Co-Circulation of Parasites and Phleboviruses in a Population of Sand Flies Collected in the South of Portugal.

In the Old World, phlebotomine sand flies from the genus are implicated in the transmission of spp. parasites (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) and viruses belonging to the genus (Bunyavirales: Phenuiviridae). Two of the five sand fly species known to occur in Portugal, and , the former being the most ubiquitous, are recognized vectors of , which causes visceral leishmaniasis, the most prevalent form of leishmaniasis in the country. is also the vector of the neurotropic Toscana virus, which can cause aseptic meningitis. Entomological surveillance is essential to provide fundamental data about the presence of vectors and the pathogens they can carry. As such, and given the lack of data in Portugal, an entomological survey took place in the Algarve, the southernmost region of the country, from May to October 2018. Polymerase chain reaction assays were performed in order to detect the presence of the above-mentioned pathogens in sand fly pools. Not only were both parasites and phleboviruses detected during this study, but more importantly, it was the first time their co-circulation was verified in the same sand fly population collected in Portugal.