Publications

surface polar lipids differ in male and female phlebotomus papatasi (diptera: psychodidae).	the polar lipids on the surface of the old world sand fly, phlebotomus papatasi (scopoli), were analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. blood-fed females and nonblood-fed females and males were separately analyzed and compared. the major polar lipids were found to be long-chain diols and fatty acids. relatively high levels of diacylglycerols were found in blood-fed females and in males. a wide variety of lipids were found at low levels, including esters, sterols, monoacylglycerols, and hy ...	0	25814772
scanning and three-dimensional electron microscopy methods for the study of trypanosoma brucei and leishmania mexicana flagella.	three-dimensional electron microscopy tools have revolutionized our understanding of cell structure and molecular complexes in biology. here, we describe methods for studying flagellar ultrastructure and biogenesis in two unicellular parasites-trypanosoma brucei and leishmania mexicana. we describe methods for the preparation of these parasites for scanning electron microscopy cellular electron tomography, and serial block face scanning electron microscopy (sbfsem). these parasites have a highly ...	2015	25837406
nucleosides present on phlebotomine saliva induce immunossuppression and promote the infection establishment.	sand fly saliva plays a crucial role in establishing leishmania infection. we identified adenosine (ado) and adenosine monophosphate (amp) as active pharmacologic compounds present in phlebotomus papatasi saliva that inhibit dendritic cell (dc) functions through a pge2/il 10-dependent mechanism.	2015	25849562
molecular detection of leishmania in phlebotomine sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) from a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus atxakriabá indigenous reserve, brazil.	autochthonous cases of american cutaneous leishmaniasis (acl) have been reported since 2001 in the xakriabá indigenous reserve located in the municipality of são joão das missões in northern minas gerais state, brazil. in order to study the presence of leishmania dna in phlebotomine sand flies, six entomological collections were carried out from july 2008 through july 2009, using 40 light traps placed in peridomicile areas of 20 randomly selected houses. from october 2011 through august 2012, an ...	2015	25853254
studies on phlebotominae (diptera: psychodidae) in the campus fiocruz mata atlântica, jacarepaguá, in the city of rio de janeiro, brazil.	the presence of american cutaneous leishmaniasis (acl) in the communities of the campus fiocruz mata atlântica (cfma) in the city of rio de janeiro initiated the investigation of the phlebotominae fauna in the atlantic forest to determine the occurrence of putative acl vectors associated with the enzootic cycle.	2015	25860460
epidemiologic, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of visceral leishmaniasis in renal transplant recipients: experience from thirty cases.	visceral leishmaniasis is a disease caused by the protozoan leishmania sp. and is transmitted by lutzomyia longipalpis (sand fly). in renal transplant recipients, visceral leishmaniasis causes severe damage to the liver, spleen, and hematopoietic system, as well as poor outcomes for patients with transplanted kidneys. this study describes the largest series of cases of visceral leishmaniasis in renal transplant recipients, providing important information about the diagnostic routines and therape ...	2015	25877483
xenodiagnosis of leishmania donovani in balb/c mice using phlebotomus orientalis: a new laboratory model.	in areas endemic for visceral leishmaniasis (vl), the majority of infected hosts remain asymptomatic but potentially infectious to biting sand flies. their infectiousness for sand fly vectors is crucial for the transmission of the disease and can be quantified only by xenodiagnosis. however, in the case of human hosts, xenodiagnosis can be problematic for ethical and logistic reasons. the balb/c mouse model described in this paper was designed to enable xenodiagnostic studies on vl hosts circumv ...	2015	25881258
epidemiological aspects of vector, parasite, and domestic reservoir in areas of recent transmission and no reported human cases of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil.	about 97% of the human cases of the american visceral leishmaniasis (vl) occur in brazil. in the last few years, the disease expanded to medium- and large-sized cities, in which surveillance and control actions have been intensified, in an effort to control vl spreading. our two-year study was conducted in belo horizonte, the sixth most populous city in brazil, which is endemic for vl. we focused in two particular districts of recent transmission of the disease, with no reported human cases and ...	2015	25882769
recent advances in phlebotomine sand fly research related to leishmaniasis control.	phlebotomine sand flies are the subject of much research because of the role of their females as the only proven natural vectors of leishmania species, the parasitic protozoans that are the causative agents of the neglected tropical disease leishmaniasis. activity in this field was highlighted by the eighth international symposium on phlebotomine sand flies (isops) held in september 2014, which prompted this review focusing on vector control. topics reviewed include: taxonomy and phylogenetics, ...	2015	25885217
identification of phlebotomine sand fly blood meals by real-time pcr.	phlebotomine sand flies are blood-feeding insects of great medical and veterinary significance acting as vectors of leishmania parasites. studying the blood-feeding pattern of these insects may help in the understanding of their interactions with potential reservoir hosts of leishmania parasites. in this study, we developed real time pcr assays for the identification of sand fly blood meal.	2015	25889289
attraction of the sand fly nyssomyia neivai (diptera: psychodidae) to chemical compounds in a wind tunnel.	similar to other hematophagous insects, male and female sand flies must feed on plants to obtain sugar and, subsequently, energy to complete their life cycles. a large number of compounds emitted by plants may act as volatile signals to these insects. primary alcohols have been detected in some plants, but in small amounts. in a previous report, the attractiveness of saturated primary alcohols with 7 to 9 carbons was evaluated for lutzomyia longipalpis, the vector of american visceral leishmania ...	2015	25889391
genetic structuring and fixed polymorphisms in the gene period among natural populations of lutzomyia longipalpis in brazil.	even one hundred years after being originally identified, aspects of the taxonomy of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis, the principal vector of leishmania infantum in the americas, remain unresolved for brazilian populations of this vector. the diversity of morphological, behavioral, biochemical, and ethological characters, as well as the genetic variability detected by molecular markers are indicative of the presence of a complex of species.	2015	25889567
