Plant-feeding phlebotomine sand flies, vectors of leishmaniasis, prefer Cannabis sativa

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1810435115
• Publication Date: 2018-10-29T19:13:09Z
• Authors: Ibrahim Abbasi; Artur Trancoso Lo...; Oscar David Kirstein; Abdelmajeed Naser...; Ben Zion Horwitz; Asrat Hailu; Ikram Salah; Tiago Feitosa Mota; Deborah Bittencou...; Patricia Sampaio ...; David Poche; Richard Poche; Aidyn Yeszhanov; Cláudia Brodskyn; Zaria Torres-Poche; Alon Warburg
• Keywords: Arthropod mouthparts; Phlebotomus; Cannabis sativa; Blood meal

Blood-sucking phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) transmit leishmaniasis as well arboviral diseases and bartonellosis. Sand fly females become infected with Leishmania parasites them while imbibing vertebrates' blood, required a source of protein for maturation eggs. In addition, both males consume plant-derived sugar meals energy. Plant may comprise sugary solutions such nectar or honeydew (secreted by plant-sucking homopteran insects), phloem sap that obtain piercing leaves stems their needle-like mouthparts. Hence, the structure plant communities can influence distribution epidemiology leishmaniasis. We designed next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based assay determining meals, based upon chloroplast DNA gene ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large chain (rbcL). Here, we report on predilection several species, vectors in different parts world, feeding Cannabis sativa infer this preference substantial percentage had fed C. plants despite apparent "absence" these from most field sites. discuss conceivable implications affinity vectorial capacity putative exploitation attraction to control fly-borne diseases.