Abstract

CARVALHO, Maria Rosimery de et al. Phlebotomine sandfly species from an American visceral leishmaniasis area in the Northern Rainforest region of Pernambuco State, Brazil. Cad. Saúde Pública [online]. 2007, vol.23, n.5, pp. 1227-1232. ISSN 0102-311X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-311X2007000500024.

The aim of this study was to identify the fauna of phlebotomine sandflies in an area with incidence of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) in São Vicente Férrer, a municipality (county) located in the northern Zona da Mata in Pernambuco State, Brazil. Sandfly captures were conducted monthly for four nights/month from December 2002 to November 2003, by means of manual captures (with a Shannon trap) and by CDC light traps. A total of 23,156 specimens of phlebotomines sandflies were collected in a remnant of the Atlantic rainforest, houses, and animal shelters. Lutzomyia complexa was the most prevalent species, with a frequency of 62.5% (14,445/23,156), followed by Lutzomyia migonei, with 33.2% (7,677/23,156). No Lutzomyia longipalpis (the main vector of Leishmania chagasi in Brazil and the Americas) was found in the target area. Some specimens were dissected, but no Leishmania parasites were found.

Keywords : Leishmaniasis; Psychodidae; Disease Vectors.