identification of leishmania infantum in puerto iguazú, misiones, argentina.	the emergence of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (zvl) in latin america is a growing public health problem. the urbanization of zvl has been observed in different countries around the world, and there are a growing number of reports drawing attention to the emergence of this infection in new locations, as well as its increase in previously established areas of endemicity. in the city of posadas, misiones province, northeastern argentina, the transmission of zvl associated with canines and lutzom ...	0	25923899
oviposition in the blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus is modulated by host odors.	triatomine bugs are blood-sucking insects, vectors of chagas disease. despite their importance, their oviposition behavior has received relatively little attention. some triatomines including rhodnius prolixus stick their eggs to a substrate. it is known that mechanical cues stimulate oviposition in this species. however, it is not clear if chemical signals play a role in this behavior. we studied the role of host cues, including host odor, in the oviposition behavior of the triatomine r. prolix ...	2015	25956818
an overview on leishmania vaccines: a narrative review article.	leishmaniasis is one of the major health problems and categorized as a class i disease (emerging and uncontrolled) by world health organization (who), causing highly significant morbidity and mortality. indeed, more than 350 million individuals are at risk of leishmania infection, and about 1.6 million new cases occur causing more than 50 thousands death annually. because of the severe toxicity and drug resistance, present chemotherapy regimen against diverse forms of leishmania infections is no ...	2015	25992245
phenotypic differentiation in love song traits among sibling species of the lutzomyia longipalpis complex in brazil.	brazilian populations of lutzomyia longipalpis may constitute a complex of cryptic species, and this report investigates the distribution and number of potential sibling species. one of the main differences observed among brazilian populations is the type of acoustic signal produced by males during copulation. these copulation song differences seem to be evolving faster than neutral molecular markers and have been suggested to contribute to insemination failure observed in crosses between these ...	2015	26017472
geographic distribution of phlebotomine sandfly species (diptera: psychodidae) in central-west brazil.	this study updates the geographic distributions of phlebotomine species in central-west brazil and analyses the climatic factors associated with their occurrence. the data were obtained from the entomology services of the state departments of health in central-west brazil, scientific collections and a literature review of articles from 1962-2014. ecological niche models were produced for sandfly species with more than 20 occurrences using the maxent algorithm and eight climate variables. in all, ...	2015	26018450
phlebotomus papatasi sp15: mrna expression variability and amino acid sequence polymorphisms of field populations.	the phlebotomus papatasi salivary protein ppsp15 was shown to protect mice against leishmania major, suggesting that incorporation of salivary molecules in multi-component vaccines may be a viable strategy for anti-leishmania vaccines.	2015	26022221
comparison of bloodmeal digestion and the peritrophic matrix in four sand fly species differing in susceptibility to leishmania donovani.	the early stage of leishmania development in sand flies is closely connected with bloodmeal digestion. here we compared various parameters of bloodmeal digestion in sand flies that are either susceptible (phlebotomus argentipes and p. orientalis) or refractory (p. papatasi and sergentomyia schwetzi) to leishmania donovani, to study the effects on vector competence. the volume of the bloodmeal ingested, time of defecation of bloodmeal remnants, timing of formation and degradation of the peritroph ...	2015	26030610
sequence-independent characterization of viruses based on the pattern of viral small rnas produced by the host.	virus surveillance in vector insects is potentially of great benefit to public health. large-scale sequencing of small and long rnas has previously been used to detect viruses, but without any formal comparison of different strategies. furthermore, the identification of viral sequences largely depends on similarity searches against reference databases. here, we developed a sequence-independent strategy based on virus-derived small rnas produced by the host response, such as the rna interference ...	2015	26040701
visceral leishmaniasis caused by leishmania infantum in salta, argentina: possible reservoirs and vectors.	cases of human visceral leishmaniasis (hvl) were not recorded until recently in the chaco region of northwestern argentina. dogs were surveyed at the sites of infection of two hvl index cases in the chaco region of salta province. canine cases (canl) were diagnosed by two parasitological methods, two molecular methods targeting mini- and maxicircle dna, and immunochromatographic dipstick. among 77 dogs studied, 10 (13%) were found infected with leishmania spp. in seven dogs and two humans, the i ...	2015	26055744
identification and function analysis of enolase gene nleno1 from nilaparvata lugens (stål) (hemiptera:delphacidae).	the enolase [ec 4.2.1.11] is an essential enzyme in the glycolytic pathway catalyzing the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate (2-pge) to phosphoenolpyruvate (pep). in this study, a full-length cdna encoding α-enolase was cloned from rice brown planthopper (nilaparvata lugens) and is provisionally designated as nleno1. the cdna sequence of nleno1 was 1,851 bp with an open reading frame (orf) of 1,305 bp and encoding 434 amino acids. the deduced protein shares high identity of 80-87% with eno1-like p ...	2015	26056319
second international meeting of isev 2013: boston, usa, april 17(th)-20(th), 2013.		2013	26082317
canine antibodies against salivary recombinant proteins of phlebotomus perniciosus: a longitudinal study in an endemic focus of canine leishmaniasis.	phlebotomine sand flies are vectors of leishmania parasites. during blood feeding, sand flies deposit into the host skin immunogenic salivary proteins which elicit specific antibody responses. these anti-saliva antibodies enable an estimate of the host exposure to sand flies and, in leishmaniasis endemic areas, also the risk for leishmania infections. however, the use of whole salivary gland homogenates as antigen has several limitations, and therefore, recombinant salivary proteins have been te ...	2015	26111018
effect of leishmania spp infection on the survival, life expectancy, fecundity and fertility of lutzomyia longipalpiss.l. and lutzomyia pseudolongipalpis.	we evaluated the effects of leishmaniaspp infection on several population parameters of lutzomyia longipalpis sensu lato andlutzomyia pseudolongipalpis, vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in venezuela, under experimental conditions during the first post-feeding period. females of both species were allowed to feed and engorge on a suspension of fresh washed human red blood cells in foetal calf serum. these blood cells were either non-infected or infected with one of the fourleishmaniaspp strains a ...	2015	26132427
expression, purification, crystallization and crystallographic study of lutzomyia longipalpis ljl143.	leishmaniasis is a neglected vector-borne disease with a global prevalence of over 12 million cases and 59,000 annual deaths. transmission of the parasite requires salivary proteins, including ljl143 from the new world sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis. ljl143 is a known marker of sandfly exposure in zoonotic hosts. ljl143 was crystallized from soluble protein expressed using pichia pastoris. x-ray data were collected to 2.6 å resolution from orthorhombic crystals belonging to space group p2(1)2(1)2 ...	2015	26144240
