First report of naturally infected Sergentomyia minuta with Leishmania major in Tunisia

• DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1269-4
• Publication Date: 2015-12-21T12:58:31Z
• Authors: Kaouther Jaouadi; Wissem Ghawar; Sadok Salem; Mohamed Gharbi; Jihene Bettaieb; Rihab Yazidi; Mariem Harrabi; Omar Hamarsheh; Afif Ben Salah
• Keywords: Phlebotomus; Parasitology; Entomology

Many sand fly species are implicated in the transmission cycle of Leishmania parasites around world. Incriminating new flies species, as vectors is crucial to understanding parasite–vector different areas Tunisia and surrounding countries. Seventy-four unfed females belonging genera Sergentomyia Phlebotomus were collected South between June November 2014, using sticky papers. PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) analysis internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) was used for detection identification. (L.) major (Yakimoff & Shokkor, 1914) identified within two (S.) minuta (Rondani, 1843) one papatasi (Scopoli, 1786). This first report L. from S. Tunisia. novel finding enhances cutaneous leishmaniasis an endemic area