[Residual anophelism in Italy: distribution in 4 southern regions]. / Anofelismo residuo in Italia: distribuzione in quattro regioni meridionali.

About 40 years after malaria eradication from Italy, the potential vectors of this disease, Anopheles labranchiae, Anopheles superpictus and Anopheles sacharovi, are still present in some regions of the South. Since 1991 the Laboratory of Parasitology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, in collaboration with the Local Health Authorities, carried out an investigation to assess the levels of these potential anopheline vectors in Calabria, Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia. A. labranchiae, the most important vector, was found in all the regions visited, where is probably present in scattered foci all over the territory. The most common breeding sites were represented by rivers and streams, followed by ponds and ground pools. The larval densities varied greatly from 0.01 to 33 larvae/dip; likewise the adult densities, recorded in animal shelters, varied from < 10 to > 1000 female/shelter. The higher adult densities were recorded in Calabria, along the West coast. The other important vector in Southern Italy, A. superpictus, was found both in the West and East coasts of the same region, showing low larval and adult densities. Anopheles sacharovi, that was an important malaria vector in Puglia and Sardinia, was not found. Four populations of A. labranchiae were tested to determine the susceptibility to some insecticides. All of these populations were fully susceptible to deltamethrin, malathion and DDT, while showed a reduced susceptibility to permethrin and propoxur.

[Leishmaniasis vectors (Diptera, Psychodidae) in 3 different environments of western Sicily and 2 of the Aeolian Islands]. / Indagine sui vettori di leishmaniosi (Diptera, Psychodidae) in tre differenti ambienti della Sicilia occidentale e in due delle Isole Eolie.

Some cases of visceral leishmaniasis in children and in adults have been diagnosed in the last fifteen years in Western Sicily and an increasing number of cases of canine leishmaniasis has been recorded, mainly in the province of Palermo. Such a human leishmaniasis recrudescence, after the antimalaria campaign had reduced the transmission, and the increase of canine leishmaniasis in the city of Palermo and its suburbs suggest that transmission in urban areas may be possible. Using the oiled paper method, a survey of phlebotomine sandflies was carried out during June and July 1988 both in the centre and suburbs of Palermo, and during July and August '88 in the Madonie mountains (at 800 to 1200 meters above sea level) and in two Eolian Islands: Lipari and Filicudi. Details of collected species are given. In both surveys, the oiled paper method did not turn out to be selective towards any given species of sandflies.

The salivary gland chromosomes of Anopheles labranchiae Falleroni 1926.

The salivary gland chromosomes of Anopheles labranchiae Falleroni, 1926 are described and figured. A. labranchiae is the sibling species of the maculipennis complex most closely related to A. atroparvus and the map of A. labranchiae is generally comparable to that of A. atroparvus. The chromosomal areas which are asynaptic in the hybrids between the two species are also described.