Ecological Perspectives on Leishmaniasis Parasitism Patterns: Evidence of Possible Alternative Vectors for <i>Leishmania</i> (<i>Leishmania</i>) <i>infantum</i> (syn. <i>L. chagasi</i>) and <i>Leishmania</i> (<i>Viannia</i>) <i>braziliensis</i> in Piaui, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Leishmaniasis is difficult to control due to clinical and vector diversity associated with the complex life cycle of Leishmania parasites, which are transmitted by sandflies. This study investigated the presence of Leishmania DNA in sandfly vectors, their blood meal sources, and their distribution in relation to environmental and climatic variables in four municipalities in Piauí state, Brazil. Between 2020 and 2022, sandflies were collected, morphologically identified, and analyzed for the presence of parasite DNA and blood meal sources (PCR, sequencing). Climate data were correlated with the density of collected insects. Among the 10,245 specimens collected, Lutzomyia longipalpis (54.87%) and Nyssomyia whitmani (30.41%) were the most abundant in the collection

SUBMITTER: de Sousa RLT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12472939 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature