Complex ecological interactions across a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Eastern Colombia: novel description of<i>Leishmania</i>species, hosts and phlebotomine fauna

Abstract

This study aimed to analyse the patterns of diversity, blood sources and <i>Leishmania</i> species of phlebotomines in a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Arboledas, Eastern Colombia. In total, 1729 phlebotomines were captured in two localities (62.3% Siravita and 37.7% Cinera) and five environments of Norte de Santander. We identified 18 species of phlebotomines: <i>Pintomyia ovallesi</i> (29.8%), <i>Psychodopygus davisi</i> (20.3%), <i>Pi. spinicrassa</i> (18.5%) and <i>Lutzomyia gomezi</i> (15.8%) showed the highest abundance. Species diversities were compared between Cinera (15.00) and Siravita (20.00) and among five microenvironments: forest remnants (19.49), coffee plantations (12.5), grassland (12.99), cane plantations (11.66) and citrus plantations (12.22). <i>Leishmania</i> DNA was detected in 5.8% (80/1380) of females, corresponding mainly to <i>Pi</i>. <i>ovallesi</i> (22/80; 27.2%), <i>Lu</i>. <i>gomezi</i> (17/80; 21.3%) and <i>Pi</i>. <i>spinicrassa</i> (11/80; 13.8%). <i>Leishmania</i> species were 63.1% <i>L. braziliensis</i>, 18.5% <i>L</i>. <i>panamensis</i>, 13.2% <i>L</i>. <i>infantum</i> and 6.1% <i>L</i>. <i>amazonensis</i>. The most frequent feeding sources were <i>Homo sapiens</i> (50%), <i>Bos taurus</i> (13.8%) and <i>Canis lupus familiaris</i> (10.3%). This focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis has a high diversity of <i>Leishmania</i>-carrying phlebotomines that feed on domestic animals. The transmission of leishmaniasis to human hosts was mainly associated with <i>Lu</i>. <i>gomezi</i>, <i>Pi</i>. <i>ovallesi</i> and <i>L</i>. <i>braziliensis</i>.