Seasonality of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) and Leishmania DNA detection in vector species in an area with endemic visceral leishmaniasis.

Background: Leishmaniases are a serious health problem in southeast Brazil, including the city of Belo Horizonte (BH), Minas Gerais state (MG), where there are high rates of incidence and mortality due to visceral leishmaniases. BH is divided into nine sanitary districts (SD) of which one, the Venda Nova SD, was selected for this study because it has high rates of positivity for canine leishmaniasis and high incidence of human leishmaniasis.

Objectives: This study aimed to survey the sand fly fauna in Venda Nova SD from August 2011 to July 2013 and perform a descriptive analysis of the vector population.

First inventory of the sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Introduction: This study aimed to inventory the phlebotomine sandfly fauna present in the urban area of Juiz de Fora, with an emphasis on the genus Lutzomyia.

Methods: Capture was performed from March to September 2012, using HP light traps placed at peridomestic sites, in a municipal kennel and a forest biome.

Results: A total of 133 specimens were captured, representing eight species of the genus Lutzomyia.