A conserved odorant receptor underpins borneol-mediated repellency in culicine mosquitoes.

The use of essential oils derived from the camphor tree to repel mosquitoes is an ancient practice that originated in Southeast Asia and gradually spread to China and across Europe via the Maritime Silk Road. The olfactory mechanisms by which these oils elicit avoidance behavior are unclear. Here we show that plant bicyclic monoterpenoids and borneol specifically activate a neural pathway that originates in the orphan olfactory receptor neuron of the capitate peg sensillum in the maxillary palp, and projects to the mediodorsal glomerulus 3 in the antennal lobe.

A next-generation (DNA) sequencing (NGS)-based method for identifying the sources of sugar meals in mosquito vectors of West Nile virus in Israel.

Mosquitoes of the genus comprise important vectors of pathogenic arboviruses in our region, including West Nile and Rift Valley Fever viruses. To improve our understanding of the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of arboviruses, we need to study the behavior and ecology of their vectors. The feeding patterns of the vector mosquitoes can be very useful in determining how and where to focus control efforts.

Large scale systemic control short-circuits pathogen transmission by interrupting the sand rat (Psammomys obesus)-to-sand fly (Phlebotomus papatasi) Leishmania major transmission cycle.

Systemic control uses the vertebrate hosts of zoonotic pathogens as "Trojan horses," killing blood-feeding female vectors and short-circuiting host-to-vector pathogen transmission. Previous studies focused only on the effect of systemic control on vector abundance at small spatial scales. None were conducted at a spatial scale relevant for vector control and none on the effect of systemic control on pathogen transmission rates.

Effects of larval rearing substrates on some life-table parameters of Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies.

Sand flies are the insects responsible for transmitting Leishmania parasites, the causative agents of leishmaniasis in humans. However, the effects of sand fly breeding sites on their biology and ecology remain poorly understood. Herein, we studied how larval nutrition associated with putative breeding sites of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis affects their oviposition, development, microbiome, and susceptibility to Leishmania by rearing L.

Ecology of Leishmaniasis in an urbanized landscape: Relationship of sand fly densities, and Leishmania tropica infection rates with reservoir host colonies.

Urbanization may influence the transmission of leishmaniasis, which is as a serious public health issue in Palestine. Semi urban environments can provide suitable habitats for the reservoir host species and the vector sand flies to create favorable condition for disease transmission. This study was aimed to evaluating the effect of distance from hyrax (reservoir host) colonies on sand fly (vector) abundance and its relationship to Leishmania infection within a semi urban landscape.

The spatial and temporal distribution, species composition, and host preference of phlebotomine sand flies in the Bethlehem District of Palestine.

In the Palestinian West Bank, leishmaniasis is emerging as a serious public health issue with incidence increasing over time, especially in the western and the northern parts. This study was aimed to evaluating the effect of altitude on sand fly density, temporal and spatial distribution, species composition, and host preference within and between three villages in the Bethlehem District. The three villages occur along an elevation cline, ranging from the disease-free area of Kisan (KIS; 732-782 m ASL), down to the endemic areas of Arab Ar-Rashaiyda (AAR; 522-568 m ASL), and Al'Azazma (AZA; 473-510 m ASL) in the Bethlehem District (southeastern West Bank).

A molecular analysis of sand fly blood meals in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic region of northwestern Ethiopia reveals a complex host-vector system.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL, or "kala-azar") is a major cause of disability and death, especially in East Africa. Its vectors, sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), are poorly controlled and guarded against in these regions, owing in part to a lack of understanding about their feeding behavior.

Methods: A total of 746 freshly fed female sand flies were collected in five population centers in Kafta Humera (northwestern Ethiopia), where VL is endemic.

Development of a next generation DNA sequencing-based multi detection assay for detecting and identifying Leishmania parasites, blood sources, plant meals and intestinal microbiome in phlebotomine sand flies.

Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by Leishmania parasites transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae). Human infections with different Leishmania species cause characteristic clinical manifestations; cutaneous or visceral leishmaniasis. Here we describe the development and application of a Miseq Next GenerationSequencing (NGS)-based Multi Detection Assay (MDA) designed to characterize metagenomics parameters pertinent to the sand fly vectors which may affect their vectorial capacity for Leishmania.

Inventory and taxonomy of phlebotomine sand flies of the Mokolo leishmaniasis focus, northern Cameroon, with description of new Sergentomyia taxa (Diptera: Psychodidae).

Leishmaniasis is endemic in northern Cameroon. However, the sand fly vectors have not been incriminated. A sand fly species inventory was generated by integrating a number of techniques.

Human antibody reaction against recombinant salivary proteins of Phlebotomus orientalis in Eastern Africa.

Background: Phlebotomus orientalis is a vector of Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of life threatening visceral leishmaniasis spread in Eastern Africa. During blood-feeding, sand fly females salivate into the skin of the host. Sand fly saliva contains a large variety of proteins, some of which elicit specific antibody responses in the bitten hosts.

