THE NATURAL LEPTOMONAD INFECTION OF PHLEBOTOMUS PAPATASI AND PHLEBOTOMUS SALEHI IN ENDEMIC FOCI OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN SISTAN AND BALUCHESTAN PROVINCE (SOUTH EAST OF IRAN)

Abstract

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniosis is endemic in Chabahar area, south east of Iran. In order to determine the natural leptomonad infection of phlebotomine sandflies caught from rodent burrows, an investigation was carried out in three foci of this area during June to October 1997. Sandflies were collected by sticky traps, placed at the openings of Meriones hurrianae and Tatera indica burrows. Totally, 667 Phlebotomus papatasi and 465 Phlebotomus salehi were dissected, of which 2.1% and 1.07% of the above studied species found to be infected with promastigote, respectively. Four P.papatasi and one P.salehi indicated infection in the gut as well as the head. This is the first report of promastigote infection of P.salehi in Iran, and P.papatasi in Sistan and Baluchistan province as well.