Phlebotomus langeroni Nitzulescu (Diptera, Psychodidae) a new vector for Leishmania infantum in Europe

Abstract

Burrows of the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, a lagomorph that has been recently suggested as a Leishmania infantum reservoir, constitute an unspoilt biotope in phlebotomine studies in Europe. We hypothesize that Phlebotomus langeroni, a proven vector of L. infantum in North Africa, is associated with rabbits and may have been overlooked in Europe. Sandfly captures were carried out with CDC light traps in an L. infantum endemic area of southern Spain with a high density of lagomorphs and a large numbers of burrows. The stable, permanent, and highly abundant presence of P. langeroni was assessed. After morphological identification, this sandfly species was characterized by comparing it with P. perniciosus and other P. langeroni populations from North Africa through molecular techniques. P. langeroni had not been found in southern Spain to date, despite being a highly investigated area, except for this particular biotope. Its activity period turned out to begin in mid-July, ending in late October, accounting for a maximum activity during this month. This study shows that P. langeroni is associated with the existence of rabbit burrows and has been overlooked in Europe. L. infantum DNA was found in almost half of the female specimens (47.6%) captured inside a biotope where wild rabbits are infected as well.

Keywords: Europe; Leishmania infantum; Oryctolagus cuniculus; Phlebotomus langeroni; Wild rabbit burrows.