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Sandflies species composition, activity, and natural infection with Leishmania, parasite identity in lesion isolates of cutaneous leishmaniasis, central Iran

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Abstract

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniosis (ZCL) is a crucial public health challenge in Iran. Sandflies feed on reservoir rodents’ blood infected with Leishmania parasite and transmit it to other hosts. This study was conducted to find out the composition and monthly activity of sandflies as well as to identify the protozoan pathogens (Leishmania/Crithidia) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in an emerging ZCL focus of Abarkooh, Yazd province, Iran, in 2016. A cross-sectional study was done in rural areas of Abarkooh. From April to November 2016, sticky traps were used indoor and outdoor to capture sandflies once every fortnight. Their composition and monthly activity were recorded. Following identification of sandflies and DNA extraction from them, PCR was used to identify their parasite and match it against samples taken from ZCL confirmed and suspected patients’ lesions. After collection, a total of 2045 sandflies (779 indoor, 1266 outdoor) were identified to species level. Sandfly activity started early April in this area with two active peaks (one late May and the other late August) terminated about mid-November. Seven Phlebotomus species and three Sergentomyia species were identified. The most and the least abundant species were P. papatasi (40.1%) and P. alexandri (0.09%), respectively. Using PCR, only 6% (12:200) of P. papatasi sandflies were infected with Leishmania parasite. No Crithidia was detected in either sandflies or human lesions (176 specimen). Based on the highest abundance both indoor and outdoor of P. papatasi, this sandfly was considered the main vector of ZCL in this area. The capture of P. caucasicus, P. mongolensis, and P. ansarii from rodent burrows showed these species were likely involved in pathogen transmission in reservoir rodents’ burrows.

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Acknowledgements

The present paper was extracted from the data of an approved M.Sc. student thesis in Medical Entomology (Contract No: 94-11194, Dated: 31 Dec 2016) conducted by the first author, Mr. M.R. Gholamian-Shahabad. The authors appreciate the help and facilities provided by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). Thanks are due to the vice-chancellor for research and technology at SUMS. No competing interests exist.

Authors Contributions

All authors contributed to different extents in the initial design, data collection, analyses and manuscript writing. The first author, MRG-S, wrote the proposal with its designed method, collected samples, identified them, implemented the PCR method, and collated all his findings in an MSc thesis. MRG-S wrote the initial MS draft. KA, QA, and MDM-F were involved in the design, data screening, data analysis, and MS draft preparation. MK and MDM-F were also accountable in the technical assistance of molecular studies and final draft writing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Mahmood Reza Gholamian-Shahabad

  2. Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Kourosh Azizi & Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard

  3. Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Qasem Asgari

  4. Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Department of Public Health, Mamasani Higher Education Complex for Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Mohsen Kalantari

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  1. Mahmood Reza Gholamian-Shahabad
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  2. Kourosh Azizi
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  4. Mohsen Kalantari
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  5. Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard
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Correspondence to Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of Science and Ethics Committee of SUMS University. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Ethical permission was granted through the Science and Ethics Committee of SUMS University. Informed consent was obtained from each individual’s family in this study.

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Gholamian-Shahabad, M.R., Azizi, K., Asgari, Q. et al. Sandflies species composition, activity, and natural infection with Leishmania, parasite identity in lesion isolates of cutaneous leishmaniasis, central Iran. J Parasit Dis 42, 252–258 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-018-0994-y

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