Publications

lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera, psychodidae, phlebotominae) and urbanization of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil.	the article discusses habits related to the vectorial competence of lutzomyia longipalpis, along with evidence confirming the importance of this sand fly species in the epidemiological chain of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil. a new epidemiological profile for visceral leishmaniasis is also postulated, associated with domestic environments and the role of lu. longipalpis in this process, its sylvatic origin, and its capacity to adapt to a wide range of habitats. another sand fly species, lu. cr ...	2008	19082287
characterization and speculations on the urbanization of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil.	the available hypotheses or explanations for the urbanization of american visceral leishmaniasis are insufficient. an alternative hypothesis is that changes in the ecology and biology of the vector, lutzomyia longipalpis, might explain all the new urban epidemiological features of the disease. to tackle the knowledge gaps in this process, certain key research areas need to be prioritized: the role of dogs in expanding transmission in cities, community trials to evaluate new insecticides, and res ...	2008	19082289
molecular analysis of photic inhibition of blood-feeding in anopheles gambiae.	anopheles gambiae mosquitoes exhibit an endophilic, nocturnal blood feeding behavior. despite the importance of light as a regulator of malaria transmission, our knowledge on the molecular interactions between environmental cues, the circadian oscillators and the host seeking and feeding systems of the anopheles mosquitoes is limited.	2008	19087335
phlebotomus (euphlebotomus) barguesae n. sp. from thailand (diptera - psychodidae).	abstract:	2009	19128518
insight into the sialome of the black fly, simulium vittatum.	adaptation to vertebrate blood feeding includes development of a salivary "magic potion" that can disarm host hemostasis and inflammatory reactions. within the lower diptera, a vertebrate blood-sucking mode evolved in the psychodidae (sand flies), culicidae (mosquitoes), ceratopogonidae (biting midges), simuliidae (black flies), and the frog-feeding corethrellidae. sialotranscriptome analyses from several species of mosquitoes and sand flies and from one biting midge indicate divergence in the e ...	2009	19166301
molecular and behavioral differentiation among brazilian populations of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae).	lutzomyia longipalpis is the primary vector of american visceral leishmaniasis. there is strong evidence that l. longipalpis is a species complex, but until recently the existence of sibling species among brazilian populations was considered a controversial issue. in addition, there is still no consensus regarding the number of species occurring in this complex.	2009	19172187
salivary gland homogenates of lutzomyia longipalpis and its vasodilatory peptide maxadilan cause plasma leakage via pac1 receptor activation.	experiments were designed to determine if salivary gland homogenates (sgh) of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis, the vasodilatory peptides maxadilan and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (pacap-38) may cause plasma leakage and to what extent these effects could be due to pac1 receptor stimulation.	2009	19176972
the salivary gland transcriptome of the neotropical malaria vector anopheles darlingi reveals accelerated evolution of genes relevant to hematophagy.	mosquito saliva, consisting of a mixture of dozens of proteins affecting vertebrate hemostasis and having sugar digestive and antimicrobial properties, helps both blood and sugar meal feeding. culicine and anopheline mosquitoes diverged ~150 mya, and within the anophelines, the new world species diverged from those of the old world ~95 mya. while the sialotranscriptome (from the greek sialo, saliva) of several species of the cellia subgenus of anopheles has been described thoroughly, no detailed ...	2009	19178717
antibody responses of domestic animals to salivary antigens of triatomainfestans as biomarkers for low-level infestation of triatomines.	hematophagous arthropods such as triatoma infestans, the vector of trypanosoma cruzi, elicit host-immune responses during feeding. characterization of antibody responses to salivary antigens offers the potential to develop immunologically based monitoring techniques for exposure to re-emergent triatomine bug populations in peridomestic animals. igg-antibody responses to the salivary antigens of t.infestans have been detected in chickens as soon as 2 days after the first exposure to five adult bu ...	2009	19248784
a 245kb mini-chromosome impacts on leishmania braziliensis infection and survival.	leishmania (v.) braziliensis, the causative agent of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in the new world, may present an ld1 type genomic amplification that appears as a small 245 kb linear chromosome, and is not clearly associated to the presence of a selection agent. a bt1 gene, codifying for a biopterin transporter protein, was identified in this small chromosome. leishmania are auxotrophic for pterins and one of the proposed explanations for the appearance of this amplification is the improvement o ...	2009	19254695
suppression of rna interference increases alphavirus replication and virus-associated mortality in aedes aegypti mosquitoes.	arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) can persistently infect and cause limited damage to mosquito vectors. rna interference (rnai) is a mosquito antiviral response important in restricting rna virus replication and has been shown to be active against some arboviruses. the goal of this study was to use a recombinant sindbis virus (sinv; family togaviridae; genus alphavirus) that expresses b2 protein of flock house virus (fhv; family nodaviridae; genus alphanodavirus), a protein that inhibits rna ...	2009	19265532
phlebotominae distribution in janaúba, an area of transmission for visceral leishmaniasis in brazil.	in brazil, visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is caused by leishmania chagasi parasites that are transmitted to man through the bites of infected females of lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies. in order to evaluate transmission risk and to clarify the epidemiology of this tropical disease, studies focused on the vector and favorable environmental conditions are of fundamental importance. in this work, we surveyed the phlebotomine sand fly fauna in janaúba, a brazilian municipality that is endemic for vl. ...	2009	19274377
perpetuation of leishmania: some novel insight into elegant developmental programs.	leishmania spp. are polarized single-celled eukaryotic parasites, the perpetuation of which relies on two other organisms they "use" as hosts. one of the leishmania host organisms is a blood-feeding female sand fly, the second host being a mammal that acts as a blood source for the female sand fly. leishmania-hosting sand flies transmit the metacyclic promastigote developmental stage to the mammal skin. while many mammals are known to act as sand fly blood sources, only some of these mammals are ...	2009	19379663
