A genotyping array for the globally invasive vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus.

Background: Although whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is the preferred genotyping method for most genomic analyses, limitations are often experienced when studying genomes characterized by a high percentage of repetitive elements, high linkage, and recombination deserts. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), for example, has a genome comprising up to 72% repetitive elements, and therefore we set out to develop a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip to be more cost-effective. Aedes albopictus is an invasive species originating from Southeast Asia that has recently spread around the world and is a vector for many human diseases.

Description of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) tolimensis, a new species of phlebotomine sandfly (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Colombia.

A description is presented of Lutzomyia tolimensis sp. nov., a new species of the subgenus Helcocyrtomyia, series sanguinaria.

The population structure of Lutzomyia verrucarum (Diptera: Psycodidae), a Bartonella bacilliformis and Leishmania peruviana vector in Peru.

The population genetic structure of Lutzomyia verrucarum (Townsend), a sand fly disease vector of Carrion's disease and cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Peruvian Andes, was characterized by sequencing 653 bp of cytochrome b and 1,125 bp of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 genes of its mitochondrial genome. DNA sequence variation within and between valleys was compared in a sample of 220 sand flies from three valleys (Purisima, Huaylas, and Conchucos) and five departments (Amazonas, Cajamarca, Piura, Lima, and Huancavelica). Gene network and phylogenetic analyses indicated a high similarity of haplotypes collected within a single valley (0-0.

Phlebotomine vector ecology in the domestic transmission of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Chaparral, Colombia.

Phlebotomine vector ecology was studied in the largest recorded outbreak of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia in 2004. In two rural townships that had experienced contrasting patterns of case incidence, this study evaluated phlebotomine species composition, seasonal abundance, nocturnal activity, blood source, prevalence of Leishmania infection, and species identification. CDC miniature light traps were used to trap the phlebotomines.

Morphological variants of Aedes aegypti collected from the Leeward Island of Antigua.

Nineteen Aedes aegypti larvae were collected in rural Antigua, West Indies, from an 18-liter plastic bucket. The location was in a rural area at the northern end of Antigua bordering the coast of Dickenson Bay and approximately 50 m south of Halcyon Cove Beach (17 degrees 09'42.54"N, 61 degrees 50'44.

Leishmania (Viannia) infection in the domestic dog in Chaparral, Colombia.

Peridomestic transmission of American cutaneous leishmaniasis is increasingly reported and dogs may be a reservoir of Leishmania (Viannia) in this setting. We investigated the prevalence of infection in dogs in Chaparral County, Colombia, the focus of an epidemic of human cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis. Two (0.

Environmental risk factors for the incidence of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in a sub-Andean zone of Colombia (Chaparral, Tolima).

Environmental risk factors for cutaneous leishmaniasis were investigated for the largest outbreak recorded in Colombia. The outbreak began in 2003 in Chaparral, and in the following five years produced 2,313 cases in a population of 56,228. Candidate predictor variables were land use, elevation, and climatic variables such as mean temperature and precipitation.

[Genetic structure in five Phlebotominae (Lutzomyia spp.), townsendi series, verrucarum group, in Colombia (Diptera: Prychodidae)].

Sixteen isoenzyme patterns were analyzed for five Colombian Lutzomyia species. The average unbiased expected heterozygosity levels ranged from 0.098 (Lu.

Population Genetics of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Invading Populations, Using Mitochondrial nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Dehydrogenase Subunit 5 Sequences.

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), the Asian tiger mosquito indigenous to Asia, now an invasive species worldwide, is an important vector for several arboviruses. Genetic analysis using the mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene was carried out in populations from Cameroon (n = 50), Hawaii (n = 38), Italy (n = 20), the continental United States, Brazil, and its native range. Data for Brazil, the continental United States, and the native range was obtained from Birungi and Munstermann (2002).

Light-emitting diode technology improves insect trapping.

In a climate of increased funding for vaccines, chemotherapy, and prevention of vector-borne diseases, fewer resources have been directed toward improving disease and vector surveillance. Recently developed light-emitting diode (LED) technology was applied to standard insect-vector traps to produce a more effective lighting system. This approach improved phlebotomine sand fly capture rates by 50%, and simultaneously reduced the energy consumption by 50-60%.

