Sandfly surveillance and investigation of Leishmania spp. DNA in sandflies in Kosovo

• Published in: Medical and veterinary entomology 2020-12, Vol.34 (4), p.394-401
• Main Authors: Vaselek, S., Oguz, G., Ayhan, N., Ozbel, Y., Kadriaj, P., Ćupina, A. I., Velo, E., Muja, N., Baymak, D., Alishani, M., Toz, S., Nalcaci, M., Sherifi, K., Charrel, R., Alten, B., Petrić, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Protozoan; Dominant species; Geographical distribution; Insect Control; Insect Vectors - classification; Insect Vectors - parasitology; Kosovo; Kosovo - epidemiology; Leishmania; Leishmania - genetics; Leishmania - isolation & purification; Leishmania tropica; Leishmaniasis - transmission; Parasitic diseases; Phlebotomus; Phlebotomus - classification; Phlebotomus - parasitology; Psychodidae; sandfly; Surveillance; Vector Borne Diseases - transmission; Vectors; Visceral leishmaniasis
• ISSN: 0269-283X; 1365-2915
• DOI: 10.1111/mve.12451

In the past decade, leishmaniasis seems to be re‐emerging in Balkan countries. There are serious implications that Kosovo is a visceral leishmaniasis endemic region with autochthonous transmission; nevertheless, surveillance of vectors, reservoirs or the disease is not yet established. Gaining knowledge about sandfly vector species is a prerequisite for the development of a monitoring and control plan in the future. After a long gap in research of over 70 years, sandfly studies in Kosovo were resumed in 2014. During this presence/absence study, nine sandfly species were detected: Phlebotomus papatasi, Ph. perfiliewi, Ph. tobbi, Ph. neglectus, Ph. simici, Ph. balcanicus, Ph. alexandri, Ph. mascittii and Sergentomyia minuta. Three species are new with regard to the fauna of Kosovo – Ph. alexandri, Ph. balcanicus and Ph. mascittii. Besides increased diversity, changes in the number of collected specimens and distribution range of species were recorded, with Ph. neglectus being the most dominant species with the widest distribution. Testing of randomly chosen females for Leishmania spp. DNA resulted the in detection of L. tropica in a specimen of Ph. neglectus. The presence of numerous vector species in the sandfly fauna of Kosovo pose a threat for the re‐emergence of vector‐borne diseases. Therefore, continuous surveillance is recommended with regular updates on vector distribution and abundance. After a long gap of over 70 years in sandfly research in Kosovo, nine sandfly species were detected, with three species being new with regard to the fauna of Kosovo. Besides sandfly diversity, changes were noted in the number of collected specimens and distribution ranges of species. L. tropica DNA was detected by real‐time PCR in Ph. neglectus.