Studies on the feeding habits of Lutzomyia (N.) intermedia (Diptera, Psychodidae), vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil.

The precipitin test was applied to identify the blood meal sources of Lutzomyia intermedia, collected in two distinct habitats: inside houses and in the peridomicile, in Mesquita, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, a transmission area of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis. The following antisera were tested: human, avian, equine, rodent, and opossum.

Ecology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

A study of the sand fly fauna was carried out in the endemic area ofAmerican cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) in the Municipality of Mesquita, State of Rio de Janeiro, in an area where dwellings (with humans and dogs infected by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis) have been recently visited by sloths. Weekly captures were made during two consecutive years in two different sites (1 m and 600 m above sea level) and in three different habitats in each site (domestic, extra-domestic and sylvatic) using CDC light traps and Shannon traps. The following species were identified: Brumptomyia (Brumptomyia) guimaraesi, B.

Comparative studies of populations of Lutzomyia umbratilis (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Brazil and Venezuela.

We analyzed 64 quantitative and qualitative morphological characters in different populations of Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) umbratilis Ward & Fraiha from Venezuela (Gran Sabana, Bolívar/BO) and Brazil (Serra do Navio, Amapá/AP Manaus, Amazonas/AM, Monte Dourado, Pará/ PA, and Peixoto de Azevedo, Mato Grosso/MT). Based on an analysis of qualitative characters, no differences were observed that could distinguish between the populations. Parametric tests were used to verify differences between sample means and variance homogeneity.

Ecology of sand flies (Diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) in the north of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Peixoto de Azevedo is located in the north of State of Mato Grosso, where environmental alterations led to an outbreak of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in the 80s. The parasite from patients was characterized as Leishmania (V.) braziliensis.