The biting rhythms of some anthropophilic phlebotomine sandflies in British Honduras

ABSTRACT

Further observations are needed on the biting rhythms of phlebotomine sandflies in British Honduras. From the information now available, it seeems that only Lutzomyia panamensis, Lu. cruciata, Lu. olmeca and Lu. ovallesi can be reasonably suspected of transmitting Leishmania mexicana to man by day, though Lu. olmeca and Lu. cruciata are more probably the vectors of infection. Although dermal leishmaniasis can be transmitted by day, man is more likely to become infected during the hours of darkness, especially between dusk and midnight when anthropophilic sandflies are most active. Parous flies may be most numerous at dusk or soon afterwards; sandflies with natural leptomonad infections can, therefore, be expected to be collected between 18.00 and 19.59 hours.(Summary)