Plant-feeding phlebotomine sand flies, vectors of leishmaniasis, prefer .

Blood-sucking phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) transmit leishmaniasis as well as arboviral diseases and bartonellosis. Sand fly females become infected with parasites and transmit them while imbibing vertebrates' blood, required as a source of protein for maturation of eggs. In addition, both females and males consume plant-derived sugar meals as a source of energy.

First detection of Leishmania donovani in sand flies from Cameroon and its epidemiological implications.

Objectives: A sound knowledge of the vector-host-parasite transmission dynamics is a prerequisite for adequate control measures of vector-borne diseases. To achieve this, an entomological investigation was conducted in the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) endemic focus of Mokolo District, northern Cameroon to identify the insect vector(s) of the disease.

Methods: Phlebotomine sand flies were collected in and around Mokolo using New Standard CDC Miniature Light Traps.

A fine scale eco-epidemiological study on endemic visceral leishmaniasis in north ethiopian villages.

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a disseminated protozoan infection caused by Leishmania donovani that affects almost half a million people annually. In Northern Ethiopia, VL is common in migrant agricultural laborers returning from the lowland sesame fields of Metema and Humera. Recent VL foci have emerged in resident rural populations near the town.

Some aspects of entomological determinants of Phlebotomus orientalis in highland and lowland visceral leishmaniasis foci in northwestern Ethiopia.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the major public health problems in northwest Ethiopia, mainly in Libo-Kemkem and Metema districts, where Phlebotomus orientalis is the most probable vector of the disease. The aim of this study was to determine the physiological age, host preference and vectorial potential of P. orientalis in the highland and lowland foci of the region.

Genome wide comparison of Ethiopian Leishmania donovani strains reveals differences potentially related to parasite survival.

Leishmania donovani is the main cause of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in East Africa. Differences between northern Ethiopia/Sudan (NE) and southern Ethiopia (SE) in ecology, vectors, and patient sensitivity to drug treatment have been described, however the relationship between differences in parasite genotype between these two foci and phenotype is unknown. Whole genomic sequencing (WGS) was carried out for 41 L.

[Eco-epidemiological aspects, natural detection and molecular identification of Leishmania spp. in Lutzomyia reburra, Lutzomyia barrettoi majuscula and Lutzomyia trapidoi].

Introduction: The province of Pichincha in Ecuador is an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis, where anthropophilic sand flies with natural infection by Leishmania, have been reported as vectors. However, the role in transmission of zoophilic species has not been evaluated.

Objective: To evaluate natural infection by Leishmania in two zoophilic phlebotomine sand fly species, Lutzomyia reburra and Lu.

Comparative study on the nocturnal activity of phlebotomine sand flies in a highland and lowland foci of visceral leishmaniasis in north-western Ethiopia with special reference to Phlebotomus orientalis.

Background: Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), is most probably vectored by Phlebotomus orientalis in north-western Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the nocturnal activity patterns of Ph. orientalis in VL endemic foci of Libo-Kemkem (highland) and Metema (lowland) districts of north-western Ethiopia.

Studies on the behaviour and control of phlebotomine sandflies using experimental houses.

Programmes for the control of phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae), the vectors of leishmaniases, mainly target adults because larval breeding sites are generally unknown or inaccessible. To determine how blood-questing sandfly females enter homes and to develop means for their control, an experimental house (EH) was constructed in a village endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Initially, carbon dioxide (CO )-baited suction traps were installed inside the EH to attract and capture sandflies.

Diversity and altitudinal distribution of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in visceral leishmaniasis endemic areas of northwest Ethiopia.

Background: The Leishmaniases are caused by the protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania and are transmitted to humans by the bite of infected female phlebotomine sand flies. Both visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases are widely distributed in different parts of Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity and altitudinal distribution of phlebotomine sand flies from Kafta Humera to Gondar town in northwest Ethiopia.

Minimally invasive microbiopsies: a novel sampling method for identifying asymptomatic, potentially infectious carriers of Leishmania donovani.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a potentially lethal, sand fly-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the Leishmania donovani species complex. There are several adequate methods for diagnosing VL, but the majority of infected individuals remain asymptomatic, comprising potential parasite reservoirs for transmission of the disease. The gold standard for assessing host infectiousness to biting vector insects is xenodiagnosis (i.

Studies on sand fly fauna and ecological analysis of Phlebotomus orientalis in the highland and lowland foci of kala-azar in northwestern Ethiopia.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) also known as kala-azar is a growing health problem in Ethiopia with an estimated annual VL incidence between 3700 and 7400. The disease is mainly endemic in northwestern parts of the country. The aim of the current study was to determine the sand fly fauna and ecology of Phlebotomus orientalis in two endemic and ecologically distinct areas of northwestern Ethiopia.

Coinfection of and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: Report of a Case of Disseminated Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Ecuador.

AbstractReported herein is the first case of -human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection in Ecuador. In Ecuador, HIV infections overlap endemic areas of leishmaniasis. Immunosuppression is a well-established risk factor for developing severe disease.