Phlebotomus langeroni Nitzulescu (Diptera, Psychodidae) a new vector for Leishmania infantum in Europe.

Burrows of the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, a lagomorph that has been recently suggested as a Leishmania infantum reservoir, constitute an unspoilt biotope in phlebotomine studies in Europe. We hypothesize that Phlebotomus langeroni, a proven vector of L. infantum in North Africa, is associated with rabbits and may have been overlooked in Europe. Sandfly captures were carried out with CDC light traps in an L. infantum endemic area of southern Spain with a high density of lagomorphs and a large numbers of burrows. The stable, permanent, and highly abundant presence of P. langeroni was assessed. After morphological identification, this sandfly species was characterized by comparing it with P. perniciosus and other P. langeroni populations from North Africa through molecular techniques. P. langeroni had not been found in southern Spain to date, despite being a highly investigated area, except for this particular biotope. Its activity period turned out to begin in mid-July, ending in late October, accounting for a maximum activity during this month. This study shows that P. langeroni is associated with the existence of rabbit burrows and has been overlooked in Europe. L. infantum DNA was found in almost half of the female specimens (47.6%) captured inside a biotope where wild rabbits are infected as well.

First autochthonous malaria case due to Plasmodium vivax since eradication, Spain, October 2010.

In October 2010, one case of autochthonous malaria due to Plasmodium vivax was diagnosed in Spain. The case occurred in Aragon, north-eastern Spain, where the vector Anopheles atroparvus is present. Although the source of infection could not be identified, this event highlights that sporadic autochthonous transmission of vector-borne diseases in continental Europe is possible and calls for enhanced surveillance and vector control measures.

Abiotic factors influencing the ecology of wild rabbit fleas in north-eastern Spain.

During 1992, the population dynamics of rabbit fleas were compared at two sites in north-eastern Spain. The sites differed mainly in terms of annual rainfall and soil type. All flea species showed seasonal cycles of abundance, although peaks in numbers occurred at different times, reflecting their specific adaptations for coping with climatic variables. Adult Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) were found largely parasitizing rabbits in spring and adult Caenopsylla laptevi (Beaucournu etal.) (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) in the autumn. In contrast, monthly flea indices of Xenopsylla cunicularis (Smit) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and Echidnophaga iberica (Ribeiro et al.) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) peaked in summer. Spilopsyllus cuniculi was present at both sites, but was less common on the drier site, where monthly mean temperature and annual rainfall approached the flea's physiological limits. By contrast, E. iberica, X. cunicularis and C. laptevi, known to be better adapted for dryness, showed the opposite patterns of abundance. Nevertheless, even these arid-adapted species took advantage of the milder and wetter spring (X. cunicularis and E. iberica) or autumn (C. laptevi) for breeding and larval development. Although environmental temperature, rainfall and soil texture will influence the microclimate of the burrows where the flea larvae develop, burrow humidity seems to be more dependent on soil characteristics and past rainfall rather than the humidity of the external air.

[Influence of the nature of the ingested blood on the gonotrophic parameters of Phlebotomus perniciosus under laboratory conditions]. / Influence de la nature du sang ingéré sur les paramètres gonotrophiques de Phlebotomus perniciosus sous conditions de laboratoire.

A laboratory study was conducted about the duration of developmental stages and the productivity connected with the type of blood meal ingested by the female of Phlebotomus perniciosus. The pre-oviposition and egg incubation periods are not affected whatever the blood ingested by the female. The shorter time required to achieve larval development (rabbit) and pupal development (hamster) governs the generation time, shorter than in the other hosts (dog and man). The productivity is greater when blood is ingested from the rabbit and the dog. This is mainly due to the smaller number of eggs retained in females with these hosts.

Parasitosis of stray dogs in north-eastern Spain.

The authors analysed 42 stray dogs in north-eastern Spain. Of these, 29 dogs were parasitised by one or more helminth species. The parasites found were intestinal nematodes (59.52%) and cestodes (47.61%). Differences between urban stray dogs and feral dogs are discussed.

Seasonal dynamics of Larroussius species in Aragon (N.E. Spain).

Two species belonging to subgenus Larroussius (P.perniciosus and P. ariasi) were collected in Aragón (Northeast of Spain). P.perniciosus was found in all places taken into account in the study, being the most abundant species in the Mediterranean-type vegetation where it is thought it is the principal vector involved in the transmission of Leishmaniasis. On the other hand, P. ariasi was not identified in the Central area, the most dry one, of the Mediterranean zone. It reached its highest density on the Submediterranean-type vegetation where it is considered the main vector.

Seasonal dynamics of Sergentomyia minuta (Rondani, 1843) populations in Aragon (N.E. Spain).

This paper shows the abundance, density and phenology of Sergentomyia minuta in Aragon (Northeast of Spain). Specimens were collected using sticky traps and sampling was carried out taking vegetation as ecologycal indicator. Differences in density were found among the studied areas related to ecologycal conditions. S. minuta showed its highest density in the coldest and rainiest area of Aragon (Central Pyrenees). These results are discussed with those got from other authors in different parts of the Mediterranean Basin.