The ongoing risk of Leishmania donovani transmission in eastern Nepal: an entomological investigation during the elimination era.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a life-threatening neglected tropical disease, is targeted for elimination from Nepal by the year 2026. The national VL elimination program is still confronted with many challenges including the increasingly widespread distribution of the disease over the country, local resurgence and the questionable efficacy of the key vector control activities. In this study, we assessed the status and risk of Leishmania donovani transmission based on entomological indicators including seasonality, natural Leishmania infection rate and feeding behavior of vector sand flies, Phlebotomus argentipes, in three districts that had received disease control interventions in the past several years in the context of the disease elimination effort.

Methods

We

SUBMITTER: Roy L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10629032 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature