Bionomics of Phlebotomine Sand Flies in Different Climates of Leishmaniasis in Fars Province, Southern Iran

Kourosh Azizi; Zahra Soltani; Mohsen Aliakbarpour; Hassan Rezanezhad; Mohsen Kalantari

doi:10.18502/jad.v16i2.11805

Kourosh Azizi Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Zahra Soltani Control Disease Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Mohsen Aliakbarpour Control Disease Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Hassan Rezanezhad Department of Parasitology, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
Mohsen Kalantari Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jad.v16i2.11805

Keywords: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Sand flies; Phlebotomus papatasi; Geographic Information System; Iran

Abstract

Background: Phlebotomus and Sergentomya are distributed in the old-world regions and transmit leishmaniases through mammalian and reptile hosts. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most important diseases in Iran. Iranian sand flies belong to three Oriental, Palearctic, and Afrotropical Regions. Fars Province is located in Palearctic, but southern parts are affected Oriental region situations on phglebotomine population variety. Therefore, a comprehensive study was required on the vectors of the disease in this Province.

Methods: Regarding the approved role of the environmental factors in creating the fauna and distribution of living creatures, the “de martonne climate method” was used, and the climate was noticed as an important environmental factor for the determination of vector distribution. Accordingly, 14 sampling sites were selected from 10 foci in different climates of Fars Province. 19648 sand flies were collected from the studied areas in this Province during 2016.

Results: Phlebotomus papatasi and Se. antennata were the most frequent species, which were caught from in/outdoor areas. Phlebotomus sergenti and Ph. alexandri were caught from both Palearctic and Oriental zones but were more prevalent in the cold semi-arid climate of the Palearctic zone. Moreover, they were not caught from the hot desert and summer Mediterranean climates of the Oriental zone.

Conclusions: It seems that Ph. papatasi as the main vector of CL could be well distributed in different climates in Fars. Moreover, some species like Ph. sergenti preferred especial climates in the Palearctic zone. Therefore, these data could be helpful to control leishmaniases more efficiently.