[Distribution of Leishmania infantum vector species in Colombia].

Introduction: Since entomological surveillance is the main control strategy for visceral leishmaniasis, updated information on the distribution and ecology of involved vector species is necessary for planning preventive measures.

Objective: To present the updated and geo-referenced distribution of L. longipalpis and L.

Systematic relationships among Lutzomyia sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Peru and Colombia based on the analysis of 12S and 28S ribosomal DNA sequences.

Lutzomyia spp. are New World phlebotomine sand flies, many of which are involved in the transmission of human diseases, such as leishmaniases and bartonellosis. The systematic classification of the approximately 400 species in the genus has been based on morphological characters, but the relationships within the genus are still very much in question.

Biochemical taxonomy and enzyme electrophoretic profiles during development, for three morphologically similar Aedes species (Diptera: Culicidae) of the subgenus Stegomyia.

Aedes (Stegomyia) cretinus is a rarely documented mosquito with a Mediterranean distribution, whereas Aedes (S.) albopictus has spread worldwide in the past two decades because of its anthropogenic associations. A third closely related species, Aedes (S.

Mitochondrial cytochrome b variation in populations of the visceral leishmaniasis vector Lutzomyia longipalpis across eastern Brazil.

A population analysis of peridomestic, light-trapped, field specimens of the phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis was targeted to six locations representing a geographic transect across eastern Brazil. Mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences established the pattern of genetic variation among the populations. Alignment of a 261-basepair region at the 3' end of cytochrome b identified 30 haplotypes and 21 segregating sites from 78 sand flies.

Infection of New- and Old-World Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) by the intracellular parasite Wolbachia: implications for host mitochondrial DNA evolution.

Wolbachia are cytoplasmically inherited, endosymbiotic bacteria known to infect a wide variety of arthropods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene was used to assay the infection of geographically disparate populations of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) by Wolbachia. Nine North American, four South American, one Hawaiian, and four Old World populations of A.

[PCR as a tool in confirming the experimental transmission of Leishmania chagasi to hamsters by Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera:Psychodidae)].

The use of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) was evaluated for its effectiveness as a tool in the detection of transmission of Leishmania chagasi to a hamster host, Mesocricetus auratus, by insect vector bite. Two pairs of uninfected and anesthetized hamsters were introduced into cages containing infected females of the typical phlebotomine sand fly vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis. The flies were experimentally infected with Leishmania chagasi and the infection was verified by dissection of subsamples.

[Approximation to the CDC method to determine insecticide susceptibility in leishmaniasis vectors].

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC, USA) has proposed a simplified method for the determinations of insecticide resistance in adult mosquitoes, using 250 ml Wheaton bottles containing measured dosages. Insects are transferred into the bottle for 1 hour and monitored for mortality at regular intervals. In standardizing the CDC method for use with phlebotomine sand flies, effects of the solvent without insecticide were evaluated.

[Standardization of the method proposed by the World Health Organization for determining the susceptibility levels of leishmaniasis vectors to insecticides].

The WHO method for determining insecticide resistance was standardized for several species of Lutzomyia sand flies under laboratory and field conditions. The biological assays were applied solely to optimize the conditions for the control, i.e.

Rapid identification of mitochondrial cytochrome B haplotypes by single strand conformation polymorphism in Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) populations.

Newly designed primers amplified a 365-bp fragment including the 3' end of mitochondrial cytochromeb (cyt b). Field collected specimens of the sand fly, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz and Neiva), from two Brazil locations provided test DNA. The primers, based on consensus sequences from a taxonomic spectrum of arthropods, have also amplified DNA successfully from Lutzomyia shannoni Dyar, Lutzomyia cruzi (Mangabeira), and the mosquito Aedes albopictus (Skuse).

Estimating carrying capacity in a newly colonized sand fly Lutzomyia serrana (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia serrana (Damasceno & Arouck) was mass-reared tinder conditions of varying densities in an effort to improve colony production efficiency. To do this, the experimental carrying capacity of a standard rearing chamber was determined, i.e.