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Evidence for anthropophily in five species of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from northern Colombia, revealed by molecular identification of bloodmeals.
Abstract: Identification of the bloodmeal sources of phlebotomine sand flies is fundamental to determining which species are anthropophilic and understanding the transmission of Leishmania parasites in natural epidemiological settings. The objective of this study was to identify sand fly bloodmeals in the mixed leishmaniasis focus of the department of Sucre, northern Colombia. In all 141 engorged female sand flies were analyzed, after being captured in intradomiciliary, peridomiciliary and extradomiciliary habitats with Shannon and CDC traps and by active searching in diurnal resting sites. Bloodmeals were identified by sequencing and analysis of a 358bp fragment of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome b (CYB) and a 330bp fragment of the nuclear gene prepronociceptin (PNOC). Using both genes 105 vertebrate bloodmeals were identified, with an efficiency of 72% for CYB but only 7% for PNOC. Ten species of vertebrates were identified as providing bloodmeal sources for 8 sand fly species: Homo sapiens (Lutzomyia evansi, Lutzomyia panamensis, Lutzomyia micropyga, Lutzomyia shannoni and Lutzomyia atroclavata), Equus caballus (L. evansi, L. panamensis and Lutzomyia cayennensis cayennensis), Equus asinus (L. evansi and L. panamensis), Bos taurus (L. evansi, L. panamensis and L. c. cayennensis), Tamandua mexicana (L. shannoni and Lutzomyia trinidadensis), Proechimys guyanensis (L. evansi, L. panamensis and L. c. cayennensis), Mabuya sp. (Lutzomyia micropyga), Anolissp. (L. micropyga), Sus scrofa (L. evansi and Lutzomyia gomezi) and Gallus gallus (L. evansi). Cattle, donkeys, humans and pigs were significantly more important than other animals (P=0.0001) as hosts of L. evansi, this being the most abundant sand fly species. The five Lutzomyia species in which blood samples of human origin were detected included L. micropyga and L. atroclavata, constituting the first evidence of anthropophily in both species.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2015-10-14 PubMed ID: 26464046DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.10.005Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the bloodmeal sources of phlebotomine sand flies in northern Colombia, identifying anthropopathy (attraction to humans) in five species. A total of 141 engorged female sand flies, captured from various habitats, were examined for this purpose.
Research Methodology
- The study targeted a mixed leishmaniasis focus in the department of Sucre, a region in northern Colombia, where 141 engorged female sand flies were procured. They were trapped using Shannon and CDC traps and by an active search in diurnal (daytime) resting sites. These were gathered from three types of habitats – inside dwellings (intradomiciliary), in the surrounding area of dwellings (peridomiciliary) and in outdoor, non-domestic spaces (extradomiciliary).
- Post-capture, the bloodmeals of the flies were identified using sequencing and analysis of two genetic fragments – a 358bp fragment of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome b (CYB) and a 330bp fragment of the nuclear gene prepronociceptin (PNOC).
Findings
- Utilizing both genes, the research could identify 105 vertebrate bloodmeals. The identification efficiency was significantly greater for CYB at 72%, compared to just 7% for PNOC.
- The bloodmeal sources traced back to ten species of vertebrates, spread across eight species of sand flies. Notably, human blood was found in Lutzomyia evansi, Lutzomyia panamensis, Lutzomyia micropyga, Lutzomyia shannoni, and Lutzomyia atroclavata. This marked the first evidence of anthropophily in L. micropyga and L. atroclavata.
- Other sources of the bloodmeals included horses (Equus caballus), donkeys (Equus asinus), cattle (Bos taurus), Tamandua mexicana, Proechimys guyanensis, Mabuya sp., Anolis sp., pigs (Sus scrofa) and chickens (Gallus gallus).
- Among the eight sand fly species, L. evansi was the most abundant species and its primary hosts were cattle, donkeys, humans, and pigs, significantly more than other animals.