exposure to leishmania spp. and sand flies in domestic animals in northwestern ethiopia.	human visceral leishmaniasis caused by leishmania donovani is considered an anthroponosis; however, leishmania-infected animals have been increasingly reported in l. donovani foci, and the role of these animals as reservoirs for human l. donovani infection remains unclear.	2015	26152578
bacterial infection and immune responses in lutzomyia longipalpis sand fly larvae midgut.	the midgut microbial community in insect vectors of disease is crucial for an effective immune response against infection with various human and animal pathogens. depending on the aspects of their development, insects can acquire microbes present in soil, water, and plants. sand flies are major vectors of leishmaniasis, and shown to harbor a wide variety of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. sand fly larval stages acquire microorganisms from the soil, and the abundance and distribution of ...	2015	26154607
description of six autochthonous cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis diagnosed in pedregulho (são paulo, brazil).	visceral leishmaniasis is an infectious disease of chronic, emerging and zoonotic nature that presents various degrees of severity. in brazil, this illness is caused by leishmania infantum (leishmania chagasi), which is transmitted by the bite of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis, and dogs are its main reservoir. given the increasing spread of this disease across brazil, the aim of this study was to report on six cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis, diagnosed in june 2013, in the city of ped ...	2015	26154962
phlebotomine fauna (diptera: psychodidae) in an area of fishing tourism in central-western brazil.	the aim of this study was to identify behavioral aspects of the sandfly fauna of a fishing tourism area in the municipality of bonito (ms). monthly captures were undertaken from december 2009 to november 2010, using automatic cdc type light traps, from 18h00 to 06h00, in a forested area, a savannah area, peridomiciles and animal shelters near peridomiciliary areas. nyssomyia whitmani was the most frequent out of a total of 6,699 specimens collected, belonging to 16 species, followed by psathyrom ...	0	26200964
an integrated approach using spatial analysis to study the risk factors for leishmaniasis in area of recent transmission.	some epidemiological aspects of leishmaniasis in the municipality of formiga, brazil, an important touristic site, were evaluated. those included phlebotomine sand fly vectors, canine infection, and geoprocessing analysis for determining critical transmission areas. sand flies (224 insects) belonging to ten different species were captured. the most captured species included lutzomyia longipalpis (35.3%), lutzomyia cortelezzii (33.5%), and lutzomyia whitmani (18.3%). a significant correlation bet ...	2015	26229961
a novel molecular test to diagnose canine visceral leishmaniasis at the point of care.	dogs are the principal reservoir hosts of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (vl) but current serological methods are not sensitive enough to detect all subclinically infected animals, which is crucial to vl control programs. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) methods have greater sensitivity but require expensive equipment and trained personnel, impairing its implementation in endemic areas. we developed a diagnostic test that uses isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (rpa) to detect leish ...	2015	26240156
molecular cloning and functional studies of two kazal-type serine protease inhibitors specifically expressed by nasonia vitripennis venom apparatus.	two cdna sequences of kazal-type serine protease inhibitors (kspis) in nasonia vitripennis, nvkspi-1 and nvkspi-2, were characterized and their open reading frames (orfs) were 198 and 264 bp, respectively. both nvkspi-1 and nvkspi-2 contained a typical kazal-type domain. real-time quantitative pcr (rt-qpcr) results revealed that nvkspi-1 and nvkspi-2 mrnas were mostly detected specifically in the venom apparatus, while they were expressed at lower levels in the ovary and much lower levels in oth ...	2015	26248077
survey of sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) in an environmentally protected area in brazil.	brazil is one of the most important endemic areas for leishmaniasis worldwide. protected areas that are tourist attractions likely present an important risk of transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis (cl). furthermore, with the geographical expansion of visceral leishmaniasis (vl), several studies have recorded the occurrence of its vector, lutzomyia longipalpis, and cases of human and canine vl in such tourist areas. the parque estadual do sumidouro is an environmentally protected area located ...	2015	26267484
lutzomyia longipalpis presence and abundance distribution at different micro-spatial scales in an urban scenario.	the principal objective of this study was to assess a modeling approach to lu. longipalpis distribution in an urban scenario, discriminating micro-scale landscape variables at microhabitat and macrohabitat scales and the presence from the abundance of the vector. for this objective, we studied vectors and domestic reservoirs and evaluated different environmental variables simultaneously, so we constructed a set of 13 models to account for micro-habitats, macro-habitats and mixed-habitats. we cap ...	2015	26274318
techniques to improve the maintenance of a laboratory colony of nyssomyia neivai (diptera: psychodidae).	the most critical phase in sand fly colonization is the high mortality in the larval instars. in this study, we sought out strategies for improving the colonization of nyssomyia neivai, one of the vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis agent in south america.	2015	26276040
comparison of the phlebotomine (diptera: psychodidae) fauna of urban, transitional, and wild areas in northern minas gerais, brazil.	phlebotomines are directly related to the study of leishmaniases, and so the study of their distribution plays an important role in the epidemiology of these diseases. collections of phlebotomines were made with the intent of comparing the distribution, richness, diversity, and abundance of species in three distinct environments in an area endemic for tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis in minas gerais state, brazil.	2015	26286135
trypanosomes modify the behavior of their insect hosts: effects on locomotion and on the expression of a related gene.	as a result of evolution, the biology of triatomines must have been significantly adapted to accommodate trypanosome infection in a complex network of vector-vertebrate-parasite interactions. arthropod-borne parasites have probably developed mechanisms, largely still unknown, to exploit the vector-vertebrate host interactions to ensure their transmission to suitable hosts. triatomines exhibit a strong negative phototaxis and nocturnal activity, believed to be important for insect survival agains ...	2015	26291723