canine leishmaniosis in south america.	abstract : canine leishmaniosis is widespread in south america, where a number of leishmania species have been isolated or molecularly characterised from dogs. most cases of canine leishmaniosis are caused by leishmania infantum (syn. leishmania chagasi) and leishmania braziliensis. the only well-established vector of leishmania parasites to dogs in south america is lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of l. infantum, but many other phlebotomine sandfly species might be involved. for quite som ...	2009	19426440
changing distribution patterns of canine vector borne diseases in italy: leishmaniosis vs. dirofilariosis.	abstract : ecological and climatic changes, human and animal population dynamics are among the several factors that have favoured the spread or the (re)introduction and establishment of "novel" vector species and pathogens they transmit in previously disease-free geographical areas. as key examples of the changing pattern of distribution of canine vector borne diseases (cvbds), the current distribution of canine leishmaniosis (canl) by leishmania infantum and dirofilariosis by dirofilaria immiti ...	2009	19426441
roles of galectins in infection.	galectins, which were first characterized in the mid-1970s, were assigned a role in the recognition of endogenous ('self') carbohydrate ligands in embryogenesis, development and immune regulation. recently, however, galectins have been shown to bind glycans on the surface of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, and function as recognition and effector factors in innate immunity. some parasites subvert the recognition roles of the vector or host galectins to ensure successful attachment or inva ...	2009	19444247
saliva of laboratory-reared lutzomyia longipalpis exacerbates leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis infection more potently than saliva of wild-caught lutzomyia longipalpis.	in order to compare the saliva effect from wild-caught and lab-reared l. longipalpis on the development of experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis, c57bl/6 mice were inoculated subcutaneously into the hind footpads with promastigotes of l. (l.) amazonensis plus salivary gland lysate from wild-caught (sgl-w) and lab-colonized (sgl-c) vectors. lesion sizes were significantly larger in the mice infected with both saliva compared to mice infected with parasites alone; moreover, the lesions caused by pa ...	2009	19454323
sand fly salivary proteins induce strong cellular immunity in a natural reservoir of visceral leishmaniasis with adverse consequences for leishmania.	immunity to a sand fly salivary protein protects against visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in hamsters. this protection was associated with the development of cellular immunity in the form of a delayed-type hypersensitivity response and the presence of ifn-gamma at the site of sand fly bites. to date, there are no data available regarding the cellular immune response to sand fly saliva in dogs, the main reservoirs of vl in latin america, and its role in protection from this fatal disease. two of 35 sa ...	2009	19461875
peritrophic matrix of phlebotomus duboscqi and its kinetics during leishmania major development.	light microscopy of native preparations, histology, and electron microscopy have revealed that phlebotomus duboscqi belongs to a class of sand fly species with prompt development of the peritrophic matrix (pm). secretion of electron-lucent fibrils, presumably chitin, starts immediately after the ingestion of a blood meal and, about 6 h later, is followed by secretion of amorphous electron-dense components, presumably proteins and glycoproteins. the pm matures in less than 12 h and consists of a ...	2009	19471970
strong host-feeding preferences of the vector triatoma infestans modified by vector density: implications for the epidemiology of chagas disease.	understanding the factors that affect the host-feeding preferences of triatomine bugs is crucial for estimating transmission risks and predicting the effects of control tactics targeting domestic animals. we tested whether triatoma infestans bugs prefer to feed on dogs vs. chickens and on dogs vs. cats and whether vector density modified host choices and other vital rates under natural conditions.	2009	19478849
cooperation between apoptotic and viable metacyclics enhances the pathogenesis of leishmaniasis.	mimicking mammalian apoptotic cells by exposing phosphatidylserine (ps) is a strategy used by virus and parasitic protozoa to escape host protective inflammatory responses. with leishmania amazonensis (la), apoptotic mimicry is a prerogative of the intramacrophagic amastigote form of the parasite and is modulated by the host. now we show that differently from what happens with amastigotes, promastigotes exposing ps are non-viable, non-infective cells, undergoing apoptotic death. as part of the n ...	2009	19478944
using biotic interaction networks for prediction in biodiversity and emerging diseases.	networks offer a powerful tool for understanding and visualizing inter-species ecological and evolutionary interactions. previously considered examples, such as trophic networks, are just representations of experimentally observed direct interactions. however, species interactions are so rich and complex it is not feasible to directly observe more than a small fraction. in this paper, using data mining techniques, we show how potential interactions can be inferred from geographic data, rather th ...	2009	19478956
synthetic sex pheromone attracts the leishmaniasis vector lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) to traps in the field.	improving vector control remains a key goal in reducing the world's burden of infectious diseases. more cost-effective approaches to vector control are urgently needed, particularly because vaccines are unavailable and treatment is prohibitively expensive. the causative agent of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl), leishmania chagasi, cunha and chagas (kinetoplastida: trypanosomatidae), is transmitted between animal and human hosts by blood-feeding female sand flies attracted to mating aggrega ...	2009	19496409
inhibitor of cysteine peptidase does not influence the development of leishmania mexicana in lutzomyia longipalpis.	it has been proposed that the natural cysteine peptidase inhibitor icp of leishmania mexicana protects the protozoan parasite from insect host proteolytic enzymes, thereby promoting survival. to test this hypothesis, l. mexicana mutants deficient in icp were evaluated for their ability to develop in the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis. no significant differences were found between the wild-type parasites, two independently derived icp-deficient mutants, or mutants overexpressing icp; all lines de ...	2009	19496433
[new records of lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912) (diptera: psychodidae) in the central east region of são paulo state, brazil].	cutaneous (lta) and visceral (lva) american leishmaniasis incidences are increasing in human and canine hosts, especially lva, which is expanding its range through são paulo state. distribution and ecology knowledge of different sand fly species is essential for leishmaniasis epidemiology vigilance. the communication of new findings of its vectors is mandatory for risk determination for transmission of these illnesses. on this study sand flies were trapped in bushed areas, in different localitie ...	2009	19500464
