Complex ecological interactions across a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Eastern Colombia: novel description of Leishmania species, hosts and phlebotomine fauna

Abstract

This study aimed to analyse the patterns of diversity, blood sources and Leishmania species of phlebotomines in a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Arboledas, Eastern Colombia. In total, 1729 phlebotomines were captured in two localities (62.3% Siravita and 37.7% Cinera) and five environments of Norte de Santander. We identified 18 species of phlebotomines: Pintomyia ovallesi (29.8%), Psychodopygus davisi (20.3%), Pi. spinicrassa (18.5%) and Lutzomyia gomezi (15.8%) showed the highest abundance. Species diversities were compared between Cinera (15.00) and Siravita (20.00) and among five microenvironments: forest remnants (19.49), coffee plantations (12.5), grassland (12.99), cane plantations (11.66) and citrus plantations (12.22). Leishmania DNA was detected in 5.8% (80/1380) of females, corresponding mainly to Pi . ovallesi (22/80; 27.2%), Lu . gomezi (17/80; 21.3%) and Pi . spinicrassa (11/80; 13.8%). Leishmania species were 63.1% L. braziliensis , 18.5% L . panamensis , 13.2% L . infantum and 6.1% L . amazonensis . The most frequent feeding sources were Homo sapiens (50%), Bos taurus (13.8%) and Canis lupus familiaris (10.3%). This focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis has a high diversity of Leishmania -carrying phlebotomines that feed on domestic animals. The transmission of leishmaniasis to human hosts was mainly associated with Lu . gomezi , Pi . ovallesi and L . braziliensis .

Development of an Amplicon-Based Next-Generation Sequencing Protocol to Identify Leishmania Species and Other Trypanosomatids in Leishmaniasis Endemic Areas

“…The first was the capacity of Pintomyia ovallesi to harbor two different Leishmania species. These findings coincide with previous reports depicting the intimate relationship of this vector with the parasite ( 34 , 35 ), as well as the fundamental role that P. ovallesi plays in the transmission cycle of the parasite and progression across the clinical spectrum. Second, our results underscore the close relationship of Migonemyia migonei and Lutzomyia longipalpis with T. cruzi ( Fig.…”

“…Eight sand flies were collected across three different departments of Colombia (Norte de Santander, La Guajira, and Tolima). The collection, manipulation, and taxonomic identification of these specimens was performed according to previously reported methodology ( 34 ). Serum from two domestic reservoirs ( Canis familiaris ) with previous diagnosis of CL collected in the Sucre Department were also provided by the Laboratorio Nacional de Referencia del Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS), Colombia.…”

Diversity of cave Phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae) from a Colombian cave

“…This taxa includes vector species of human pathogens such as Leishmania (Lutzomyia, Phlebotomus) and species known to harbor pathogens but not transmit disease to humans (Sergentomya, Warileya, Brumptomyia). Species in the tribe occupy a wide variety of habitat ranges but the precise habitat of most species remains unknown (e.g., (Souza et al 2017;Sandoval-Ramírez et al 2020)). Moreover, some species have been reported in habitats where accessibility and sampling is difficult, such as caves.…”

“…Species in the tribe occupy a wide variety of habitat ranges but the precise habitat of most species remains unknown (e.g., (Souza et al . 2017; Sandoval-Ramírez et al . 2020)).…”

FLEBOTOMINOFAUNA Y PRIMER REGISTRO DE Lutzomyia aclydifera (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) EN EL CARIBE COLOMBIANO

“…En particular, Lu. gomezi se ha registrado como vector de L. infantum, L. braziliensis y L. panamensis en Norte de Santander (Sandoval-Ramírez et al, 2020). Lutzomyia panamensis se ha reportado como vector de L. panamensis en Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua y Panamá; de L. braziliensis en Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá y Venezuela; de L. colombiensis en Panamá; y de L. mexicana en México (Maroli et al, 2013).…”