effect of the host blood on the biology of the sand fly, phlebotomus papatasi [diptera: psychodidae] under laboratory conditions

ABSTRACT

The effect of the blood of human, Guinea pig and hamster on the different biological aspects of phlebotomid sand fly, Phiebotomus papatasi under laboratory conditions of 28 +/- 2°C, 75 +/- 5% RH and a 1410 hr. [LD] photoperiod regime was evaluated. Man was the most preferable host followed by hamster, and then Guinea pig. Human blood gave the highest yield of eggs [mean 65.15 eggs/female], highest hatchability [mean 96.23%], shortest egg incubation period [mean 7.37 days], shortest larval duration [mean 22.59 days], shortest adult emergence period [mean 39.73 days] and highest productivity of the adult progeny [mean; 81.75%]. As human blood can not be currently used for laboratory rearing and colonization of sand flies, the hamster may be chosen as source of a substituted blood for the long term colonization of P. papatasi