Ecology of phlebotomine sandflies and putative reservoir hosts of leishmaniasis in a border area in Northeastern Mexico: implications for the risk of transmission ofLeishmania mexicanain Mexico and the USA

Abstract

Leishmaniases are a group of important diseases transmitted to humans through the bite of sandfly vectors. Several forms of leishmaniases are endemic in Mexico and especially in the Southeast region. In the Northeastern region, however, there have only been isolated reports of cases and scanty records of sandfly vectors. The main objective of this study was to analyze the diversity of sandflies and potential reservoir hosts of Leishmania spp. in the states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. Species richness and abundances of sandflies and rodents were recorded. A fraction of the caught sandflies was analyzed by PCR to detect Leishmania spp. Tissues from captured rodents were also screened for infection. Ecological Niche Models (ENMs) were computed for species of rodent and their association with crop-growing areas. We found 13 species of sandflies, several of which are first records for this region. Medically important species such as Lutzomyia anthophora, Lutzomyia diabolica, Lutzomyia cruciata, and Lutzomyia shannoni were documented. Leishmania spp. infection was not detected in sandflies. Nine species of rodents were recorded, and Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana infection was found in four species of Peromyscus and Sigmodon. ENMs showed that potential distribution of rodent pest species overlaps with allocated crop areas. This shows that Leishmania (L.) mexicana infection is present in the Northeastern region of Mexico, and that previously unrecorded sandfly species occur in the same areas. These findings suggest a potential risk of transmission of Leishmania (L.) mexicana.

Leishmaniasis in the United States: Emerging Issues in a Region of Low Endemicity

“…In northeast Mexico, a systematic ecology survey collected 79 specimens of nine vertebrate species, where the most common samples were Peromyscus maniculatus (38%), Sigmodon hispidus (30%), and P. leucopus (16%). Sixteen N. micropus were studied and none were positive for leishmaniasis; 21% of P. leucopus , 12.5% of S. hispidus and 6% of P. maniculatus were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for L. mexicana [ 35 ]. Additionally, the blood of 267 wild canids in Pennsylvania and Tennessee was surveyed for Leishmania antibodies with the recombinant K39 (rK39) immunochromatographic test and 5/267(1.9%) were positive (one red fox, four coyotes) [ 36 ].…”

An Atypical Case of Autochthonous Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Associated with Naturally Infected Phlebotomine Sand Flies in Texas, United States

“…Several species of sand flies in the genus Lutzomyia have been associated with the zoonotic/enzootic transmission of L. (L.) mexicana in North America, including Lutzomyia (Dampfomyia) anthophora, Lutzomyia (Tricholateralis) cruciata, Lutzomyia (Tricholateralis) diabolica, Lutzomyia (Psathyromyia) shannoni, and Lutzomyia (Psathyromyia) texana. [12][13][14] The transmission dynamics of L. (L.) mexicana within the United States are incompletely understood, but enzootic maintenance of the parasite is thought to involve the sand fly Lu. (D.) anthophora and rodent reservoirs of the genus Neotoma.…”

Molecular Detection of Bartonella sp. in Psathyromyia shannoni and Lutzomyia cruciata From Northeastern Mexico

“…These sand fly species have anthropophilic habits that are relevant due to their role as vectors of Leishmania spp., and their high abundance and dominance throughout the Gulf and Caribbean of Mexico (12,13). In this study, the dominance of Pa. shannoni and Lu.…”

“…It has a warm sub-humid climate and an average annual temperature of 25°C, with precipitation ranging from 1,558 to 1,778 mm. It is characterized by a tropical deciduous and sub-deciduous forest, with the predominance of Mangifera indica, Ceiba pentandra, Brosimum alicastrum, and Mirandaceltis monoica (13).…”