Natural infection of Lutzomyia tortura with Leishmania (Viannia) naiffi in an Amazonian area of Ecuador

KATO, HIROTOMO; GOMEZ, EDUARDO; YAMAMOTO, YUICHI; CALVOPINA, MANUEL; GUEVARA, ANGEL; MARCO, JORGE DIEGO; BARROSO, PAOLA ANDREA; IWATA, HIROYUKI; HASHIGUCHI, YOSHIHISA

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE

American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Lugar: Cleveland, United States of America; Año: 2008 vol. 79 p. 438 - 440

0002-9637

Abstract. Natural infection of sand flies with Leishmania parasites was surveyed in an Amazonian area in Ecuador where leishmaniasis is endemic. Seventy-one female sand flies were dissected and one was positive for Leishmania protozoa. The species of this sand fly was identified as Lutzomyia (Lu.) tortura on the basis of morphologic characteristics.Analysis of the cytochrome b gene sequence identified the parasite as L. (Viannia) naiffi. We report the distribution of L. (V.) naiffi in Ecuador and detection of a naturally infected sand fly in the Ecuadorian Amazon and natural infection of Lu. tortura with Leishmania parasites in the New World.