Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Endemic Foci of Leishmaniosis in Guatemala

Abstract

In Guatemala, three million people are at risk of contracting cutaneous leishmaniosis, primarily in the northern regions. Despite this alarming epidemiological situation, few faunistic studies of phlebotomine sand flies have been conducted in this country, which is the most populous in Central America. An entomological survey of phlebotomine sand flies was carried out from March to September, 2018 in rural, mountainous, and forested areas of six northern Guatemalan departments with active transmission of human leishmaniosis: Petén, Huehuetenango, Quiché, Alta Verapaz, Izabal, and El Progreso. CDC miniature light traps were deployed in and around homes with recent cases of leishmaniosis in children under 10 years of age. A total of 2,605 specimens of sand flies were captured and identified, belonging to three subtribes, nine genera, and 14 species (13 of which were able to be determined), with a balanced sex ratio of 0.95 males per each female. Lutzomyia longipalpis was the most abundant species in the survey, accounting for 62.61% of the total catches; however, this species was restricted to El Progreso and Huehuetenango, with Huehuetenango having the highest capture percentage (55.54%). This vector was predominantly found outdoors, mostly in extra-domicile areas (62.29%). The male/female ratio for this species was 1.94. This study, and the entomological data we present, can aid in enhancing vector control interventions in these northern departments, thereby decreasing the incidence of leishmaniosis in humans.resumen-En Guatemala, tres millones de personas se encuentran en riesgo de contraer leishmaniosis cutánea, principalmente en las regiones del norte. A pesar de esta alarmante situación epidemiológica, se han realizado pocos estudios faunísticos sobre los flebotomos en este país, el más poblado de América Central. Se llevó a cabo un estudio entomológico de los flebotomos desde marzo hasta septiembre de 2018 en áreas rurales, montañosas y forestales de seis departamentos del norte de Guatemala con transmisión activa de leishmaniosis en seres humanos: Petén,