Implications
- The findings offer crucial insights about which sand fly species are anthropophilic, and can thus aid in understanding the transmission dynamics of Leishmania parasites, responsible for leishmaniasis, in natural epidemiological situations. This could potentially help in designing appropriate vector control strategies and public health interventions.
Cite This Article
APA
Paternina LE, Verbel-Vergara D, Romero-Ricardo L, Pérez-Doria A, Paternina-Gómez M, Martínez L, Bejarano EE.
(2015).
Evidence for anthropophily in five species of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from northern Colombia, revealed by molecular identification of bloodmeals.
Acta Trop, 153, 86-92.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.10.005 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia.
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia.
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia.
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia.
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia.
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia.
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia; Universidad de Cartagena, Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia. Electronic address: eduarelias@yahoo.com.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Blood / parasitology
- Cattle / parasitology
- Colombia
- Female
- Horses / parasitology
- Humans / parasitology
- Insect Vectors / classification
- Leishmania
- Leishmaniasis / transmission
- Phlebotomus / classification
- Swine / parasitology
- Vertebrates / parasitology
Citations
This article has been cited 15 times.- Posada-López L, Velez-Mira A, Cantillo O, Castillo-Castañeda A, Ramírez JD, Galati EAB, Galvis-Ovallos F. Ecological interactions of sand flies, hosts, and Leishmania panamensis in an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023 May;17(5):e0011316.
- Castillo-Castañeda A, Herrera G, Ayala MS, Fuya P, Ramírez JD. Spatial and Temporal Variability of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Colombia, 2007 to 2018. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021 Jul 7;105(1):144-155.
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- Santamaría E, Cabrera OL, Marceló C, Goenaga-Olaya S, Maestre-Serrano R. Behavioral Aspects of Phlebotomine Sand Flies Associated with a Case of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Atlántico, Northern Colombia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 Apr;102(4):768-776.
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- González C, León C, Paz A, López M, Molina G, Toro D, Ortiz M, Cordovez JM, Atencia MC, Aguilera G, Tovar C. Diversity patterns, Leishmania DNA detection, and bloodmeal identification of Phlebotominae sand flies in villages in northern Colombia. PLoS One 2018;13(1):e0190686.
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- Caviedes-Triana K, Duque-Granda D, Cadavid-Restrepo G, Moreno-Herrera CX, Vivero-Gomez R. Taxonomic, molecular and ecological approach reveals high diversity of vector sand flies, varied blood source supply and a high detection rate of Leishmania DNA in Colombian Amazon region. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2025 Sep;19(9):e0013445.
- Guzmán-Vásquez D, Bonifácio LLN, Sales KGDS, Luna RLN, Tuiran LEP, Dantas-Torres F. First Record of Leishmania (Viannia) sp. and High Prevalence of Anaplasma marginale and Trypanosoma theileri in Zebu Cattle from Zenú Communities in Northern Colombia. Pathogens 2025 Apr 15;14(4).
- Leonel JAF, Vioti G, Alves ML, Spada JCP, Yamaguchi AK, Pereira NWB, da Silva DT, Benassi JC, Galvis-Ovallos F, Galati EAB, Starke-Buzetti WA, Soares RM, Fukumasu H, Oliveira TMFS. Species, Natural Leishmania spp. Detection and Blood Meal Sources of Phlebotomine Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Peridomiciles from a Leishmaniases Endemic Area of Brazil. Transbound Emerg Dis 2024;2024:9932530.
- Bursali F, Touray M. The complexities of blood-feeding patterns in mosquitoes and sandflies and the burden of disease: A minireview. Vet Med Sci 2024 Sep;10(5):e1580.
- Cera-Vallejo Y, Ardila MM, Herrera L, Martínez L, Pérez-Doria A. Phlebotomine (Diptera: Psychodidae) species and their blood meal sources in a new leishmaniasis focus in Los Montes de María, Bolívar, in northern Colombia. Biomedica 2024 May 30;44(2):248-257.
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