Mosquitoes of the Caatinga. III. Larval Habitats, Frequency, and Dynamics of Immature and Adult Stages in a Dry Brazilian Forest.

Even though the seasonally dry tropical Caatinga forest is an historically neglected biome, recent studies have enhanced our knowledge of its biodiversity. We investigated larval habitats as well as the frequency and dynamics of immature and adult Culicidae in a conservation unit within the Caatinga in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. We carried out monthly surveys between July 2011 and October 2012 to count both immature (tree holes, bromeliad tanks, ponds, and rock holes and depressions) and adult individuals (Shannon traps baited with light).

Sandfly fauna in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil.

Introduction: In recent years, visceral leishmaniasis, a major public health problem, has been spreading from the rural to urban areas in many areas of Brazil, including Aracaju, the capital of the State of Sergipe. However, there are no studies of the sandfly fauna in this municipality or its variation over the year.

Methods: Phlebotomine sandflies were collected from a rural area of Aracaju from September 2007 to July 2009.