Experimental infection and transmission of Leishmania major by laboratory-reared Phlebotomus bergeroti parrot.

The ability of colony-reared Phlebotomus bergeroti Parrot to successfully acquire and transmit Leishmania major (strain IPAP/EG 89/SI-177) was demonstrated in the laboratory. Female P. bergeroti were fed naturally on infected mice and artificially on infected blood suspension using a chick-skin membrane apparatus. Groups of sand flies, either infected on mice or by membrane feeding, were dissected and examined using light microscopy at 2-6, 8, 10, and 11 days postfeeding. Heavy promastigote infection of the thoracic and abdominal midgut was observed in 10% (2 of 20) of the naturally infected flies. Promastigote maturation was observed in 87% (81 of 93) of the artificially infected sand flies, with promastigotes observed in the cibarium and mouthparts at five days postinfection, and infective metacyclic stage promastigotes observed at eight days postinfection. Ten days postinfection, 31% (10 of 32) of the remaining artificially infected sand flies refed on an uninfected BALB/c mouse. Twenty-eight days following exposure to the infective sand flies, leishmanial lesions were observed on the pads of the mouse's front feet. The development of lesions on mouse foot pads clearly suggests the potential of P. bergeroti to serve as a vector for L. major.

Reduced longevity and fecundity in Leishmania-infected sand flies.

Phlebotomus papatasi and P. langeroni were infected with Leishmania major and L. infantum by membrane feeding. Each sand fly ingested approximately 200 parasites per blood meal. Higher mortality in both sand fly species was seen with mixed infections than with a single parasite species. There was no significant difference between infections with either L. major or L. infantum in their natural vectors or experimental hosts. Infection significantly depressed the mean number of eggs laid per female.

Electrophoretic comparison of the Leishmania vectors Phlebotomus papatasi and P. langeroni (Diptera: Psychodidae).

Cellulose acetate electrophoresis was employed to detect 22 different enzyme systems in laboratory-reared populations of the sympatric Leishmania vectors, Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) and P. langeroni Nitzulescu. Electrophoretic conditions sensitive enough to permit as many as eight separate enzyme assays to be performed on individual specimens were developed. Under these conditions, 18 enzymes were detected with high resolution and regularity. Evidence was obtained which suggested that a number of enzymes in both species are under multilocus genetic control. Polymorphism was observed in 14 of 25 (56%) loci detected in P. papatasi and in eight of 24 (33%) loci detected in P. langeroni. Differences in electrophoretic profiles of malic enzyme, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and fumarate hydratase were considered to be genetically fixed in both sexes of P. papatasi and P. langeroni. Their detection may permit an accurate and more rapid separation of these vectors in field collections.

Enzyme polymorphism and genetic variability of one colonized and several field populations of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The Alexandria laboratory colony and five field populations of Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) from Egypt were analyzed for genetic variation at 17 enzyme loci. The laboratory colony was characterized by a low level of genetic variation as measured by the average number of alleles per locus (A = 1.70 +/- 0.16) and the average expected heterozygosity (He = 0.06 +/- 0.02). Polymorphism was observed at 23.5% of the examined loci, and genotype frequencies at two loci (PGM, AK-2) were found to deviate slightly from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In contrast, the average number of alleles per locus for field populations ranged from A = 2.35 +/- 0.20 to 2.76 +/- 0.10, and He ranged from 0.15 +/- 0.03 to 0.21 +/- 0.05. All loci of field populations exhibited polymorphism, ranging from 47.0% to 76.5%, and four to seven loci in each population were found to deviate from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Deviations in both colonized and field populations were caused by heterozygote deficiency. Despite geographic isolation and some individual deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, no evidence of significant genetic difference was obtained for any of the populations sampled. Calculated indices of genetic distance and genetic identity for the five field populations showed minor variation but were collectively representative of a single, genetically uniform population.

Feeding patterns of Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus langeroni (Diptera: Psychodidae) in El Agamy, Egypt.

Blood meals from 602 Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) and 49 Phlebotomus langeroni Nitzulescu were collected in El Agamy, Egypt, and were identified using counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Blood meals were tested against specific antisera of eight vertebrate hosts (human, cat, dog, rat, sheep, goat, general avian, and general bovine). Of 597 P. papatasi collected indoors, 594 contained human blood and three had mixed blood meals (human-dog, human-rat, and human-avian). Four of five P. papatasi collected outdoors contained human blood and one contained avian blood. All 39 P. langeroni collected indoors had fed on humans. Six of 10 outdoor-collected P. langeroni had fed on human blood, 2 on dog, 1 on cat, and 1 on rat blood. Both P. papatasi and P. langeroni feed predominantly on humans in El Agamy, Egypt. The documented feeding on humans and dogs by P. langeroni supports the role of this species as the primary vector of visceral leishmaniasis at the El Agamy focus.

