[Leishmaniasis in Ecuador. 2. Man/vector contacts in leishmaniasis: the case of Lutzomyia trapidoi and Lu. Gomezi]. / Leishmaniose en Equateur. 2. Contacts homme/vecteurs de leishmaniose: cas de Lutzomyia trapidoi et Lu. Gomezi.

In two leishmaniasis endemic foci of the Pacific coast of Ecuador, where the primary forest is severely attacked by human settlements, intradomiciliary sandfly catches, with light trap and human bait, have been carried out from August 1991 to October 1992. The presumed vector Lutzomyia trapidoi was by far the dominant species inside dwellings at Paraiso Escondido in the preandean hills (86% of the anthropophilic sandfly population, and 8.5 females/night catch by light trap). Not a single Lu. gomezi was caught in this village. At La Tablada, Lu. gomezi was the dominant anthropophilic species in the coastal cordillera (83% of anthropophilic sandfly population and 3.7 females/night catch by light trap); Lu. trapidoi accounted only for 4.6% of the total catches in this village. On human bait, catches were variable depending on the day and on the season, but dominant species were always the same. The percentage of Lu. trapidoi was higher on human bait than in light trap. Blood meal identifications of engorged Lu. gomezi and Lu. trapidoi confirmed the anthropophily of these two species in the houses.

[Leishmaniasis in Ecuador. 3. Lutzomyia trapidoi, vector of Leishmania panamensis]. / Leishmaniose en Equateur. 3. Lutzomyia trapidoi, vecteur de Leishmania panamensis.

Lutzomyia trapidoi, the more abundant anthropophilic species, is a presumed leishmaniasis vector in the Pacific foothills of Ecuador. Three biotopes have been sampled (dwelling, and nearby coffee crop and primary forest) in the focus of Paraiso Escondido, by human bait catches, from August 1991 to October 1992. A large number of sandflies, 6,965 specimens, have been dissected to estimate peri and hypopyloric infections. All the peripyloric infections, characterized by isoenzyme electrophoresis, were Leishmania panamensis. The percentage of these infections was low, around 3%, but they were massive. They occurred only in dry season. Hypopyloric infections were observed in Lu. trapidoi all the year round in the three biotopes. Their percentage was high, reaching 40%. Despite of many trials to cultivate the parasite on NNN medium, no stain could be isolated. It is suggested that the parasite could be L. equatorensis.