Molecular detection of Leishmania donovani, Leishmania major, and Trypanosoma species in Sergentomyia squamipleuris sand flies from a visceral leishmaniasis focus in Merti sub-County, eastern Kenya

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) are of public health concern in Merti sub-County, Kenya, but epidemiological data on transmission, vector abundance, distribution, and reservoir hosts remain limited. To better understand the disease and inform control measures t...

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Published in:	Parasites & vectors Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 53
Main Authors:	Owino, Barrack O, Mwangi, Jackline Milkah, Kiplagat, Steve, Mwangi, Hannah Njiriku, Ingonga, Johnstone M, Chebet, Alphine, Ngumbi, Philip M, Villinger, Jandouwe, Masiga, Daniel K, Matoke-Muhia, Damaris
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England BioMed Central Ltd 18-01-2021 BioMed Central BMC
Subjects:	Abdomen Abundance Blood Blood meals Castor oil Cutaneous leishmaniasis Cytochrome Cytochrome b Cytochrome-c oxidase Cytochromes Deoxyribonucleic acid Diagnosis Diptera Disease control Distribution DNA Epidemics Epidemiology Females Flies Genes Geographical distribution Health aspects Host preferences Hosts Identification Identification and classification Infections Kala-azar Laboratories Leishmania Leishmania donovani Leishmania major Leishmaniasis Light traps Meals Mechanical transmissions Morphology Mus musculus Nucleotide sequence Parasites Parasitic diseases Pathogens PCR Phlebotomus Polymerase chain reaction Preference analysis Public health Rain Risk factors Sample size Sand fly Sergentomyia Species Surveying Tropical diseases Trypanosoma Vector-borne diseases Vertebrates Visceral leishmaniasis Zoonoses Kenya United States > US Germany Sand fly Trypanosoma Phlebotomus Visceral leishmaniasis Leishmania Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis Sergentomyia Leishmaniasis Kenya
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Summary:	Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) are of public health concern in Merti sub-County, Kenya, but epidemiological data on transmission, vector abundance, distribution, and reservoir hosts remain limited. To better understand the disease and inform control measures to reduce transmission, we investigated the abundance and distribution of sand fly species responsible for Leishmania transmission in the sub-County and their blood-meal hosts. We conducted an entomological survey in five villages with reported cases of VL in Merti sub-County, Kenya, using CDC miniature light traps and castor oil sticky papers. Sand flies were dissected and identified to the species level using standard taxonomic keys and PCR analysis of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. Leishmania parasites were detected and identified by PCR and sequencing of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) genes. Blood-meal sources of engorged females were identified by high-resolution melting analysis of vertebrate cytochrome b (cyt-b) gene PCR products. We sampled 526 sand flies consisting of 8 species, Phlebotomus orientalis (1.52%; n = 8), and 7 Sergentomyia spp. Sergentomyia squamipleuris was the most abundant sand fly species (78.71%; n = 414) followed by Sergentomyia clydei (10.46%; n = 55). Leishmania major, Leishmania donovani, and Trypanosoma DNA were detected in S. squamipleuris specimens. Humans were the main sources of sand fly blood meals. However, we also detected mixed blood meals; one S. squamipleuris specimen had fed on both human and mouse (Mus musculus) blood, while two Ph. orientalis specimens fed on human, hyrax (Procavia capensis), and mouse (Mus musculus) blood. Our findings implicate the potential involvement of S. squamipleuris in the transmission of Leishmania and question the dogma that human leishmaniases in the Old World are exclusively transmitted by sand flies of the Phlebotomus genus. The presence of Trypanosoma spp. may indicate mechanical transmission, whose efficiency should be investigated. Host preference analysis revealed the possibility of zoonotic transmission of leishmaniasis and other pathogens in the sub-County. Leishmania major and L. donovani are known to cause ZCL and VL, respectively. However, the reservoir status of the parasites is not uniform. Further studies are needed to determine the reservoir hosts of Leishmania spp. in the area.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1756-3305 1756-3305
DOI:	10.1186/s13071-020-04517-0