Determination of the feeding behavior of Phlebotomus sergenti using multiplex PCR and tent-baited traps in a new focus of Anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the southeast of Iran

• Published in: Experimental parasitology 2023-01, Vol.244, p.108426-108426, Article 108426
• Main Authors: Yousefi, Saideh, Paksa, Azim, Gorouhi, Mohammad Amin, Alizadeh, Ismaeil, Amin, Masoumeh, Vahedi, Mozaffar, Saberi, Nasrollah, Zahraei-Ramazani, Ali Reza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Blood-meal; Cattle; Dogs; Feeding Behavior; Host preference, Multiplex PCR; Humans; Iran; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; Phlebotomus; Phlebotomus sergenti; Psychodidae
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108426

This study aimed to determine feeding behaviors of Phlebotomus sergenti Parrot, in a new focus of Anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Bam County, southeast Iran. Two methods were used to determine the feeding behavior of Phlebotomus sergenti. In the first method, blood-fed sand flies were captured using a mouth aspirator in human and animal dwellings and consequently, blood meal identification was made using Multiplex PCR. The results were used for calculating Host Feeding Index (HFI) and Forage Ratio (FR) parameters. In the second method, human (Homo sapiens), goat (Capra aegagrus), cattle (Bos taurus), chicken (Gallus gallus) and dog (Canis lupus) were used as baits in tent-baited traps to determine the feeding behavior of Phlebotomus sergenti. Multiplex PCR analysis revealed that the most frequent blood in the stomack of sand flies’ were from chicken, but the calculation of the FR revealed that this species prefers canine and poultary blood as meal. Human and animal tent-baited traps revealed that most Phlebotomus sergenti were attracted to chicken rather than the other hosts. Sand flies are attracted to animals for various reasons such as eating blood, mating on their bodies and laying eggs on their feces. Molecular methods are effective and accurate methods to determine the type of host that sandfly fed on, but they do not show host preferences. The results of the molecular analysis, along with the calculation of HFI and FR, can determine the preferred host of sand flies. The current study revealed that dogs, the secondary reservoir of ACL in Iran, is the first preferred host of Phlebotomus sergenti. [Display omitted] •Leishmaniasis is a severe public health problem as a neglected tropical disease.•Knowledge on vector feeding behavior is one of the essential means to control Leishmaniasis.•There is little information about the feeding behavior of P. sergenti in Iran, and knowledge about this vector is essential in Leishmaniasis control programs.•This study aimed to study the feeding behavior of Phlebotomus sergenti in the area.•The most frequent blood meal source of Ph. sergenti is chicken in the area. Chickens can be used as a none reservoir host in Zooprophylaxis.