Abundance of Phlebotominae in endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis, Tucumán, Argentina.

DIRENI MANCINI JM; FUENZALIDA AD; SARACHO BOTTERO MN; LIZARRALDE DE GROSSO MS; SALOMÓN OD; QUINTANA MG

Simposio; VIII International Symposium on Phlebotominae Sandflies; 2014

Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical, MSN

In Argentina, 30 species of sandflies were recorded, which belong to 13 genera. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases have increased gradually in the province of Tucumán as well as in the remaining endemic region. The last two outbreaks took place in 2003 and 2004. Nyssomyia neivai is the main species incriminated in the transmission of Leishmania braziliensis, parasite responsible of CL in the northwest region of Argentina. The aims of this research were to compare the abundance of Phlebotominae species in different sites and seasons in addition to determine the meteorological variables that have influenced in the abundance of the species in the south of the province (27º35´05.89´´S - 65º37´11.70´´W).The study area belongs to Y ungas rainforest region, which has been currently modified for different culture types. Five sample sites were selected based on entomological and epidemiological antecedents. The sandflies were captured with CDC light traps monthly for two consecutive days from July 2008 to July 2009. The followings meteorological variables were registered on the day of capture: T emperature (TºC), Relative humidity (Rh%), Precipitation (Pp), V elocity of wind (Vw) and Maximum velocity of wind (MVw). A total of 6793 individuals were captured belonging to the species Migonemyia migonei (50.07%), Ny. neivai (49.20%) and Evandromyia cortelezzii (0.74%). Theabundances of the three species were significantly different. Three out five sites were the most abundant. Summer was the most abundant season for the three species, followed by fall, spring and winter. The main variables which affected the abundance of Mg. migonei were the TºC and MVw (R2= 0.87); for Ny. neivai were the Rh% and MVw (R2= 0.75) and for Ev. cortelezzii was the TºC (R2= 0.45). Mg. migoneiwas more abundante in summer and spring (highest seasons of activity for sandflies) whereas Ny. neivai, primary vector, was more abundant in fall which is the highest transmission season. The three most abundant sites are located at the outbreak area of 2003, where CLcases were concentrated. The information provided in this study contributed to the knowledge of the distribution of abundance in time and space of CL vectors in northwestern Argentina