Lutzomyia longipalpis (Sand Fly)
Lucas Christian de Sousa‐Paula,1
Domenico Otranto,2,3
and Filipe Dantas-Torres1,
*
1
Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), 50740-465, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
2
Parasitology Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
3
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
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Lutzomyia longipalpis appears primarily in Central and South America and is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis
(VL) caused by Leishmania infantum. In Brazil, the country reporting the highest number of human VL cases in the
region, this sand fly is reported in 24 of 27 states. L. longipalpis is adapted to human dwellings, which contributes
to its spreading in rural and urban areas. Female sand flies are catholic blood feeders with remarkable anthropophilic
and endophilic behaviour. The presence of dogs at home and higher dog seropositivity in nearby areas are risk
factors for VL. Current control strategies target adult stages. The limited knowledge of L. longipalpis breeding
sites, which are strictly terrestrial, is a hurdle for controlling the preimaginal stages. In addition, L. longipalpis
composes a species complex, harbouring an uncertain number of cryptic species. Further research may reveal
that some of these cryptic species are more efficient vectors of L. infantum than others.
TRANSMISSION FACTS:
L. longipalpis adults may rest in human
houses and animal shelters during the
day. The biting activity of females is
crepuscular and nocturnal.
Sequential blood meals by L. infantuminfected
L. longipalpis females increase
infective forms in their gut, potentially
augmenting their infectiousness.
L. infantum transmitted by some
L. longipalpis populations with low
amounts of maxadilan (a salivary peptide)
may cause cutaneous lesions in Central
America.
The sand fly promastigote secretory gel
and gut microbiota are egested into host
skin during the bite, playing a role in the
establishment and visceralization of
Leishmania infections.
L. longipalpis is widely used as model for
experimental transmission, with high
biting rate on chicken skin membranes. It
is also permissive to several Leishmania
spp. under laboratory conditions.
CONTROL FACTS:
Insecticide-treated nets and indoor
residual spraying can reduce indoor
transmission. Both strategies can be
boosted when combined with synthetic
sex-aggregation pheromones, which
attracts both males and females.
Applying topical insecticides
(e.g., pyrethroid-based products) on
dogs can reduce their exposure to the
vectors. The extended use of this
strategy in Brazil has not increased
L. longipalpis insecticide resistance.
TAXONOMY AND CLASSIFICATION:
PHYLUM: Arthropoda
CLASS: Insecta
ORDER: Diptera
FAMILY: Psychodidae
GENUS: Lutzomyia
SPECIES: L. longipalpis (Lutz and Neiva
1912)
*Correspondence:
filipe.dantas@cpqam.fiocruz.br
(F. Dantas-Torres).
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796 Trends in Parasitology, September 2020, Vol. 36, No. 9 © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2020.05.007
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Acknowledgements
F.D-T. is the recipient of a research fellowship from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; 313118/2018-3). L.C.S-P. is the recipient of a PhD
scholarship from Fundação de Amparo a Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE; IBPG-0785-2.13/17).
Resources
http://www.cvbd.org/en/sand-fly-borne-diseases/about-sand-flies/sand-fly-feeding/host-seeking-behaviour/
https://www.who.int/leishmaniasis/disease/vector/en/
https://www.troccap.com/
http://www.leishvet.org/
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