Natural Leishmania Infection of Lutzomyia auraensis in Madre de Dios, Peru, Detected by a Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer–Based Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract

Abstract. Leishmania species of the Viannia subgenus are responsible for most cases of New World tegumentary leishmaniasis. However, little is known about the vectors involved in disease transmission in the Amazon regions of Peru. We used a novel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assess Leishmania infections in phlebotomines collected in rural areas of Madre de Dios, Peru. A total of 1,299 non-blood fed female sand flies from 33 species were captured by using miniature CDC light traps. Lutzomyia auraensis was the most abundant species (63%) in this area. Seven of 164 pools were positive by PCR for Leishmania by kinetoplast DNA. The real-time PCR identified four Lu. auraensis pools as positive for L. (Viannia) lainsoni and L. (V.) braziliensis. The minimum infection prevalence for Lu. auraensis was estimated to be 0.6% (95% confidence interval = 0.20-1.42%). Further studies are needed to assess the importance of Lu. auraensis in the transmission of New World tegumentary leishmaniasis in hyperendemic areas of Peru.

Sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) from caves in the state of Rondônia, Brazil

“…Nyssomyia shawi is considered to be a suspected vector of L. (V.) braziliensis in Bolivia (BUSTAMANTE et al, 2012). Trichophoromyia auraensis was found with L. (V.) lainsoni and L. (V.) braziliensis in Madre de Dios, Peru (VALDIVIA et al, 2012). This species is different from Trichophoromyia ruifreitasi on the males genitalia, T. auraensis has a paramere with a dorsal lobe that begins in the apex and ends at the half of structure while T. ruifreitasi has a subtriangular paramere with a discrete lobe dorsal .…”

Phlebotominae sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae): potential vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis agents in the area associated with the Santo Antônio Hydroelectric System in Western Amazonian Brazil

“…Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis is the only sand fl y vector associated with the transmission of L. (V.) lainsoni (28) , a parasite recently identified in State of Rondônia (8) . However, Trichophoromyia species are also thought to be carriers of L. (V.) lainsoni, as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of this parasite was found in Trichophoromyia auraensis specimens in the Peruvian Amazon (29) . Furthermore, two pooled samples of Th.…”

Vectores de la leishmaniasis tegumentaria y la Enfermedad de Carrión en el Perú: una actualización

“…Utilizando PCR en tiempo real, Valdivia et al (2012) (60) determinaron por primera vez la infección natural de Lutzomyia auraensis con Leishmania braziliensis y Leishmania lainsoni en Flor de Acre (Iberia, Madre de Dios). La técnica utilizada, Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer-Based Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (FRET Based RT-PCR), consiste en un Nested-PCR para detectar mutaciones conocidas de los genes MPI y 6PGD que producen temperaturas de fusión (melting) distintos, y permite identificar diferentes especies de Leishmania.…”

“…Por ejemplo, Kato et al (2016) (46) encontró solo 01 Lu. tejadai infectada con un híbrido L. braziliensis / L. peruviana de un total de 2997 especímenes analizados individualmente (tasa de infección natural = 0,03%), mientras que en el trabajo reportado por Valdivia et al (2012) (60) , 1299 hembras de Lutzomyia fueron agrupadas en 164 pooles (1-10 individuos/pool), de los cuales 7 fueron positivos a Leishmania. El análisis estadístico con intervalos de confianza al 95% estima que la prevalencia mínima de infección para Lu.…”

“…auraensis y Lu. davisi fue de 0,6% (0,20 Zorrilla V et al -1,42) y 0,9% (0,02-5,10) respectivamente (60) , puesto que en un pool positivo de 10 flebotomíneos se desconoce cuántos de ellos podrían estar infectados.…”