role of the domestic dog as a reservoir host of leishmania donovani in eastern sudan.	abstract:	2009	19534802
analysis of salivary transcripts and antigens of the sand fly phlebotomus arabicus.	sand fly saliva plays an important role in blood feeding and leishmania transmission as it was shown to increase parasite virulence. on the other hand, immunity to salivary components impedes the establishment of infection. therefore, it is most desirable to gain a deeper insight into the composition of saliva in sand fly species which serve as vectors of various forms of leishmaniases. in the present work, we focused on phlebotomus (adlerius) arabicus, which was recently shown to transmit leish ...	2009	19555500
the role of salivary and intestinal complement system inhibitors in the midgut protection of triatomines and mosquitoes.	saliva of haematophagous arthropods contain biomolecules involved directly or indirectly with the haematophagy process, and among them are encountered some complement system inhibitors. the most obvious function for these inhibitors would be the protection of the midgut against injury by the complement. to investigate this hypothesis, triatoma brasiliensis nymphs were forced to ingest human serum in conditions in which the protection of midgut by the inhibitors is bypassed. in these conditions, ...	2009	19557176
est sequencing of blood-fed and leishmania-infected midgut of lutzomyia longipalpis, the principal visceral leishmaniasis vector in the americas.	leishmaniasis is an important worldwide public health problem. visceral leishmaniasis caused by leishmania infantum chagasi is mainly transmitted by lutzomyia longipalpis in the americas. leishmania development within the sand fly vector is mostly restricted to the midgut. thus, a comparative analysis of blood-fed versus infected midguts may provide an invaluable insight into various aspects of sand fly immunity, physiology of blood digestion, and, more importantly, of leishmania development. to ...	2009	19565270
differential activation of guinea pig intrinsic cardiac neurons by the pac1 agonists maxadilan and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide 27 (pacap27).	pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (pacap) evokes tachycardia followed by a larger cholinergic bradycardia in isolated guinea pig hearts. we used the selective pac1 receptor agonist maxadilan and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (vip) to test the hypothesis that pacap27-evoked tachycardia and bradycardia are mediated by vpac and pac1 receptors, respectively. chronotropic actions of these peptides were evaluated in isolated perfused hearts. direct neuronal actions were determined ...	2009	19602551
surviving the cold: molecular analyses of insect cryoprotective dehydration in the arctic springtail megaphorura arctica (tullberg).	insects provide tractable models for enhancing our understanding of the physiological and cellular processes that enable survival at extreme low temperatures. they possess three main strategies to survive the cold: freeze tolerance, freeze avoidance or cryoprotective dehydration, of which the latter method is exploited by our model species, the arctic springtail megaphorura arctica, formerly onychiurus arcticus (tullberg 1876). the physiological mechanisms underlying cryoprotective dehydration h ...	2009	19622137
[asymmetric reproductive isolation between lutzomyia pseudolongipalpis and lutzomyia longipalpis (species c2), neotropical vectors of visceral leishmaniasis (diptera: pshychodidae)].	lutzomyia pseudolongipalpis and lutzomyia longipalpis (species c2, l. sp n.) are two endemic species of phlebotominae sand fly vectors from venezuela. the two insects are sympatric and monophyletic but have deeply diverging, morphological differences. they belong to the l. longipalpis complex. a study of their reproductive isolation is necessary to understand the process of speciation and maintenance of the two sister species as two discrete taxonomic and biological entities. cross-mating tests ...	2009	19637685
functional characterization of a salivary apyrase from the sand fly, phlebotomus duboscqi, a vector of leishmania major.	two transcripts coding for proteins homologous to apyrases were identified by massive sequencing of a phlebotomus (p.) duboscqi salivary gland cdna library. the sequence analysis revealed that the amino acids important for enzymatic activity including nucleotidase activity and the binding of calcium and nucleotides were well conserved in these molecules. a recombinant p. duboscqi salivary apyrase was expressed in escherichia coli and purified. the resulting protein efficiently hydrolyzed adp and ...	2009	19651132
kinin danger signals proteolytically released by gingipain induce fimbriae-specific ifn-gamma- and il-17-producing t cells in mice infected intramucosally with porphyromonas gingivalis.	porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram-negative bacterium that causes periodontitis, activates the kinin system via the cysteine protease r-gingipain. using a model of buccal infection based on p. gingivalis inoculation in the anterior mandibular vestibule, we studied whether kinins released by gingipain may link mucosal inflammation to t cell-dependent immunity through the activation of bradykinin b(2) receptors (b(2)r). our data show that p. gingivalis w83 (wild type), but not gingipain-deficient mu ...	2009	19687097
cooperative blood-feeding and the function and implications of feeding aggregations in the sand fly, lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae).	given the importance that the evolution of cooperation bears in evolutionary biology and the social sciences, extensive theoretical work has focused on identifying conditions that promote cooperation among individuals. in insects, cooperative or altruistic interactions typically occur amongst social insects and are thus explained by kin selection. here we provide evidence that in lutzomia longipalpis, a small biting fly and an important vector of leishmaniasis in the new world, cooperative blood ...	2009	19688042
proteophosophoglycans regurgitated by leishmania-infected sand flies target the l-arginine metabolism of host macrophages to promote parasite survival.	all natural leishmania infections start in the skin; however, little is known of the contribution made by the sand fly vector to the earliest events in mammalian infection, especially in inflamed skin that can rapidly kill invading parasites. during transmission sand flies regurgitate a proteophosphoglycan gel synthesized by the parasites inside the fly midgut, termed promastigote secretory gel (psg). regurgitated psg can exacerbate cutaneous leishmaniasis. here, we show that the amount of leish ...	2009	19696894
a long-lasting topical deltamethrin treatment to protect dogs against visceral leishmaniasis.	to develop long-lasting, topical pour-on insecticides for dogs to control zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis, two deltamethrin-based formulations (emulsifiable concentrate [ec] and suspension concentrate [sc]) were tested for their efficacy against the phlebotomine sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis lutz & neiva (diptera: psychodidae), vector of leishmania infantum nicolle (kinetoplastida: trypanosomatidae). the entomological outcomes tested were anti-feeding effect (proportion of female sandflies unfed ...	2009	19712155
