Present situation of phlebotomine sand flies with first record of Phlebotomus ( Larroussius ) neglectus in the endemic focus of visceral leishmaniasis in northwest of Iran

Abstract

This study was characterized morphologically and by comparative DNA sequence analysis of a fragment of Mitochondrial Cytochrome b (mtDNA). A total of 1743 specimens belonging to 20 phlebotomine species were collected and identified at the species level. Individual sand flies from 33 specimens of Phlebotomus (Larroussius) major species complex [P. (Larr.) major and P. (Larr.) neglectus] were characterized morphologically and by comparative DNA sequence analysis of a fragment of Mitochondrial Cytochrome b (mtDNA). The phylogenetic analyses were performed to investigate the relationships among specimens of P. major species complex based on the 242 bp of Cyt b gene amplified with the primers CB3-FC/CB-R06. Cytochrome b fragment sequences were obtained from 4 out of 23 specimens of P. major and from 3 out of 10 specimens of P. neglectus. The present investigation confirmed the presence of P. neglectus for the first time in Iran. In this study morphological identification of specimens was confirmed by molecular characterization.