The development of Leishmania infantum in Phlebotomus langeroni nitzulescu (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The extrinsic development of Leishmania infantum was observed in Phlebotomus langeroni the potential vector of visceral leishmaniasis in El-Agamy, Egypt. Flies were infected with L. infantum isolated from the same area, using membrane feeding technique. Flies were examined for infection at 1-10 days post-infection. The initial establishment of the parasites was in the posterior midgut region beginning at sixth day post-infection. Parasites were first observed in the esophagus at day 8, and in the posterior armature region of the pharynx at day 9. The pattern of development of L. infantum in P. langeroni was typically suprapylarian.

Laboratory rearing techniques and adult life table parameters for Anopheles sergentii from Egypt.

Techniques are presented for maintaining colonies of Anopheles sergentii, an important malaria vector in Egypt. Larval development time and survival rates were determined for 3 rearing solutions and 4 temperatures. Under optimal conditions larval survival rates averaged 85%. Mean life expectancy at emergence for mated An. sergentii was 23.3 days under insectary conditions of 27 +/- 2 degrees C, 70-80% R.H. The net reproductive rate, mean generation time and instantaneous rate of increase were respectively, 45.8 females per female per generation, 29.7 days and 0.127. In the context of vector potential for malaria transmission, An. sergentii has a daily survivorship rate of 0.95.

Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Mersa Matruh and Siwa oasis, A.R. Egypt.

Sandflies were surveyed 3 times during 1989 in Mersa Matruh city and Siwa oasis to investigate their status. Only Phlebotomus papatasi was identified from inside houses and outdoor sites. More flies were collected in Mersa Matruh than in Siwa. Results document for the first time the presence of P. papatasi in Mersa Matruh and verify its presence in Siwa oasis.

Adult diet as a factor affecting biology of the sandfly Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The effects of adult nutrients on egg retention, immature development and adult survival of P. papatasi, the important vector of leishmaniasis in Egypt were investigated. The tested nutrients were distilled water, overripe fig fruits, guinea pig blood, sucrose solution and alternative meals of blood and sucrose. Egg retention was observed in females irrespective to the type of offered nutrient (r = 0.21) but higher proportion (47%) of blood fed females had retained eggs. Duration of the life cycle was higher for the progeny of fig fed females (P less than 0.05) and mean generation time was longer for sucrose fed females (P less than 0.05). Such nutritional effect on life cycle was observed only for pre-oviposition periods and no extend effect on larval or pupal durations. The survivorship rates for eggs through adults were similar (P greater than 0.05). It is estimated that the population would increase by Ca. 15, 11, 10 and 7 folds if the mother female was fed blood, sucrose, fig or distilled water respectively. The mean life time differed significantly (P less than 0.05) among females fed on different nutrients with the highest co (life expectancy at emergence) value (14.98 +/- 2.75 days) for sucrose fed females. Males fed on distilled water, fig fruits or sucrose solution were with similar longevities P greater than 0.05). In respect to leishmania transmission, the calculated expectancies for female life beyond the infective age indicated that blood-sucrose fed females have higher capability than those fed on sucrose blood or blood alone.

Evaluation of avermectins as sandfly control agents.

The potential of avermectins as environmentally safe agents for the control of the sandfly vectors of Leishmania spp. was investigated in the laboratory. Female Phlebotomus papatasi and P. langeroni were fed either bloodmeals containing laboratory-grade ivermectin or sugarmeals containing a commercial-product based on abamectin. Low concentrations of either avermectin killed the sandflies, with median lethal concentrations (LC(50)) of just 13 ng ivermectin or 0.5 ng abamectin/ml for P. papatasi and 44 ng ivermectin or 35 ng abamectin/ml for P. langeroni. The feeding of female sandflies of both species with generally sublethal doses (LC(30)) of ivermectin in blood led to markedly reduced survival and fecundity (i.e. number of eggs laid/ovipositing female). However, addition of ivermectin to the bloodmeal (or of abamectin to the sugarmeal) of the females had no statistically significant effect on the proportion of their eggs that hatched. The results indicate that very small amounts of avermectin in their blood- or sugar-meals could control P. papatasi and P. langeroni, by killing many flies and, in the case of ivermectin, by reducing the fecundity of the survivors.

A simple micro-assay method for estimating blood meal size of the sand fly, Phlebotomus langeroni (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The accurate measurement of blood meal size in Phlebotomus langeroni, the potential vector of infantile visceral leishmaniasis in Egypt, is important to determine the number of parasites taken in fully engorged insects. A simple protein content micro-assay is introduced for that purpose. The accuracy of this method was confirmed by hemoglobin estimation method. Laboratory bred P. langeroni were fed artificially on defibrinated human blood and the fully engorged flies were carefully dissected on ice, within 1-10 min after feeding, since the time of dissection is critical. Serial concentrations of the defibrinated human blood were required as standards. Results show that the full blood meal taken by P. langeroni ranged from 0.76-0.94 mm3 of blood with a mean volume of 0.85 +/- 0.02 mm3 and from 0.71- 0.99 mm3 of blood with a mean volume of 0.83 +/- 0.02 mm3 as measured by protein content and hemoglobin estimation methods respectively. The data showed that there is no significant difference (P=0.27) between the two methods in estimating the blood meal size of P. langeroni. In addition, protein content micro-assay had the advantages of being accurate, rapid, sensitive and reliable.