The Sand Fly Fauna of an Endemic Focus of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Central Iran

Visceral leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum is endemic in many rural areas of Iran. An investigation was carried out during April to November 2001 in Ghahan rural district of Qom Province, in order to identify the phlebotomine sand fly fauna. 971 sand flies were totally collected from outdoor and indoor resting places by sticky traps. Ten species of phle¬botomine sand flies including 8 species of the genus Phlebotomus (Phlebotomus sergenti, P. major, P. alexandri, P. kande¬lakii, P. tobbi, P. brevis, P. halepensis, P. (Adlerius) sp) and 2 species of the genus Sergentomyia (Sergentomyia pawlowsky and S. theodori) were collected from outdoor and indoor resting-places by sticky traps. High indoor density of P. sergenti (46.9%) and P. major (40.4%) was found with the peak of activity in early July. Based on the results of the present study and also the related studies in other VL foci of Iran, P. major can be considered as the probable vector of the disease in the area.