Abstract INTRODUCTION This study proposes to identify the Leishmania species found in the skin lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients from Brasiléia municipality (Acre). METHODS Skin biopsy imprints or biopsy fragments were assayed via kDNA-PCR/RFLP and FRET-real-time PCR. RESULTS Of individuals with suspected CL, 18 were positive for Leishmania kDNA. Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (61.1%) and Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis (5.5%) were identified in the positive samples. CONCLUSIONS These results are congruent with the previous reports in Acre and Bolivia, revealing L. braziliensis as the most prevalent species. L. guyanensis identification also corroborates with the epidemiology of the disease in the Amazon Basin.

After examing the holotype and paratypes of Lutzomyia mamedei kept at the sandfly collection at Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-FIOCRUZ we observed small posterior projections of the ascoids and very small spines in the hind femurs. Although L. mamedei had been allocated in the subgenus Pressatia, both characters are typical of the subgenus Pintomyia Costa Lima 1932 thus we reallocate L. mamedei in this subgenus.

O presente trabalho é um relato do tratamento experimental de hamsters infectado com Leishmania chagasi e Leishmania amazonensis com o stibogluconato de sódio (20mg/kg/dia x 20 dias). Somente na infeccção com L. chagasi, o tratamento resultou em completa eliminação dos parasitos do baço. Entretanto, não houve cura parasitologica em hamsters infectados com L. amazonensis.

The present paper reports the experimental treatment of hamsters infected with Leishmania chagasi and Leishmania amazonensis with sodium stibogluconate (20mg/kg/day x 20 days). Only with L. chagasi did the treatment result in the complete elimination of parasites from the spleen. However, no parasitological cure was achieved in hamsters infected with L. amazonensis.

After examing the material identified as Lutzomyia (Psychodopygus) arthuri (Fonseca) and Lutzomyia (Psychodopygus) lloydi (Antunes) of the sandfly collection at the Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, we observed that L. arthuri is found in the State of São Paulo (counties of Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Mogi das Cruzes, Osasco, Poá, Santo Amaro and São Paulo). L. lloydi has a greater distribution including the State of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais. Both species are simpatric in the counties of São Paulo and Osasco in the state of São Paulo.

Foi iniciada uma colônia de Lutzomyia lenti (Mangabeira) com fêmeas capturadas em galinheiro, em Betim, MG, utilizando-se armadilha luminosa. A colônia apresentou um ciclo médio de 40,2 dias de ovo a adulto a 26° - 28°C e a UR 80 ± 5%. As fêmeas alimentaram-se avidamente em hamster [Mesocriscetus auratus (Waterhouse)], com uma postura média de 36,1 ovos / fêmea, sendo relativamente fácil de manter em laboratório. Estudos preliminares de susceptibilidade sugerem que esta espécie é refratária à infecção por Leishmania.

A new species of sand fly from Santa Cruz, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is described as Lutzomyia (Pressatia) mamedei.

A heated pheromone trap for the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis was tested in the laboratory using filter paper or plastic vial dispensers. Male pheromone extracted from 8 male tergal glands and absorbed on to filter paper dispensers attracted 82/120 (68.3%) of virgin females released in cages. Similarly plastic vial dispensers baited with the extract of 24 males caught 73/120 (61%). In field trials carried out near januária, Minas Gerais, Brazil using the plastic dispensers baited with extracts of 50 male tergal glands only 70 female L. longipalpis were captured. Over 1000 male flies were, however, caught during 6 nights, with greater numbers in the unbaited control traps than in the pheromone baited test traps. It is concluded that at excessive concentrations male L. longipalpis pheromone may act as a repellent to conspecific males.

São apresentados dados referentes às espécies e infecção natural de triatomíneos na Ilha de São Luis-MA. Dos triatomíneos coletados foram encontradas as seguintes espécies: Rhodnius pictipes Rhodnius neglectus, Rhodnius nasutus, Triatoma rubrofasciata, Panstrongylus lignarus e Panstrogylus geniculatus. A presença de infecção natural por Trypanosoma do tipo cruzi foi detectada em 19,7% do total de triatomíneos sendo o R. pictipes a espécie mais homogênea em distribuição na Ilha e com índice de infecção natural de 38,8%.

Data is presented on the species and infection rate of reduviid bugs collected in São Luís island, Maranhão State. The following species have been collected: Rhodnius pictipes, R. neglectus, R. nasutus, R. robustus, Triatoma rubrofasciata, Panstrongylus lignarus and P. geniculatus. The infection rate with T. cruzi-like trypanosomes was 19.7% of the total bugs collected. R. pictipes shows homogeneous distribution in the island and an infection rate of 38.8%.