The study had the aim of characterizing the geographical distribution of Lutzomyia whitmani s.l. in the state of Maranhão, Northeastern Brazil. Between 1992 and 2005, 9,600 specimens (65.1% males and 34.9% females) were caught in the rural and urban zones of 35 municipalities in regions consisting of forests, savanna and mixed vegetation with coconut plantations, sandbanks and heath. Greater abundance was observed in areas surrounding dwellings (91.6%) than inside the dwellings (8.4%). The presence of the vector in different phytoregions […]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the seasonal variation of sand flies regarding their occurrences and densities. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Aguapeí river floodplain in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Sand flies were monthly captured with automatic light traps set up between 18:00 and 7:00 hours, over a period of one year (2004-2005), at two sites: veranda of a domicile and in a forest on the banks of Aguapeí River. The Williams’ average was used for estimating the […]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the fauna and host feeding preferences of sandflies as for domestic animals in an endemic area of American cutaneous leishmaniasis. METHODS: The sandflies collections were carried out from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am in an area 40 meters away from one of the residences in a farm in Southern Brazil, between January and April, 2004. Collection was performed using four Falcão light traps, placed 5 m apart from each other beside a cage, each one of them […]

OBJECTIVE: To verify the influence of traps with electric light and hens as factors that attract sandflies and compare results between capture methods. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Palmital Farm, Southern Brazil. Sandfly collections were conducted with Falcão traps and an electric aspirator, fortnightly, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. in the presence or absence of light and hens in peridomiciliary areas, from September 1998 to June 1999. RESULTS: A total of 43,767 specimens from eight species of […]

The taxonomic status of Psychodopygus squamiventris (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) is studied and new criteria for the identification of some of the knew material is established. The Amapa and French Guyana specimens belong to this species, and Phlebotomus maripaensis Floch & Abonnenc, 1946, represents the squamiventris male, droping so in its synonymi.

The aim of the study was to identify among the phlebotomine fauna potential leishmaniasis vectors. The study was carried out in Corumbá county, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Mid-West Brazil (18º59’S, 56º39’W). Sand fly captures were undertaken fortnightly with automatic light traps at 11 sites in forested environments and anthropic areas from April 2001 to July 2003. A total of only 41 specimens were captured. Thirty-one percent of the specimens were captured in forests and 68.3% in anthropic areas. […]

The results from sandfly collections in 10 municipalities in Paraná State, Brazil are reported. The captures were done using Falcão traps in homes, domestic animal shelters and forested areas, from 1999 to 2002. A total of 13,653 sandflies were collected from 10 species of the genera Brumptomyia, Expapillata, Evandromyia, Migonemyia, Pintomyia, Nyssomyia and Psathyromyia. The species Nyssomyia neivai was predominant in five municipalities. N. whitmani predominated in the other five, in greater numbers than for N. neivai in the first […]

OBJECTIVE: To identify the sandfly fauna and some aspects of their behavior in forest and anthropic environments. METHODS: Sandfly captures were undertaken in farm (23º 6′ S; 50º 22′ W), in Southern Brazil. Falcão light traps were set in forest, domicile and domestic animal shelters and mosquitoes were collected monthly, between 17h and 7h, from March 1997 to February 1998. RESULTS: A total of 3,655 specimens representing 13 species were captured. Nyssomyia whitmani and Nyssomyia neivai were the predominant species, […]

Five species of phlebotomine sandflies were cought on the Southern part of the coast of S. Paulo, Brazil. CDC-light and Shannon traps were used, as well as human-bait, during two investigations into Culicidae moquitoes. Lutzomyia intermedia and L. flaviscutellata were found among those sandflies. The locaties investigated were swampy environments and scant human cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis have been notified there. Both situations suggest the autochthonous nature of the human cases registered there.

Most of the cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis diagnosed in the laboratory of the State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil, are related to areas of northern Paraná State, which have been settled since 40 years age, when the destructions of vast areas of forest in this region was begun. The native vegetation, already, in large part, destroyed is constituted of dense forest of the type found in the transition from tropical to subtropical regions. The landscape is constituted of plateau with […]