Aspects of the ecology of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Private Natural Heritage Reserve Sanctuary Caraça

<div><p>Leishmaniases are a set of parasitic diseases of zoonotic origin that are transmitted by sandfly vectors in wild, rural and urban environments. Their distribution is dependent not only the distribution of vectors, but also on the distribution of mammalian reservoirs. Only by understanding the transmission cycle of these diseases, such as knowing the participating vectors and reservoirs, can one can understand the epidemiology and ecological relationships of leishmaniases. Ecotourism has become an important area of economic growth in Brazil. One of the most visited tourist attractions in the state of Minas Gerais, the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Santuário do Caraça (RPPNSC) is located in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero. The aim of this study was to contribute to the control of leishmaniasis among tourists of the RPPNPC by surveying its sand fly fauna and testing for the presence of <i>Leishmania</i> DNA in females. Twenty-five CDC light traps were exposed on 7 trails of the RPPNPC where samples were collected bimonthly for a year, starting in June 2013. A total of 376 specimens of 18 species and 10 genera of sandflies were captured. The predominant species were <i>Psychodopygus lloydi</i> (72.34%) and <i>Pintomyia monticola</i> (5.59%). HaeIII restriction enzyme detected and characterized <i>Leishmania braziliensis</i> DNA in 2 of the samples for an infection rate of 0.7% (2/266). Recent studies found specimens of <i>Ps</i>. <i>lloyd</i> infected with <i>Leishmania braziliensis</i> elsewhere in Minas Gerais, which may be an indication that this species is involved in the transmission of <i>Leishmania</i> in this state.</p></div

Sand Flies collected on RPPN Santuário do Caraça.

<p>Trail 1 –Mata da Cascatinha, Trail 2 –Cascatinha, Trail 3 –Pedra da Paciência, Trail 4 –Gruta da Bocaina, Trail 5 –Casa dos Pesquisadores, Trail 6 –Casa das Sampaias, Trail 7 –Engenho.</p

Sazonality of Sand Flies caught in the RPPN Santuário do Caraça between June 2013 to July 2014.

<p>The red line represents the variation of the relative humidity during the collection period and the blue line represents the variation of the temperature during the sampling period.</p

Electrophoresis 4% agarose gel of the RFLP ITS1 of positive DNA samples of sand flies collected in RPPNSC.

<p>MW = Molecular Weight, 19.3 and 19.7 = samples, CN = Negative Control, La, Lb, Lc and Lg = Positive Controls strains of <i>Leishmania amazonensis</i>, <i>Le</i>. <i>braziliensis</i>, <i>Le</i>. <i>infantum</i> and <i>Le</i>. <i>guyanensis</i> respectively.</p

Location of the RPPN Santuário do Caraça on the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil and distribution of sample sites among the RPPN area.

<p>Black dots represents the sample sites and the black cross it’s the location of the head office of the RPPN.</p

Sand fly sample sites and location site where DNA of <i>Le</i>. <i>braziliensis</i> was detected by PCR CYTb in two specimens of <i>Ps</i>. <i>lloydi</i> on the RPPN Santuário do Caraça.

<p>The red border in the yellow dot represents the location where the specimens of <i>Ps</i>. <i>lloydi</i> sand flies where detected with <i>Le</i>. <i>braziliensis</i> DNA.</p

<i>Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis</i> infection in wild small mammals in ecotourism area of Brazil

<div><p>Leishmaniases are parasitic diseases transmitted to mammalian hosts by sand fly vectors (Diptera: Psychodidae). Despite the increasing occurrence of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in urban centers, their transmission still occur primarily in wild environments and may be associated with professional activities and recreation, such as ecotourism. The Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Santuário do Caraça (RPPNSC) is one of the largest ecotourism attractions in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and comprises an area of environmental preservation with 11,233 hectares presenting a transitional vegetation between Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. The present study describes the abundance of small mammals in RPPNSC, the isolation and identification of <i>Leishmania</i> in five wild animals. Small mammals were bimonthly trapped along 6 trails within the RPPNSC with 10 Tomahawk traps each. Two trails were located in peridomiciliary areas near tourist lodging facilities, and four trails were located at sites visited by tourists in forest areas. The most prevalent species were <i>Akodon cursor</i>, <i>Cerradomys subflavus</i> and Oligoryzomys nigripes. Six isolates of <i>Leishmania</i> were obtained from these animals and identified as <i>Leishmania braziliensis</i> through HSP70-PCR RFLP method. <i>Leishmania</i> spp. DNA was detected by kDNA-PCR method and isolated by biphasic culture. Studies point to some of the captured species as potential wild reservoirs of <i>Leishmania</i>, suggesting they may be involved in the transmission cycle in these wild environments.</p></div

Electrophoresis 4% agarose gel of the RFLP HSP70 of positive DNA samples of small mammals collected in RPPNSC.

<p>MW = Molecular Weight, 8L, 11TS, 12L, 12TS, 13L and 14L = samples of liver (L) and tail skin (TS), NC = Negative Control, La, Lb, Lcand Lg = Positive Controls strains of <i>Leishmania amazonensis</i>, <i>Le</i>. <i>braziliensis</i>, <i>Le</i>. <i>infantum</i> and <i>Le</i>. <i>guyanensis</i> respectively.</p

Captured small mammals by collection trails and the positivity on culture analysis.

<p>Captured small mammals by collection trails and the positivity on culture analysis.</p

Frequency of trapped mammals in RPPN Santuário do Caraça between July 2013 and July 2014.

<p>Frequency of trapped mammals in RPPN Santuário do Caraça between July 2013 and July 2014.</p