Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) transmission has been associated with two different populations of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex in São Paulo state.
METHODS
In a recent focus of VL, we captured and dissected sand flies and investigated Leishmania infantum infection by parasitological, PCR, and sequencing analysis.
RESULTS
Flagellates were observed in 2 of 47 (4.2%) cembrene-1 Lu. longipalpis females. The sequences obtained matched those of Le. infantum.
CONCLUSIONS
We found that the transmission of Le. infantum by cembrene-1 females may occur at a high rate in this focus of VL and presented new data on the vector capacity of this population.
Keywords:
Lutzomyia longipalpis complex; Cembrene-1; Natural infection; Visceral leishmaniasis