Lutzomyia whitmani (Diptera: Psychodidae) as vector of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis in Parana' state, southern Brazil

The phlebotomine sandflies in the northern areas of the state of Parana,, Brazil, particularly those in the '16a' health region, were investigated over a 3-year period. Using CDC light traps (with and without hamster bait) and Shannon traps (with lights and horse or human bait), 16 species were collected from seven municipal districts which were known foci for cutaneous leishmaniasis: Arapongas; Apucarana; Cambira; Marumbi; Faxinal; Florestopolis; and Sabaudia. Although the frequency at which each species was collected varied with the collection site, Lutzomyia whitmani predominated (62.0% of all the sandflies collected), followed by Lu. fischeri (13.3%), Lu. pessoai (10.8%), Lu. migonei (8.2%) and Lu. intermedia (2.8%). Lutzomyia monticola, Lu. shanonni, Lu. firmatoi, Lu. lanei, Lu. alphabetica, Lu. misionensis, Lu. correalimai, Lu. cortellezzii, Lu. longipenis, Brumptomyia brumpti and B. nitzulescui together represented the remaining 3.0% of the collected sandflies. Three of the 1961 female sandflies collected and dissected in the municipal district of Cambira, where a recent case of cutaneous leishmaniasis had been registered, were found to have flagellates in their guts. All three were Lu. whitmani. The parasites from each of these infections were successfully isolated in NNN and 'Tobie and Evans' media and/or by inoculation into a hind foot of a golden hamster. The results of isoenzyme electrophoresis indicated that all three isolates were of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.