First report of naturally infected Sergentomyia minuta with Leishmania major in Tunisia. Issue 1 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jaouadi, Kaouther; Ghawar, Wissem; Salem, Sadok; Gharbi, Mohamed; Bettaieb, Jihene; Yazidi, Rihab; Harrabi, Mariem; Hamarsheh, Omar; Ben Salah, Afif
• Is Part Of: Parasites & vectors. Volume 8:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 3
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Leishmania major -- Sergentomyia minuta -- Phlebotomus papatasi -- Cutaneous leishmaniasis -- Tunisia; Parasitism -- Periodicals; Parasites -- Periodicals; Vector-pathogen relationships -- Periodicals; Animals as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; Insects as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; 616.96
• DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1269-4
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-3305

Abstract

Abstract Background Many sand fly species are implicated in the transmission cycle ofLeishmania parasites around the world. Incriminating new sand flies species, as vectors ofLeishmania is crucial to understanding the parasite–vector transmission cycle in different areas in Tunisia and surrounding countries. Findings Seventy-four unfed females belonging to the generaSergentomyia andPhlebotomus were collected in South Tunisia between June and November 2014, using sticky papers. PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) was used forLeishmania parasites detection and identification.Leishmania (L. )major (Yakimoff & Shokkor, 1914) was identified within twoSergentomyia (S. )minuta (Rondani, 1843) and onePhlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli, 1786). Conclusion This is the first report ofL. major identified fromS. minuta in Tunisia. This novel finding enhances the understanding of the transmission cycle ofL. major parasites of cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic area in South Tunisia.