life cycle differences among brazilian sandflies of the lutzomyia longipalpis sibling species complex.	the developmental cycles of five brazilian populations of the lutzomyia longipalpis lutz & neiva species complex (diptera: psychodidae) were compared under laboratory conditions. three of the populations were derived from insects collected in allopatric sites at natal (rio grande do norte state), jacobina (bahia state) and lapinha cave (minas gerais state). the other two originated from sobral (ceará state), where the males of two sympatric species can be distinguished by the presence of one (1s ...	2009	19712160
the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 contributes to renal dysfunction in swine renovascular hypertension.	renal artery stenosis (ras) causes renovascular hypertension and renal damage, which may result from tissue inflammation. we have previously shown that the kidney in ras exhibits increased expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein (mcp)-1, but its contribution to renal injury remained unknown. this study tested the hypothesis that mcp-1 contributes to renal injury and dysfunction in the stenotic kidney.	2009	19730125
effects of salivary gland homogenate from wild-caught and laboratory-reared lutzomyia longipalpis on the evolution and immunomodulation of leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis infection.	we investigated the effects of lutzomyia longipalpis salivary glands homogenate of wild-caught and laboratory-reared vectors on the lesion evolution and immunomodulation of the infection caused by leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis. to compare the effect of both salivary glands homogenate (sgh), c57bl/6 mice were inoculated subcutaneously into the hind footpads or into the ear dermis with 10(6) promastigotes in the presence or not of sgh from wild-caught and laboratory-colonized sand flies. com ...	2009	19751274
new means of canine leishmaniasis transmission in north america: the possibility of transmission to humans still unknown.	at present it is not possible to determine in advance the outcome of leishmania infantum infection. canine visceral leishmaniasis (vl), caused by le. infantum, is a natural disease process which offers a insight into the interaction of the host and resultant disease outcome. canine vl results in the same altered pathophysiology and immunodysregulation seen in humans. vl in us dogs is likely to be transmitted primarily via nontraditional, nonvector means. vl mediated by le. infantum is endemic in ...	2009	19753139
[two new populations of lutzomyia pseudolongipalpis arrivillaga & feliciangeli (diptera: phlebotominae) vector of visceral leishmaniasis in venezuela].	two new populations of lutzomyia pseudolongipalpis arrivillaga & feliciangeli, species belonging to the lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) complex, are reported in venezuela on diagnostic isoenzymes.	2009	19768281
effect of fruit and leaves of meliaceae plants (azadirachta indica and melia azedarach) on the development of lutzomyia longipalpis larvae (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) under experimental conditions.	this no-choice, laboratory study focuses on the feeding of dried, ground, homogeneous powdered, unprocessed fruit and leaves of azadirachta indica and melia azedarach to lutzomyia longipalpis larvae to determine the effects on their mortality and metamorphosis. a. indica and m. azedarach fruit and leaves significantly increased larval mortality in comparison to larvae fed the untreated, standard diet. a. indica fruit and leaves blocked the molting of the larvae to the fourth instar, resulting in ...	2009	19769044
susceptibility to chemical insecticides of two brazilian populations of the visceral leishmaniasis vector lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae).	to investigate the insecticide susceptibility of two geographically separated lutzomyia longipalpis populations (lapinha and montes claros) with different histories of insecticide exposure (i.e. no exposure and repeated exposure, respectively).	2009	19772549
[allochthonous cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis in paraná, brazil: epidemiological implications].	the south region is the only area in brazil that does not present autochthonous cases of visceral leishmaniasis (vl), however, in the state of paraná, dogs and humans have been found showing a vl compatible clinical profile. in view of this problem, the present work aimed at isolating and identifying the parasite and determining the cases autochthony. all animals clinically suspect of vl were clinically evaluated, and had samples of their blood collected for hemoculture (nnn culture medium), ser ...	2009	19772775
phlebotomine fauna (diptera: psychodidae) of an american cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic area in the state of mato grosso do sul, brazil.	the occurrence of an outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis associated with leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis in the municipality of bela vista, state of mato grosso do sul, brazil, and the absence of information on its vectors in this area led the authors to undertake captures of phlebotomine sand flies, using shannon traps and automatic cdc light traps, in domiciles, forested areas and animal shelters from february 2004-january 2006. a total of 808 specimens belonging to 18 sandfly species have ...	2009	19820827
visceral leishmaniasis in border areas: clustered distribution of phlebotomine sand flies in clorinda, argentina.	three years after the first report of lutzomyia longipalpis in clorinda, argentina, a border city near asunción, paraguay, the city was surveyed again. lu. longipalpis was found clustered in the same neighbourhoods in 2007 as in 2004, even though the scattered distribution of canine visceral leishmaniasis was more related to the traffic of dogs through the border.	2009	19820846
immunogenic salivary proteins of triatoma infestans: development of a recombinant antigen for the detection of low-level infestation of triatomines.	triatomines are vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of chagas disease in latin america. the most effective vector, triatoma infestans, has been controlled successfully in much of latin america using insecticide spraying. though rarely undertaken, surveillance programs are necessary in order to identify new infestations and estimate the intensity of triatomine bug infestations in domestic and peridomestic habitats. since hosts exposed to triatomines develop immune responses to sal ...	2009	19841746
molecular genomic approaches to infectious diseases in resource-limited settings.		2009	19855820
identification of the sex pheromone of lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912) (diptera: psychodidae) from asunción, paraguay.	abstract: the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of leishmania (l.) infantum (nicolle), the causative agent of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) in the new world. male lu. longipalpis have secretory glands which produce sex pheromones in either abdominal tergites 4 or 3 and 4. these glands are sites of sex pheromone production and each pheromone type may represent true sibling species. in latin america, apart from lu. pseudolongipalpis arrivillaga and feliciangeli from venezue ...	2009	19883505
