[Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) at a suburban focus of visceral leishmaniasis in the Chicamocha Canyon, Santander, Colombia].

Introduction: Between 1998 and 2000, the occurrence of 8 cases of American visceral leishmaniasis in children from a recently established human settlement in Guatiguará, in the municipality of Piedecuesta (Santander, Colombia) indicated the possible presence of Leishmania transmission in this locality. This observation motivated the current entomological investigation.

Objectives: To determine the relative frequency of Lutzomyia longipalpis inside houses and outdoors, and the natural infection of this vector with Leishmania spp.