sand fly to infection with Old World Leishmania major
Abstract
Leishmania infections in American veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have raised concern that veterans could serve as reservoirs of Old World parasites for domestic vector populations. A survey of sand flies on three U.S. Army facilities in the southern United States was conducted to identify potential vectors. Five species, including two new state records, are reported for Fort Hood. TX. Very few flies were detected in Fort Bragg, NC. Large numbers of a manbiting species, Lutzomyia shannoni, were trapped on Fort Campbell, KY. Weekly activity patterns for dominant species are presented. In addition, an infection experiment was conducted to determine if a domestic sand fly is susceptible to infection with Old World Leishmania major, Lu. shannoni became infected and supported Le. major up to 6 days postprandial. Metacyclogenesis and actual transmission of Le, major to an uninfected mouse did not occur because infected flies did not take subsequent blood meals.
Department(s)
Public Health and Sports Medicine
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-00-4309
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Recommended Citation
Claborn, David M., Edgar D. Rowton, Phillip G. Lawyer, Grayson C. Brown, and Lisa W. Keep. "Species diversity and relative abundance of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) on three Army installations in the southern United States and susceptibility of a domestic sand fly to infection with Old World Leishmania major." Military medicine 174, no. 11 (2009): 1203-1208.
Journal Title
Military Medicine