the effects of the fungus metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum on different stages of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae).	the control of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) vector is often based on the application of chemical residual insecticide. however, this strategy has not been effective. the continuing search for an appropriate vector control may include the use of biological control. this study evaluates the effects of the fungus metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum on lutzomyia longipalpis. five concentrations of the fungus were utilized, 1 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(8) conidia/ml, accompanied by controls. the unhatched eggs ...	2010	19883621
chemical composition of eucalyptus spp. essential oils and their insecticidal effects on lutzomyia longipalpis.	the chemical composition of essential oils from three species of plants belonging to the eucalyptus genus was determined and, their insecticidal effects on egg, larva and adult phases of lutzomyia longipalpis were assessed. the insects were collected in the municipality of sobral in the state of ceará, brazil. five treatments with different concentrations were performed along with two negative controls, distilled water and tween 80 (3%), and a positive control, cypermethrin (0.196mg/ml). the tes ...	2010	19896276
a repertoire of the dominant transcripts from the salivary glands of the blood-sucking bug, triatoma dimidiata, a vector of chagas disease.	triatoma (t.) dimidiata is a hematophagous hemiptera and a main vector of chagas disease. the saliva of this and other blood-sucking insects contains potent pharmacologically active components that assist them in counteracting the host hemostatic and inflammatory systems during blood feeding. to describe the repertoire of potential bioactive salivary molecules from this insect, a number of randomly selected transcripts from the salivary gland cdna library of t. dimidiata were sequenced and analy ...	2009	19900580
phlebotomine sand flies (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) of alagoas state, northeast of brazil.	the phlebotomine sandflies of the state of alagoas are poorly known, with more than 40 years since the last report on sandflies in the state. in here, psathyromyia brasiliensis (costa lima), micropygomyia quinquefer (dyar,) and evandromyia termitophila (martins, falcão & silva) are registered for the first time in alagoas. this report increases to nine the number of species collected in the state, including lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva), migonemyia migonei (frança), nyssomyia whitmani (an ...	2009	19943022
epidemiological study on leishmaniasis in an area of environmental tourism and ecotourism, state of mato grosso do sul, 2006-2007.	the aims of this study were to carry out a serological survey of canine leishmaniasis and identify the phlebotomine fauna in the urban area of bonito, mato grosso do sul. the serological survey was conducted on a sample of 303 dogs, by means of the indirect immunofluorescence test. phlebotomines were captured using automated light traps. the serological survey found that 30% of the dogs were seropositive, both from the center and from all districts of the town. a total of 2,772 specimens of phle ...	2009	19967228
visceral leishmaniasis in rio de janeiro, brazil: eco-epidemiological aspects and control.	from 1977 (index case) to 2006, 87 cases of visceral leishmaniasis were confirmed in the municipality of rio de janeiro, brazil, in periurban areas on the continental and coastal slopes of the pedra branca massif and the continental slopes of the gericinó massif. the majority (65.5%) of the patients were more than five years old, predominantly males (61.5%), but without any difference between the sexes below the age of 14 years. the overall fatality rate was 10.4%. two cases of visceral leishman ...	2009	19967242
[sandflies (diptera: psychodidae) in indigenous villages in the state of mato grosso].	this study was conducted in 25 indigenous villages in 13 municipalities of the state of mato grosso. 4,424 specimens of 37 species of the genus lutzomyia and one species of the genus brumptomyia were identified. vectors for american tegumentary leishmaniasis and visceral leishmaniasis were abundantly captured, and these represented 28.7% (lutzomyia whitmani) and 23.6% (lutzomyia longipalpis), respectively.	2009	19967248
inhibition of trypsin expression in lutzomyia longipalpis using rnai enhances the survival of leishmania.	abstract:	2009	20003192
large-scale identification of odorant-binding proteins and chemosensory proteins from expressed sequence tags in insects.	insect odorant binding proteins (obps) and chemosensory proteins (csps) play an important role in chemical communication of insects. gene discovery of these proteins is a time-consuming task. in recent years, expressed sequence tags (ests) of many insect species have accumulated, thus providing a useful resource for gene discovery.	2009	20034407
platelet aggregation inhibitors from hematophagous animals.	salivary glands from blood-sucking animals (e.g., mosquitoes, bugs, sand flies, fleas, ticks, leeches, hookworms, bats) are a rich source of bioactive molecules that counteract hemostasis in a redundant and synergistic manner. this review discusses recent progress in the identification of salivary inhibitors of platelet aggregation, their molecular characterization, and detailed mechanism of action. diversity of inhibitors is remarkable, with distinct families of proteins characterized as apyras ...	2009	20035779
[distribution of vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in the province of corrientes, 2008].	visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a relevant parasitic disease in public health, produced by leishmania infantum chagasi. since the urbanization and emergence in southern brazil and paraguay, the vector lutzomyia longipalpis in formosa, 2004, and the first human visceral leishmaniasis case in misiones, 2006, have been reported in argentina. due to the reports of canine vl, a search of the vector in the province of corrientes, contiguous to misiones, was performed during december 2008. standarized t ...	2009	20053601
[seroprevalence, clinical and biochemical data of dogs naturally infected by leishmania and phlebotominae sandfly fauna in an endemic area in são luis island, maranhão state, brazil].	the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence, clinical and biochemical profile of leishmania chagasi infection in dogs naturally infected and identify the phlebotominae fauna in an endemic area of são luis island. in this present study, 62 household mongrel dogs were sampled for antibodies anti-leishmania. the seroprevalence was 51.61%. in the clinical evaluation, 36.68% dogs were symptomatic, 38.41% were oligosymptomatic and 26.13% were asymptomatic. the most frequent signs were on ...	2008	20059848
leishmania major glycosylation mutants require phosphoglycans (lpg2-) but not lipophosphoglycan (lpg1-) for survival in permissive sand fly vectors.	sand fly species able to support the survival of the protozoan parasite leishmania have been classified as permissive or specific, based upon their ability to support a wide or limited range of strains and/or species. studies of a limited number of fly/parasite species combinations have implicated parasite surface molecules in this process and here we provide further evidence in support of this proposal. we investigated the role of lipophosphoglycan (lpg) and other phosphoglycans (pgs) in sand f ...	2010	20084096