immunogenicity and serological cross-reactivity of saliva proteins among different tsetse species.	tsetse are vectors of pathogenic trypanosomes, agents of human and animal trypanosomiasis in africa. components of tsetse saliva (sialome) are introduced into the mammalian host bite site during the blood feeding process and are important for tsetse's ability to feed efficiently, but can also influence disease transmission and serve as biomarkers for host exposure. we compared the sialome components from four tsetse species in two subgenera: subgenus morsitans: glossina morsitans morsitans (gmm) ...	2015	26313460
an ecological study of sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) in the vicinity of lençóis maranhenses national park, maranhão, brazil.	the lençóis maranhenses national park, located in maranhão, brazil, is a region of exceptional beauty and a popular tourist destination. the adjoining area has suffered from the impact of human activity and, consequently, has experienced outbreaks of leishmaniasis. this study aimed to evaluate the composition, abundance, species richness and seasonal distribution of sand flies in the region and to determine the constancy of the insect population.	2015	26315017
morphometric analysis of longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) complex populations in mato grosso do sul, brazil.	owing to the existence of cryptic species that are difficult to distinguish morphologically, the search for new taxonomic characters and methods for identifying and classifying sand flies continues. lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912) and lutzomyia cruzi (mangabeira, 1938) (diptera: psychodidae) are two such species that occur in sympatry in some regions of mato grosso do sul state (ms). twenty females and twenty males from each of the five populations of lu. longipalpis and one populatio ...	2015	26334809
assessing insecticide susceptibility of laboratory lutzomyia longipalpis and phlebotomus papatasi sand flies (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae).	chemical insecticides are effective for controlling lutzomyia and phlebotomus sand fly (diptera: psychodidae) vectors of leishmania parasites. however, repeated use of certain insecticides has led to tolerance and resistance. the objective of this study was to determine lethal concentrations (lcs) and lethal exposure times (lts) to assess levels of susceptibility of laboratory lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz and nieva) and phlebotomus papatasi (scopoli) to 10 insecticides using a modified version of ...	2015	26336231
phenotypic and genotypic variations among three allopatric populations of lutzomyia umbratilis, main vector of leishmania guyanensis.	in south america, lutzomyia umbratilis is the main vector of leishmania guyanensis, one of the species involved in the transmission of american tegumentary leishmaniasis. in brazil, l. umbratilis has been recorded in the amazon region, and in the state of pernambuco, northeastern region, where an isolated population has been identified. this study assessed the phylogeographic structure and size and shape differences of the wing of three brazilian populations.	2015	26338469
transmissibility of leishmania infantum from maned wolves (chrysocyon brachyurus) and bush dogs (speothos venaticus) to lutzomyia longipalpis.	leishmania (leishmania) infantum is the cause of visceral leishmaniasis in the americas. the disease is transmitted mostly through the bite of the invertebrate vector, the phlebotomine lutzomyia longipalpis in the new world. although the domestic dog is considered the most important reservoir of the disease, other mammalian, including wildlife, are susceptible to infection. the goal of this study was to perform xenodiagnosis to evaluate the capacity of naturally infected maned wolves (chrysocyon ...	2015	26342623
the biting midge culicoides sonorensis (diptera: ceratopogonidae) is capable of developing late stage infections of leishmania enriettii.	despite their importance in animal and human health, the epidemiology of species of the leishmania enriettii complex remains poorly understood, including the identity of their biological vectors. biting midges of the genus forcipomyia (lasiohelea) have been implicated in the transmission of a member of the l. enriettii complex in australia, but the far larger and more widespread genus culicoides has not been investigated for the potential to include vectors to date.	2015	26367424
validation of recombinant salivary protein ppsp32 as a suitable marker of human exposure to phlebotomus papatasi, the vector of leishmania major in tunisia.	during a blood meal, female sand flies, vectors of leishmania parasites, inject saliva into the host skin. sand fly saliva is composed of a large variety of components that exert different pharmacological activities facilitating the acquisition of blood by the insect. importantly, proteins present in saliva are able to elicit the production of specific anti-saliva antibodies, which can be used as markers for exposure to vector bites. serological tests using total sand fly salivary gland extracts ...	2015	26368935
an insight into the sialome of the horse fly, tabanus bromius.	blood feeding animals face their host's defenses against tissue injury and blood loss while attempting to feed. one adaptation to surmount these barriers involves the evolution of a salivary potion that disarms their host's inflammatory and anti-hemostatic processes. the composition of the peptide moiety of this potion, or sialome (from the greek sialo = saliva), can be deducted in part by proper interpretation of the blood feeder' sialotranscriptome. in this work we disclose the sialome of the ...	2015	26369729
baseline susceptibility to alpha-cypermethrin in lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912) from lapinha cave (brazil).	given the increase in cases of visceral leishmaniasis in recent years, associated with the socio-economic impact of this disease, as well as the wide distribution of lutzomyia longipalpis in brazil and the likelihood that this vector may develop resistance to insecticides used for control, the ministry of health considers as crucial the creation of a network in order to study and monitor the resistance of this vector to insecticides used for control. in this sense, this study aimed: 1) to charac ...	2015	26381242
correction: lutzomyia longipalpis presence and abundance distribution at different micro-spatial scales in an urban scenario.		2015	26407075
first description of migonemyia migonei (frança) and nyssomyia whitmani (antunes & coutinho) (psychodidae: phlebotominae) natural infected by leishmania infantum in argentina.	leishmania infantum is the etiological agent of the visceral leishmaniasis (vl) disease in america, with lutzomyia longipalpis phlebotomine sandflies as its proven vectors in argentina, and infected dogs as its main urban reservoir. in puerto iguazú city (misiones province, argentina), human and canine cases of vl were recorded. additionally, in the rural area known as "2000 hectáreas", less than 10km away from the city, several human cases of tegumentary leishmaniasis (tl) were registered deter ...	2015	26409011
