ABSTRACT
Sand flies have expanded their areas of distribution, thereby increasing the risk of pathogen transmission in non-endemic areas. To establish efficient prevention and control strategies for the transmission of vector-borne pathogens, it is important to understand seasonal dynamics of their vectors. In Mexico, there are several areas where the contact between sand flies, hosts and reservoirs favours the transmission of the pathogen. We compared sand fly communities in a forest management area and a conserved area in Noh-Bec, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The analysis included species diversity, activity peaks and molecular detection of pathogens. Sand flies were collected from November to December 2021 and April to May 2022, during 84 night-traps. The conserved area showed higher numbers and greater species heterogeneity of sand flies as compared with the other sites. The ß-diversity analysis revealed that sites disturbed by logging (S1, S2, S3) had greater similarity (90%) in their sand fly species composition than a conserved area (S4) (similarity = 36%). Although none of the specimens were infected with Leishmania, we detected Wolbachia (19.4%) in all four sites, as well as Bartonella (3.25%) only in the disturbed sites. Further studies on the dynamics of sand fly populations and their association with pathogens are necessary.
Subject(s)
Phlebotomus , Psychodidae , Animals , Mexico , Insect Vectors , ForestsABSTRACT
Anopheles darlingi is considered the main vector of malaria in the Neotropical region, so knowledge of its distribution in the Americas is highly relevant for the design of strategies for prevention and control of the illness. In Mexico, An. darlingi was recorded for the first time in 1943, and currently its distribution covers the states of Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, and Tabasco. In this study, new distribution data and observations of the abundance of An. darlingi in 14 localities of Quintana Roo, southeastern Mexico, are presented.