sequence and structural analysis of the chitinase insertion domain reveals two conserved motifs involved in chitin-binding.	chitinases are prevalent in life and are found in species including archaea, bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. they break down chitin, which is the second most abundant carbohydrate in nature after cellulose. hence, they are important for maintaining a balance between carbon and nitrogen trapped as insoluble chitin in biomass. chitinases are classified into two families, 18 and 19 glycoside hydrolases. in addition to a catalytic domain, which is a triosephosphate isomerase barrel, many famil ...	2010	20084296
proteophosphoglycan confers resistance of leishmania major to midgut digestive enzymes induced by blood feeding in vector sand flies.	leishmania synthesize abundant phosphoglycan-containing molecules made up of [gal-man-po(4)] repeating units, including the surface lipophosphoglycan (lpg), and the surface and secreted proteophosphoglycan (ppg). the vector competence of phlebotomus duboscqi and lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies was tested using l. major knockout mutants deficient in either total phosphoglycans (lpg2(-) or lpg5a(-)/5b(-)) or lpg alone (lpg1(-)) along with their respective gene add-back controls. our results confi ...	2010	20088949
lutzomyia longipalpis spatial distribution and association with environmental variables in an urban focus of visceral leishmaniasis, misiones, argentina.	this study describes the spatial distribution pattern of lu. longipalpis abundance in posadas-garupá, argentina, where four cases of human visceral leishmaniasis had been recorded. a total of 2428 lu. longipalpis were captured in 42% of the 305 sites sampled with cdc light traps, its abundance shows spatial autocorrelation ranging up to 590 m (semivariogram model), with six downtown 'islands' of vector highest abundance (>or=60 individuals). a significant association between lu. longipalpis and ...	2010	20096256
control of visceral leishmaniasis in latin america-a systematic review.	while three countries in south asia decided to eliminate anthroponotic visceral leishmaniasis (vl) by 2015, its control in other regions seems fraught with difficulties. is there a scope for more effective vl control in the americas where transmission is zoonotic? we reviewed the evidence on vl control strategies in latin america-diagnosis, treatment, veterinary interventions, vector control-with respect to entomological and clinical outcomes.	2010	20098726
the first report of the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in america, lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae), in the state of rio grande do sul, brazil.	visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a widespread zoonosis in brazil and, up to now, there has been no record of the main vector of its agent, lutzomyia longipalpis, in the southern region. due to the diagnosis of vl in a dog in october 2008 in the city of são borja, in the southernmost brazilian state of rio grande do sul, a collection of phlebotomines was undertaken to detect the presence of the vector lu. longipalpis. the captures were carried out with cdc light traps on three consecutive nights in ...	2009	20140381
association of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) population density with climate variables in montes claros, an area of american visceral leishmaniasis transmission in the state of minas gerais, brazil.	in the present paper, we evaluate the relationship between climate variables and population density of lutzomyia longipalpis in montes claros, an area of active transmission of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) in brazil. entomological captures were performed in 10 selected districts of the city, between september 2002-august 2003. a total of 773 specimens of l. longipalpiswere captured in the period and the population density could be associated with local climate variables (cumulative rain ...	2009	20140384
should reproductively isolated populations of lutzomyia longipalpis sensu lato receive taxonomically valid names?	a group of 18 research workers involved in different aspects of the biology of lutzomyia longipalpis discussed whether or not it is important to give taxonomically valid names to populations that have been defined by biological, biochemical and molecular methods to be reproductively isolated. the type material of this medically important species has been lost and because of this it was recommended that a colony should be established from insects captured in the region of the type area and that t ...	2009	20140386
structural basis for the growth factor activity of human adenosine deaminase ada2.	two distinct adenosine deaminases, ada1 and ada2, are found in humans. ada1 has an important role in lymphocyte function and inherited mutations in ada1 result in severe combined immunodeficiency. the recently isolated ada2 belongs to the novel family of adenosine deaminase growth factors (adgfs), which play an important role in tissue development. the crystal structures of ada2 and ada2 bound to a transition state analogue presented here reveal the structural basis of the catalytic/signaling ac ...	2010	20147294
of cattle, sand flies and men: a systematic review of risk factor analyses for south asian visceral leishmaniasis and implications for elimination.	studies performed over the past decade have identified fairly consistent epidemiological patterns of risk factors for visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in the indian subcontinent.	2010	20161727
chicken blood provides a suitable meal for the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis and does not inhibit leishmania development in the gut.	abstract:	2010	20205803
meeting the challenges of on-host and off-host water balance in blood-feeding arthropods.	in this review, we describe water balance requirements of blood-feeding arthropods, particularly contrasting dehydration tolerance during the unfed, off-host state and the challenges of excess water that accompany receipt of the bloodmeal. most basic water balance characteristics during the off-host stage are applicable to other terrestrial arthropods, as well. a well-coordinated suite of responses enable arthropods to conserve water resources, enhance their desiccation tolerance, and increase t ...	2010	20206630
species-specific identification of leishmania in naturally infected sand flies captured in mato grosso do sul state, brazil.	an increase in cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis cases has been reported in recent years in the state of mato grosso do sul, brazil, and little is known to date about their etiological agents. an investigation into natural leishmania infection of sand flies captured in this state between december 2003 and august 2004 was carried out. mini-exon sequences were used as targets to identify leishmania, and an rflp technique was employed for those identified as belonging to the viannia subgenus. ca ...	2010	20219438
synthetic sex pheromone attracts the leishmaniasis vector lutzomyia longipalpis to experimental chicken sheds treated with insecticide.	abstract:	2010	20222954
cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in dogs from a rural community in northeastern brazil.	a community-based epidemiological study was carried out in a rural area in northeastern brazil, where visceral leishmaniasis is endemic, but the primary vector lutzomyia longipalpis has never been found. forty-one dogs were screened by an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (ifat) for the presence of anti-leishmania antibodies and 12 (29.3%) of them were positive. one of the ifat-positive dogs was also positive for leishmania amastigotes in bone marrow cytology and for leishmania infantum ...	2010	20227186
presence of the fire ant solenopsis invicta (westwood) (hymenoptera: formicidae) stimulates burrowing behavior by larvae of the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) (diptera: psychodidae).	the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) vectors leishmaniasis in the neotropics. although much is known about the biology of adult flies, little is known about interactions with its natural enemies. here, we examined behavior of larvae of l4 l.longipalpis on a soil substrate when exposed to the fire ant solenopsis invicata (westwood). when ants were absent, most larvae tended to remain at or close to the soil surface, but when ants were present the larvae burrowed into the soil. sandfli ...	2010	20305911
identification of a tsetse fly salivary protein with dual inhibitory action on human platelet aggregation.	tsetse flies (glossina sp.), the african trypanosome vectors, rely on anti-hemostatic compounds for efficient blood feeding. despite their medical importance, very few salivary proteins have been characterized and functionally annotated.	2010	20351782
using recombinant proteins from lutzomyia longipalpis saliva to estimate human vector exposure in visceral leishmaniasis endemic areas.	leishmania is transmitted by female sand flies and deposited together with saliva, which contains a vast repertoire of pharmacologically active molecules that contribute to the establishment of the infection. the exposure to vector saliva induces an immune response against its components that can be used as a marker of exposure to the vector. performing large-scale serological studies to detect vector exposure has been limited by the difficulty in obtaining sand fly saliva. here, we validate the ...	2010	20351785
discovery of markers of exposure specific to bites of lutzomyia longipalpis, the vector of leishmania infantum chagasi in latin america.	sand flies deliver leishmania parasites to a host alongside salivary molecules that affect infection outcomes. though some proteins are immunogenic and have potential as markers of vector exposure, their identity and vector specificity remain elusive.	2010	20351786
[in vitro insecticidal activity of seed neem oil on lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae)].	lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil. the objective was to evaluate the effect of oil from (azadirachta indica) neem seeds on eggs, larvae and adults of the vector. the insects were captured in the field and kept in the laboratory at +/- 27 °c and 80% relative humidity. five treatments with different concentrations were performed using two negative controls (distilled water and tween 80) and a positive control. the eggs were sprayed with the oil at differe ...	2016	20385053
monitoring of lutzomyia longipalpis lutz & neiva, 1912 in an area of intense transmission of visceral leishmaniasis in rio grande do norte, northeast brazil.	urban increase of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in brazil is associated with the adaptation of its vector, lutzomyia longipalpis, to environments modified by humans. the present study reports the results of an entomological monitoring of l. longipalpis and the effect of environmental variables on its population density. sandflies were captured in the municipality of mossoró, state of rio grande do norte, northeastern brazil, from january 2005 to december 2006. two cdc light traps were placed month ...	2010	20385058
american visceral leishmaniasis dissociated from lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera, psychodidae) in the state of espírito santo, brazil.	the occurrence of american visceral leishmaniasis in the state of espírito santo, brazil has always been associated with the presence of the lutzomyia longipalpis vector. the geographic distribution of this vector in this state is related to the presence of specific geoclimatic characteristics, such as a dry climate, low elevations (< 450 m), steep slopes and rocky outcrops. the occurrence of human autochthonous cases of american visceral leishmaniasis in municipalities without these geoclimatic ...	2010	20396851
study of sand fly fauna in an endemic area of american cutaneous leishmaniasis and canine visceral leishmaniasis in the municipality of espírito santo do pinhal, são paulo, brazil.	canine american visceral leishmaniasis and american cutaneous leishmaniasis (acl) cases have been recorded in espírito santo do pinhal. the aim of this study was to gather knowledge of the sand fly community and its population ecology within the municipality. captures were made weekly over a period of 15 months in the urban, periurban and rural areas of the municipality, using automatic light traps. a total of 5,562 sand flies were collected, comprising 17 species. the most abundant species were ...	2010	20428683
measurement of recent exposure to phlebotomus argentipes, the vector of indian visceral leishmaniasis, by using human antibody responses to sand fly saliva.	antibody (igg) responses to the saliva of phlebotomus argentipes were investigated using serum samples from regions of india endemic and non-endemic for visceral leishmaniasis (vl). by pre-adsorbing the sera against the saliva of the competing human-biting but non-vl vector p. papatasi, we significantly improved the specificity of a p. argentipes saliva enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. using this method, we observed a statistically significant correlation between antibodies to p. argenitpes sa ...	2010	20439958
heterogeneity of leishmania infantum chagasi kinetoplast dna in teresina (brazil).	leishmania infantum chagasi is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil. polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp) analysis of kinetoplast dna (kdna) minicircles was used to evaluate genetic profiles of 48 leishmania infantum chagasi strains from dog and human parasite cultures, fresh collected dog bone marrow aspirates, and from infected sand flies. results revealed that heterogeneity in kdna minicircles depends mostly on the source of the samp ...	2010	20439961
insight into the sialome of the bed bug, cimex lectularius.	the evolution of insects to a blood diet leads to the development of a saliva that antagonizes their hosts' hemostasis and inflammation. hemostasis and inflammation are redundant processes, and thus a complex salivary potion composed of dozens or near 100 different polypeptides is commonly found by transcriptome or proteome analysis of these organisms. several insect orders or families evolved independently to hematophagy, creating unique salivary potions in the form of novel pharmacological use ...	2010	20441151