identification of sandflies (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) blood meals in an endemic leishmaniasis area in brazil.	the aim of this study was to identify blood meals of female sandflies captured in the municipality of governador valadares, an endemic area of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, in the state of minas gerais, brazil. from may 2011 to january 2012, captures were performed using hp light traps in four districts. there were 2,614 specimens (2,090 males and 524 females) captured; 97 engorged females were identified belonging to the species lutzomyia longipalpis(82.1%) and lutzomyia cortelezzii(17. ...	0	26422156
canine visceral leishmaniasis case investigation in the jacare region of niteroi, rio de janeiro, brazil.	american visceral leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonosis in expansion in brazil. dogs are the main urban reservoir. departing from a case of canine visceral leishmaniasis (cvl) in jacaré, niterói, rio de janeiro state, an epidemiological canine and entomological study was performed to assess the extension of the disease at the location. sample was collected around the case and the dogs identified by serological tests (rapid double platform immunochromatographic exams, immunoenzymatic assay/eli ...	0	26422157
spatial distribution of sand fly vectors and eco-epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission in colombia.	leishmania is transmitted by phlebotominae insects that maintain the enzootic cycle by circulating between sylvatic and domestic mammals; humans enter the cycles as accidental hosts due to the vector's search for blood source. in colombia, leishmaniasis is an endemic disease and 95% of all cases are cutaneous (cl), these cases have been reported in several regions of the country where the intervention of sylvatic areas by the introduction of agriculture seem to have an impact on the rearrangemen ...	2015	26431546
natural infection of phlebotomines (diptera: psychodidae) by leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis in an area of ecotourism in central-western brazil.	bonito municipality, known as an area of ecoturism, in mato grosso do sul state, brazil, is also a focus of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases, with cases registered in both human and canine populations. this study sought to investigate natural infection by flagellate forms of leishmania in phlebotomines of the urban area of bonito.	2015	26435708
colonization of lutzomyia verrucarum and lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) by bartonella bacilliformis, the etiologic agent of carrión's disease.	bartonella bacilliformis is a pathogenic bacterium transmitted to humans presumably by bites of phlebotomine sand flies, infection with which results in a bi-phasic syndrome termed carrión's disease. after constructing a low-passage gfp-labeled strain of b. bacilliformis, we artificially infected lutzomyia verrucarum and l. longipalpis populations, and subsequently monitored colonization of sand flies by fluorescence microscopy. initially, colonization of the two fly species was indistinguishabl ...	2015	26436553
clocks do not tick in unison: isolation of clock and vrille shed new light on the clockwork model of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis.	behavior rhythms of insect vectors directly interfere with the dynamics of pathogen transmission to humans. the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in america and concentrates its activity around dusk. despite the accumulation of behavioral data, very little is known about the molecular bases of the clock mechanism in this species. this study aims to characterize, within an evolutionary perspective, two important circadian clock genes, clock and vrille.	2015	26438221
infectiousness of sylvatic and synanthropic small rodents implicates a multi-host reservoir of leishmania (viannia) braziliensis.	the possibility that a multi-host wildlife reservoir is responsible for maintaining transmission of leishmania (viannia) braziliensis causing human cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis is tested by comparative analysis of infection progression and infectiousness to sandflies in rodent host species previously shown to have high natural infection prevalences in both sylvatic or/and peridomestic habitats in close proximity to humans in northeast brazil.	2015	26448187
successful isolation of leishmania infantum from rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (acari: ixodidae) collected from naturally infected dogs.	the main transmission route of leishmania infantum is through the bites of sand flies. however, alternative mechanisms are being investigated, such as through the bites of ticks, which could have epidemiological relevance. the objective of this work was to verify the presence of leishmania spp. in rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato collected from naturally infected dogs in the federal district of brazil.	2015	26452666
nestedness patterns of sand fly (diptera: psychodidae) species in a neotropical semi-arid environment.	a common pattern in neotropical leishmania spp. transmission is the co-occurrence of several sand fly (sf) species at endemic foci. we collected 13 sf spp. by direct aspiration in natural resting places (nrp) and 10 sf spp. with shannon traps (st), totaling 15 spp. with both methods, at 6 locations within a semi-arid region with endemic visceral leishmaniasis transmission in falcón state, northwestern venezuela. we used null model testing of species co-occurrence and nestedness metrics estimated ...	2016	26456179
de novo assembly and sex-specific transcriptome profiling in the sand fly phlebotomus perniciosus (diptera, phlebotominae), a major old world vector of leishmania infantum.	the phlebotomine sand fly phlebotomus perniciosus (diptera: psychodidae, phlebotominae) is a major old world vector of the protozoan leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases in humans and dogs, a worldwide re-emerging diseases of great public health concern, affecting 101 countries. despite the growing interest in the study of this sand fly species in the last years, the development of genomic resources has been limited so far. to increase the available ...	2015	26493315
the shadows of a ghost: a survey of canine leishmaniasis in presidente prudente and its spatial dispersion in the western region of são paulo state, an emerging focus of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil.	visceral leishmaniasis is an emerging zoonosis and its geographic distribution is restricted to tropical and temperate regions. most of the individuals infected in latin america are in brazil. despite the control measures that have been adopted, the disease is spreading throughout new regions of the country. domestic dogs are involved in the transmission cycle and are considered to be the main epidemiologic reservoir of leishmania infantum (syn. l. chagasi). our aim was to determine the prevalen ...	2015	26503368
dna barcoding of neotropical sand flies (diptera, psychodidae, phlebotominae): species identification and discovery within brazil.	dna barcoding has been an effective tool for species identification in several animal groups. here, we used dna barcoding to discriminate between 47 morphologically distinct species of brazilian sand flies. dna barcodes correctly identified approximately 90% of the sampled taxa (42 morphologically distinct species) using clustering based on neighbor-joining distance, of which four species showed comparatively higher maximum values of divergence (range 4.23-19.04%), indicating cryptic diversity. ...	2015	26506007
