Studies on populations of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Brazil

Studies were performed on five Brazilian populations of Lutzomyia longipalpis: Salvaterra (PA), São José do Ribamar (MA), Canindé (CE), Natal (RN) and Gruta da Lapinha, Lagoa Santa (MG). No morphological differences were observed that could distinguish between these populations. Homogeneity tests showed that the allopatric populations display a certain heterogeneity and that the sympatric populations, with different patterns of spots, are homogeneous. The Student-Newman-Keuls test, represented by Euler-Venn diagrams, showed a disjunction between the populations from the north/northeast and the one from Gruta da Lapinha. Genetic distances between the four populations (excluding the Canindé population) were within the range of intrapopulational differences. The Gruta da Lapinha population displayed a heterozygotic deficiency that could be a consequence of high levels of inbreeding due to cryptic habits of living in a small cave. These results do not favor the hypothesis of a L. longipalpis species complex in Brazil, and the species should be considered high polymorphic.

Flagellates in the Malpighian tubules of laboratory-bred Lutzomyia longipalpis fed on a hamster experimentally infected with Leishmania mexicana amazonensis

Encontramos abundantes promastigotas nos tubos de Malpighi, além do tubo digestivo, em elevada proporçäo de fêmeas de Lutzomyia longipalpis experimentalmente infectadas em hamster inoculado com Leishmania mexicana amazonensis

Estabelecimento de colonia, em laboratório de Lutzomyia intermedia Lutz & Neiva, 1912 (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) / Establishment of colony, in laboratory, of Lutzomyia intermedia Lutz & Neiva, 1912 (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae)

Para a utilizaçäo em infecçöes experimentais e xenodiagnósticos de infecçöes naturais por leishmânias dermotrópicas do Rio de Janeiro, estabelecemos, em laboratório, uma colônia de Lutzomyia intermedia apresentando aqui a metodologia seguida, juntamente com dados relativos ao rendimento e duraçäo de cada fase evolutiva nas quatro primeiras geraçöes

Infecçäo natural de Lutzomyia intermedia Lutz & Neiva, 1912, em área endêmica de leishmaniose tegumentar no Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Natural infections of Lutzomyia intermedia Lutz & Neiva, 1912, in a endemic area of cutaneous leischmaniasis of Rio de Janeiro

Num foco de leishmaniose tegumentar em Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro, foi encontrado um exemplar de Lutzomyia intermedia naturalmente infectado com Leishmania braziliensis