THE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO 4% DDT AND HOST PREFERENCE OF THE PROBABLE VECTORS OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN NORTH WEST OF IRAN

Abstract

This study was carried out on Phlebotomus kandelakii and Ph.perfiliewi, the probable vectors of visceral leishmaniosis in the north west of Iran during the summer of 1994. The results of the susceptibility test showed that the mortality rate with 60-min exposure to 4% DDT was 100% for each species, while with 30-min exposure the average mortality rates were 93.3% and 94.4% for P. Kandelakii and P.perfiliewi, respectively, indicating the sensitivity of the two probable vectors to DDT in Ardabil Province. The blood meals of 116 engorged sand-flies were collected from 3 villages of Meshkin-shahr County, including P.papatasi, P.caucasicus and P. kandelaki, and eighty one of them belonged to P. kandelakii. All of the blood meals were positive with human and 11.1% with dog antisera, indicating a strong preference to man.