lutzomyia longipalpis urbanisation and control.	since the description of lutzomyia longipalpis by lutz and neiva more than 100 years ago, much has been written in the scientific literature about this phlebotomine species. soares and turco (2003) and lainson and rangel (2005) have written extensive reviews focused on vector-host-parasite interactions and american visceral leishmaniasis ecology. however, during the last two decades, the success of lu. longipalpis in colonising urban environments and its simultaneous geographical spreading have ...	2015	26517497
evaluation of light-emitting diodes as attractant for sandflies (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) in northeastern brazil.	hoover pugedo light traps were modified for use with green and blue-light-emitting diodes to trap phlebotomine sandflies in northeastern brazil. a total of 2,267 specimens belonging to eight genera and 15 species were sampled. the predominant species were nyssomyia whitmani(34.41%) and micropygomyia echinatopharynx(17.25%).the green led trap prevailed over the blue and control lights; however, no statistically significant difference could be detected among the three light sources. even without s ...	0	26517661
exosome secretion by the parasitic protozoan leishmania within the sand fly midgut.	despite several studies describing the secretion of exosomes by leishmania in vitro, observation of their formation and release in vivo has remained a major challenge. herein, we show that leishmania constitutively secretes exosomes within the lumen of the sand fly midgut through a mechanism homologous to the mammalian pathway. through egestion experiments, we demonstrate that leishmania exosomes are part of the sand fly inoculum and are co-egested with the parasite during the insect's bite, pos ...	2015	26565909
kinetics of anti-phlebotomus perniciosus saliva antibodies in experimentally bitten mice and rabbits.	sand flies are hematophagous arthropods that act as vectors of leishmania parasites. when hosts are bitten they develop cellular and humoral responses against sand fly saliva. a positive correlation has been observed between the number of bites and antibody levels indicating that anti-saliva antibody response can be used as marker of exposure to sand flies. little is known about kinetics of antibodies against phlebotomus perniciosus salivary gland homogenate (sgh) or recombinant salivary protein ...	2015	26569103
wolbachia and the insect immune system: what reactive oxygen species can tell us about the mechanisms of wolbachia-host interactions.	wolbachia are intracellular bacteria that infect a vast range of arthropod species, making them one of the most prevalent endosymbionts in the world. wolbachia's stunning evolutionary success is mostly due to their reproductive parasitism but also to mutualistic effects such as increased host fecundity or protection against pathogens. however, the mechanisms underlying wolbachia phenotypes, both parasitic and mutualistic, are only poorly understood. moreover, it is unclear how the insect immune ...	2015	26579107
vectorborne transmission of leishmania infantum from hounds, united states.	leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by predominantly vectorborne leishmania spp. in the united states, canine visceral leishmaniasis is common among hounds, and l. infantum vertical transmission among hounds has been confirmed. we found that l. infantum from hounds remains infective in sandflies, underscoring the risk for human exposure by vectorborne transmission.	0	26583260
arthropod vectors and disease transmission: translational aspects.		2015	26583380
leishmania amazonensis dna in wild females of lutzomyia cruzi (diptera: psychodidae) in the state of mato grosso do sul, brazil.	studies on natural infection by leishmania spp of sandflies collected in endemic and nonendemic areas can provide important information on the distribution and intensity of the transmission of these parasites. this study sought to investigate the natural infection by leishmaniain wild female sandflies. the specimens were caught in the city of corumbá, state of mato grosso do sul (brazil) between october 2012-march 2014, and dissected to investigate flagellates and/or submitted to molecular analy ...	2015	26602870
geographical expansion of canine visceral leishmaniasis in rio de janeiro state, brazil.	visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a vector-borne disease that affects humans, and domestic and wild animals. it is caused by the protozoan leishmania (leishmania) infantum (syn = leishmania chagasi). the domestic dog (canis familiaris) is considered the main reservoir of the etiologic agent of vl in domestic and peridomestic environments. in the past three years, although control actions involving domestic dogs are routinely performed in endemic areas of the rio de janeiro state, new cases of canin ...	0	26603233
first report of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by leishmania (leishmania) infantum chagasi in an urban area of rio de janeiro, brazil.	american tegumentary leishmaniasis (atl) is an infectious disease caused by protozoa of the genus leishmania, and transmitted by sandflies. in the state of rio de janeiro, almost all of the cases of american tegumentary leishmaniasis (atl) are caused by leishmania (viannia) braziliensis, while cases of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) are caused by leishmania (leishmania) infantum chagasi. the resurgence of autochthonous vl cases in rio de janeiro is related to the geographic expansion of the vector ...	0	26603237
natural hybrid of leishmania infantum/l. donovani: development in phlebotomus tobbi, p. perniciosus and lutzomyia longipalpis and comparison with non-hybrid strains differing in tissue tropism.	infection caused by parasites from l. donovani complex can manifest as a serious visceral disease or a self-healing milder cutaneous form. the different tropism and pathology in humans is caused by the interaction between parasites, host and vector determinants but the mechanisms are not well understood. in cukurova region in turkey we previously identified a major focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by l. donovani/infantum hybrids (cuk strain) and isolated this parasite from the locally abu ...	2015	26608249
in vitro activity of phospholipase a2 and of peptides from crotalus durissus terrificus venom against amastigote and promastigote forms of leishmania (l.) infantum chagasi.	american visceral leishmaniasis is caused by the intracellular parasite leishmania (l.) infantum chagasi, and transmitted by the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis. since treatment is based on classical chemotherapeutics with significant side effects, the search for new drugs remains the greatest global challenge. thus, this in vitro study aimed to evaluate the leishmanicidal effect of crotalus durissus terrificus venom fractions on promastigote and amastigote forms of leishmania (l.) infantum chaga ...	2015	26609302
performance of light-emitting diode traps for collecting sand flies in entomological surveys in argentina.	the performance of two light-emitting diode traps with white and black light for capturing phlebotomine sand flies, developed by the argentinean leishmaniasis research network (redila-wl and redila-bl traps), were compared with the traditional cdc incandescent light trap. entomological data were obtained from six sand fly surveys conducted in argentina in different environments. data analyses were conducted for the presence and the abundance of lutzomyia longipalpis, migonemyia migonei, and nyss ...	2015	26611973