natural leishmania infantum infection in migonemyia migonei (frança, 1920) (diptera:psychodidae:phlebotominae) the putative vector of visceral leishmaniasis in pernambuco state, brazil.	a study of the natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies by leishmania (leishmania) infantum was conducted in an area of visceral leishmaniasis in são vicente férrer, located in the northern part of the atlantic rain forest region in the state of pernambuco, brazil. in a previous study, migonemyia migonei have been found predominantly in peridomiciles and houses in this endemic area. the analysis of m. migonei, collected by cdc light trap, by multiplex pcr assay coupled to non-isotopic hybrid ...	2010	20457120
lovesongs and period gene polymorphisms indicate lutzomyia cruzi (mangabeira, 1938) as a sibling species of the lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz and neiva, 1912) complex.	the sand fly lutzomyia cruzi (mangabeira, 1938) is implicated as a vector of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) in some areas of brazil. lutzomyia cruzi is closely related to lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. (lutz and neiva, 1912) the main latin american vector of avl and a species complex. although females of the two species are identical, the males can be distinguished by differences in the genitalia. nevertheless, pheromone analysis shows that lu. cruzi males produce 9-methyl-germacrene-b, which ...	2010	20478408
characterization of a leishmania stage-specific mitochondrial membrane protein that enhances the activity of cytochrome c oxidase and its role in virulence.	leishmaniasis is caused by the dimorphic protozoan parasite leishmania. differentiation of the insect form, promastigotes, to the vertebrate form, amastigotes, and survival inside the vertebrate host accompanies a drastic metabolic shift. we describe a gene first identified in amastigotes that is essential for survival inside the host. gene expression analysis identified a 27 kda protein-encoding gene (ldp27) that was more abundantly expressed in amastigotes and metacyclic promastigotes than in ...	2010	20497506
trypsin-like serine proteases in lutzomyia longipalpis--expression, activity and possible modulation by leishmania infantum chagasi.	midgut enzymatic activity is one of the obstacles that leishmania must surpass to succeed in establishing infection. trypsins are abundant digestive enzymes in most insects. we have previously described two trypsin cdnas of l. longipalpis: one (lltryp1) with a bloodmeal induced transcription pattern, the other (lltryp2) with a constitutive transcription pattern. we have now characterized the expression and activity of trypsin-like proteases of lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of visceral l ...	2010	20502532
immunity to lutzomyia intermedia saliva modulates the inflammatory environment induced by leishmania braziliensis.	during blood feeding, sand flies inject leishmania parasites in the presence of saliva. the types and functions of cells present at the first host-parasite contact are critical to the outcome on infection and sand fly saliva has been shown to play an important role in this setting. herein, we investigated the in vivo chemotactic effects of lutzomyia intermedia saliva, the vector of leishmania braziliensis, combined or not with the parasite.	2010	20559550
leishmania infantum proteophosphoglycans regurgitated by the bite of its natural sand fly vector, lutzomyia longipalpis, promote parasite establishment in mouse skin and skin-distant tissues.	we demonstrate that a proteophosphoglycan-rich gel secreted by leishmania infantum inside the midgut of lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies (promastigote secretory gel) is regurgitated along with an average dose of 500 l. infantum metacyclic promastigotes per infected bite. using both low (10³) and high (10⁵) doses of parasites in the ears of balb/c mice we show that the infections benefit from the presence of vector saliva and parasite gel in the skin. however, chronic infection of the spleen was ...	2010	20561596
species delineation using bayesian model-based assignment tests: a case study using chinese toad-headed agamas (genus phrynocephalus).	species are fundamental units in biology, yet much debate exists surrounding how we should delineate species in nature. species discovery now requires the use of separate, corroborating datasets to quantify independently evolving lineages and test species criteria. however, the complexity of the speciation process has ushered in a need to infuse studies with new tools capable of aiding in species delineation. we suggest that model-based assignment tests are one such tool. this method circumvents ...	2010	20579368
the biology and control of leishmaniasis vectors.	vector control remains a key component of many anti-leishmaniasis programs and probably will remain so until an effective vaccine becomes available. technologies similar to those used for control of adult mosquitoes, specifically interior residual sprays and insecticide-treated nets, are currently at the forefront as disease control measures. this article provides a review of literature on the biology and control of sand fly vectors of leishmaniasis in the context of changing disease risks and t ...	0	20606968
invasion of mosquito salivary glands by malaria parasites: prerequisites and defense strategies.	the interplay between vector and pathogen is essential for vector-borne disease transmission. dissecting the molecular basis of refractoriness of some vectors may pave the way to novel disease control mechanisms. a pathogen often needs to overcome several physical barriers, such as the peritrophic matrix, midgut epithelium and salivary glands. additionally, the arthropod vector elicites immune responses that can severely limit transmission success. one important step in the transmission of most ...	2010	20621627
humoral immunological profile and parasitological statuses of leishmune vaccinated and visceral leishmaniasis infected dogs from an endemic area.	dogs represent the major reservoir of leishmaniao chagasi and vaccination against the canine disease is a potential control strategy. however, seroconversion occurs post-vaccine and hence, there is need to discriminate between the former group and naturally infected dogs. the present study represents a comparison of the humoral immunological profiles of both groups using leishmania soluble antigen (lsa) and fucose-mannose ligand (fml). for both categories, ear skin samples were evaluated immunoh ...	2010	20638182
pacap protects against tnfα-induced cell death in olfactory epithelium and olfactory placodal cell lines.	in mouse olfactory epithelium (oe), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (pacap) protects against axotomy-induced apoptosis. we used mouse oe to determine whether pacap protects neurons during exposure to the inflammatory cytokine tnfα. live slices of neonatal mouse oe were treated with 40 ng/ml tnfα ± 40nm pacap for 6h and dying cells were live-labeled with 0.5% propidium iodide. tnfα significantly increased the percentage of dying cells while co-incubation with pacap prevented cell d ...	2010	20654718
an insight into the sialome of blood-feeding nematocera.	within the diptera and outside the suborder brachycera, the blood-feeding habit occurred at least twice, producing the present day sand flies, and the culicomorpha, including the mosquitoes (culicidae), black flies (simulidae), biting midges (ceratopogonidae) and frog feeding flies (corethrellidae). alternatives to this scenario are also discussed. successful blood-feeding requires adaptations to antagonize the vertebrate's mechanisms of blood clotting, platelet aggregation, vasoconstriction, pa ...	2010	20728537