The species composition of sand flies and the seasonality of Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli were studied in the southern Jordan Valley from May to November 1992 using CDC light traps. Eleven species of sand flies were recorded, including P. kazeruni Theodor & Mesghali and P. tobbi Adler & Theodor, which are new records for the study area, and Sergentomyia squamipleuris Newstead, which is reported for the first time from Jordan. P. papatasi was the most abundant Phlebotomus species collected from domestic habitats as well as Psammomys obesus Cretzschmar burrows, comprising 89.4 and 99.5% of the total Phlebotomus catches, respectively. The catch of P. papatasi in CDC light traps was compared among domestic habitats, P. obesus burrows in an agriculturally modified semiarid rural habitat, and P. obesus burrows in a natural semiarid rural habitat. Peak P. papatasi abundance occurred in September and October and then declined sharply by late November. The abundance and temporal association of P. papatasi activity with the prevalence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the study area pointed to the significance of this sand fly in the transmission of the parasite.

The status of sandflies as vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the southern Jordan Valley was investigated during 1992. Sandflies were collected from domestic habitats and from burrows of Psammomys obesus. Of 686 Phlebotomus papatasi females collected from burrows, fourteen harboured promastigotes in their guts. On the other hand, none of 1446 P.papatasi females collected from domestic habitats were found infected. The highest infection rate (5.5%) was recorded in November at the end of the sandfly season. Six leishmanial stocks isolated from P.papatasi females were typed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis using the six enzymes G6PDH, 6PGDH, PGI, PGM, FK and ME. Five of the leishmanial stocks were identical to a Leishmania major reference strain (MHOM/SU/73/5-ASKH). The sixth isolate was a 6PGDH variant of L.major. These findings present the first direct evidence of the role of P.papatasi as a vector of L.major in Jordan.