first report of the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in america, lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz, neiva, 1912) (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae), in southern minas gerais state, brazil.		2015	26611979
ecological niche modelling predicts southward expansion of lutzomyia (nyssomyia) flaviscutellata (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae), vector of leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis in south america, under climate change.	vector borne diseases are susceptible to climate change because distributions and densities of many vectors are climate driven. the amazon region is endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis and is predicted to be severely impacted by climate change. recent records suggest that the distributions of lutzomyia (nyssomyia) flaviscutellata and the parasite it transmits, leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis, are expanding southward, possibly due to climate change, and sometimes associated with new human inf ...	2015	26619186
natural transmission of leishmania infantum through experimentally infected phlebotomus perniciosus highlights the virulence of leishmania parasites circulating in the human visceral leishmaniasis outbreak in madrid, spain.	a human leishmaniasis outbreak is occurring in the madrid region, spain, with the parasite and vector involved being leishmania infantum and phlebotomus perniciosus respectively. the aim of this study was to investigate the virulence of l. infantum isolates from the focus using a natural transmission model. hamsters were infected by intraperitoneal inoculation (ip) or by bites of sand flies experimentally infected with l. infantum isolates obtained from p. perniciosus collected in the outbreak a ...	2015	26645907
the concise guide to pharmacology 2015/16: g protein-coupled receptors.	the concise guide to pharmacology 2015/16 provides concise overviews of the key properties of over 1750 human drug targets with their pharmacology, plus links to an open access knowledgebase of drug targets and their ligands (www.guidetopharmacology.org), which provides more detailed views of target and ligand properties. the full contents can be found at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.13348/full. g protein-coupled receptors are one of the eight major pharmacological targets into ...	0	26650439
seroepidemiological survey of canine leishmania infections from peripheral areas in natal, northeast brazil.	human visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in natal, northeast of brazil, where the domestic dog is an important parasite reservoir in the infectious cycle of leishmania spp. in this study, was evaluated the antileishmanial igg antibody and epidemiological factors related to canine visceral leishmaniasis (cvl).	2015	26668661
laboratory validation of the sand fly fever virus antigen assay.	sandfly fever group viruses in the genus phlebovirus (family bunyaviridae) are widely distributed across the globe and are a cause of disease in military troops and indigenous peoples. we assessed the laboratory sensitivity and specificity of the sand fly fever virus antigen assay, a rapid dipstick assay designed to detect sandfly fever naples virus (sfnv) and toscana virus (tosv) against a panel of phleboviruses. the assay detected sfnv and tosv, as well as other phleboviruses including aguacat ...	2015	26675463
antibodies to leishmania spp. in domestic felines.	leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by protozoa in the genus leishmania, typical of rural and peri-urban environments. the causative agent of american visceral leishmaniasis is leishmania (leishmania) infantum chagasi and the main insect vector in brazil is lutzomyia longipalpis. dogs (canis familiaris) are important in the transmission of the disease, as a reservoir closely related to humans and an infection source for phlebotomine vectors. since 1990, an increasing number o ...	2015	26689182
attraction and oviposition preferences of phlebotomus papatasi (diptera: psychodidae), vector of old-world cutaneous leishmaniasis, to larval rearing media.	as part of a project aimed at developing oviposition attractants for the control and surveillance of phlebotomus papatasi (a vector of old-world cutaneous leishmaniasis), we tested the hypothesis that gravid sand flies are attracted to chemical cues emanating from the growth medium of conspecific larvae - predominantly larvae-conditioned host feces that represents a suitable oviposition site. we report the results of a systematic assessment of media from various developmental stages of the sand ...	2015	26714743
salo, a novel classical pathway complement inhibitor from saliva of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis.	blood-feeding insects inject potent salivary components including complement inhibitors into their host's skin to acquire a blood meal. sand fly saliva was shown to inhibit the classical pathway of complement; however, the molecular identity of the inhibitor remains unknown. here, we identified salo as the classical pathway complement inhibitor. salo, an 11 kda protein, has no homology to proteins of any other organism apart from new world sand flies. rsalo anti-complement activity has the same ...	2016	26758086
new insights into the transmissibility of leishmania infantum from dogs to sand flies: experimental vector-transmission reveals persistent parasite depots at bite sites.	canine leishmaniasis (canl) is a chronic fatal disease of dogs and a major source of human infection through propagation of parasites in vectors. here, we infected 8 beagles through multiple experimental vector transmissions with leishmania infantum-infected lutzomyia longipalpis. canl clinical signs varied, although live parasites were recovered from all dog spleens. splenic parasite burdens correlated positively with leishmania-specific interleukin 10 levels, negatively with leishmania-specifi ...	2016	26768257
"the environment is everything that isn't me": molecular mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of insect clocks in variable surroundings.	circadian rhythms are oscillations in behavior, metabolism and physiology that have a period close to 24 h. these rhythms are controlled by an internal pacemaker that evolved under strong selective pressures imposed by environmental cyclical changes, mainly of light and temperature. the molecular nature of the circadian pacemaker was extensively studied in a number of organisms under controlled laboratory conditions. but although these studies were fundamental to our understanding of the circadi ...	2016	26793115
pac1r agonist maxadilan enhances hadsc viability and neural differentiation potential.	pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (pacap) is a structurally endogenous peptide with many biological roles. however, little is known about its presence or effects in human adipose-derived stem cells (hadscs). in this study, the expression of pacap type i receptor (pac1r) was first confirmed in hadscs. maxadilan, a specific agonist of pac1r, could increase hadsc proliferation as determined by cell counting kit-8 and cell cycle analysis and promote migration as shown in wound-heali ...	2016	26798992
