Distribution, Abundance and Infection of Lutzomyia longipalpis, vector of Visceral Leishmaniasis in three Municipalities of the Department of Caaguazú, Paraguay.

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease that has in common to be caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania and transmitted by the action of hematophagous Diptera – Psychodidae (sandflies). Sandflies are vectors of several infectious and parasitic agents such as Phlebovirus, Bartonella bacilliformis and Leishmania spp. Females are the only insects capable of transmitting the known Leishmania species. It is considered a reemerging disease, and a growing problem of public health due to the increase in cases as a consequence of the greater exposure of people to vectors, as well as exposure to environmental risk factors, mass migrations, urbanization and deforestation. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the transmission conditions of Leishmania sp. and the conditioning risk factors in the urban and rural communities of Caaguazú.