understanding the transmission dynamics of leishmania donovani to provide robust evidence for interventions to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis in bihar, india.	visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a neglected vector-borne disease. in india, it is transmitted to humans by leishmania donovani-infected phlebotomus argentipes sand flies. in 2005, vl was targeted for elimination by the governments of india, nepal and bangladesh by 2015. the elimination strategy consists of rapid case detection, treatment of vl cases and vector control using indoor residual spraying (irs). however, to achieve sustained elimination of vl, an appropriate post elimination surveillanc ...	2016	26812963
spread of phlebotominae in temperate climates: province of córdoba, argentina.	we report the presence of the competent vector for leishmania spp, migonemyia migonei, and the evandromyia cortelezzii-sallesi complex south of its known distribution in the central temperate region of argentina, in the province of córdoba. the persistence of this phlebotomine in the northern border of the province, its association with a case of cutaneous leishmaniasis, and the new record in the outskirts of the city of córdoba, the second most populated in the country, strengthens the need for ...	0	26814647
sand flies (diptera, psychodidae, phlebotominae), vectors of leishmania protozoa, at an atlantic forest conservation unit in the municipality of nísia floresta, rio grande do norte state, brazil.	sand flies are insect vectors of protozoa from the genus leishmania, causative parasites of visceral and american tegumentary leishmaniases. the present study discusses the bioecological aspects of sand fly species, transmitters of leishmania protozoa, in different ecotopes of an atlantic forest conservation unit located in the metropolitan region of natal, rio grande do norte state, brazil.	2016	26864023
duplication and diversification of dipteran argonaute genes, and the evolutionary divergence of piwi and aubergine.	genetic studies of drosophila melanogaster have provided a paradigm for rna interference (rnai) in arthropods, in which the microrna and antiviral pathways are each mediated by a single argonaute (ago1 and ago2) and germline suppression of transposable elements is mediated by a trio of piwi-subfamily argonaute proteins (ago3, aub, and piwi). without a suitable evolutionary context, deviations from this can be interpreted as derived or idiosyncratic. here we analyze the evolution of argonaute gen ...	2016	26868596
insecticidal effect of plant extracts on phlebotomus argentipes (diptera: psychodidae) in bihar, india.	phlebotomus argentipes (diptera: psychodidae), the established vector for kala-azar is presently being controlled by indoor residual spray of ddt in kala-azar endemic areas in india. search for non-hazardous and non-toxic biodegradable active molecules from botanicals may provide cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides. the present study was aimed at evaluating various plant extracts from endemic and non-endemic areas of bihar for their insecticidal activity agains ...	0	26905249
sensitivity and specificity of parallel or serial serological testing for detection of canine leishmania infection.	in brazil, human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (cvl) caused by leishmania infantum has undergone urbanisation since 1980, constituting a public health problem, and serological tests are tools of choice for identifying infected dogs. until recently, the brazilian zoonoses control program recommended enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (elisa) and indirect immunofluorescence assays (ifa) as the screening and confirmatory methods, respectively, for the detection of canine infection. the purpose ...	2016	26910354
identification of canine visceral leishmaniasis in a previously unaffected area by conventional diagnostic techniques and cell-block fixation.	after the report of a second case of canine visceral leishmaniasis (cvl) in são bento da lagoa, itaipuaçu, in the municipality of maricá, rio de janeiro state, an epidemiological survey was carried out, through active search, totaling 145 dogs. indirect immunofluorescence assay (ifa), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa), and rapid chromatographic immunoassay based on dual-path platform (dpp) were used to perform the serological examinations. the parasitological diagnosis of cutaneous fragm ...	2016	26910449
high resolution melting analysis targeting hsp70 as a fast and efficient method for the discrimination of leishmania species.	protozoan parasites of the genus leishmania cause a large spectrum of clinical manifestations known as leishmaniases. these diseases are increasingly important public health problems in many countries both within and outside endemic regions. thus, an accurate differential diagnosis is extremely relevant for understanding epidemiological profiles and for the administration of the best therapeutic protocol.	2016	26928050
impact of trypanosoma cruzi on antimicrobial peptide gene expression and activity in the fat body and midgut of rhodnius prolixus.	rhodnius prolixus is a major vector of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease in latin america. in natural habitats, these insects are in contact with a variety of bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites that they acquire from both their environments and the blood of their hosts. microorganism ingestion may trigger the synthesis of humoral immune factors, including antimicrobial peptides (amps). the objective of this study was to compare the expression levels of amps (defensins an ...	2016	26931761
a historical overview of the classification, evolution, and dispersion of leishmania parasites and sandflies.	the aim of this study is to describe the major evolutionary historical events among leishmania, sandflies, and the associated animal reservoirs in detail, in accordance with the geographical evolution of the earth, which has not been previously discussed on a large scale.	2016	26937644
pyrosequencing the midgut transcriptome of the banana weevil cosmopolites sordidus (germar) (coleoptera: curculionidae) reveals multiple protease-like transcripts.	the banana weevil cosmopolites sordidus is an important and serious insect pest in most banana and plantain-growing areas of the world. in spite of the economic importance of this insect pest very little genomic and transcriptomic information exists for this species. in the present study, we characterized the midgut transcriptome of c. sordidus using massive 454-pyrosequencing. we generated over 590,000 sequencing reads that assembled into 30,840 contigs with more than 400 bp, representing a sig ...	2016	26949943
study of leishmania pathogenesis in mice: experimental considerations.	although leishmaniases are endemic in 98 countries, they are still considered neglected tropical diseases. leishmaniases are characterized by the emergence of new virulent and asymptomatic strains of leishmania spp. and, as a consequence, by a very diverse clinical spectrum. to fight more efficiently these parasites, the mechanisms of host defense and of parasite virulence need to be thoroughly investigated. to this aim, animal models are widely used. however, the results obtained with these mod ...	2016	26969511
leishmania infantum infection in blood donors, northeastern brazil.		2016	26982482