Parasites belonging to Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania donovani, Leishmania mexicana complexes and Trypanosoma cruzi (clones 20 and 39) were searched in blood, lesions and strains collected from 28 patients with active cutaneous leishmaniasis and one patient with visceral leishmaniasis. PCR-hybridization with specific probes of Leishmania complexes (L. braziliensis, L. donovani and L. mexicana) and T. cruzi clones was applied to the different DNA samples. Over 29 patients, 8 (27.6%) presented a mixed infection Leishmania complex species, 17 (58.6%) a mixed infection Leishmania-T. cruzi, and 4 (13.8%) a multi Leishmania-T. cruzi infection. Several patients were infected by the two Bolivian major clones 20 and 39 of T. cruzi (44.8%). The L. braziliensis complex was more frequently detected in lesions than in blood and a reverse result was observed for L. mexicana complex. The polymerase chain reaction-hybridization design offers new arguments supporting the idea of an underestimated rate of visceral leishmanisis in Bolivia. Parasites were isolated by culture from the blood of two patients and lesions of 10 patients. The UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages) dendrogram computed from Jaccard's distances obtained from 11 isoenzyme loci data confirmed the presence of the three Leishmania complexes and undoubtedly identified human infections by L. (V.) braziliensis, L. (L.) chagasi and L. (L.) mexicana species. Additional evidence of parasite mixtures was visualized through mixed isoenzyme profiles, L. (V.) braziliensis-L. (L.) mexicana and Leishmania spp.-T. cruzi.The epidemiological profile in the studied area appeared more complex than currently known. This is the first report of parasitological evidence of Bolivian patients with trypanosomatidae multi infections and consequences on the diseases' control and patient treatments are discussed.

Toro Toro (T) and Yungas (Y) have been described as genetically well differentiated populations of the Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) complex in Bolivia. Here we use geometric morphometrics to compare samples from these populations and new populations (Bolivia and Nicaragua), representing distant geographical origins, qualitative morphological variation ("one-spot" or "two-spots" phenotypes), ecologically distinct traits (peridomestic and silvatic populations), and possibly different epidemiological roles (transmitting or nor transmitting Leishmania chagasi). The Nicaragua (N) (Somotillo) sample was "one-spot" phenotype and a possible peridomestic vector. The Bolivian sample of the Y was also "one-spot" phenotype and a demonstrated peridomestic vector of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The three remaining samples were silvatic, "two-spots" phenotypes. Two of them (Uyuni and T) were collected in the highlands of Bolivian where VL never has been reported. The last one (Robore, R) came from the lowlands of Bolivia, where human cases of VL are sporadically reported. The decomposition of metric variation into size and shape by geometric morphometric techniques suggests the existence of two groups (N/Y/R, and U/T). Several arguments indicate that such subdivision of Lu. longipalpis could correspond to different evolutionary units.

Morphological variation among geographic populations of the New World sand fly Lutzomyia quinquefer (Diptera, Phlebotominae) was analyzed and patterns detected that are probably associated with species emergence. This was achieved by examining the relationships of size and shape components of morphological attributes, and their correlation with geographic parameters. Quantitative and qualitative morphological characters are described, showing in both sexes differences among local populations from four Departments of Bolivia. Four arguments are then developed to reject the hypothesis of environment as the unique source of morphological variation: (1) the persistence of differences after removing the allometric consequences of size variation, (2) the association of local metric properties with meristic and qualitative attributes, rather than with altitude, (3) the positive and significant correlation between metric and geographic distances, and (4) the absence of a significant correlation between altitude and general-size of the insects.

Os autores descrevem a fêmea de Lutzomyia zeledoni Young & Murillo, 1984 do Grupo Vespertilionis Theodor, 1965. Esta espécie foi capturada em meio peridoméstico em companhia de Lutzomyia longipalpis, reportado pela primeira vez na Nicarágua. O artigo chama a atenção sobre a importância epidemiológica desta última espécie escolhida em abundância em vários pontos da costa pacífica.

The authors describe the female of Lutzomyia zeledoni Young & Murillo, 1984 from the group Vespertilionis Theodor, 1965. This species was cpatured in the peridomestic environment together with Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz & Neiva, 1912 here reported for the first time in Nicaragua. Emphasis is placed on the epidemiological importance of this latter species collected in abundance at several sites along the Pacific coast.

Les auteurs décrivent la femelle de Lutzomyia zeledoni Young et Murillo, 1984 du Groupe Vespertilionis Theodor, 1965. Cette espèce a été capturée en milieu péridomestique en compagnie de Lutzomyia longpalpis Lutz et Neiva, 1912 répertorié pour la première fois du Nicaragua. Il est mis l'accent sur l'importance épidémiologique de cette dernière espèce récoltée en abondance dans plusieurs stations de la façade pacifique.

Uma pesquisa epidemiológica sobre os vetores da leishmaniose tegumentar (do tipo espúndia) foi empreendida na região do Alto Beni, na Bolívia, uma zona de contrafortes andinos no limite Este das baixas planícies amazônicas. O clima é tipicamente tropical úmido (15- de latitude Sul). As espécies de flebótomos antropofílicos foram amostradas em vinte estações, todas na floresta. A importância das espécies do grupo Psychodopygus, já suspeitas como vetores na transmissão da Leishmania do complexo braziliensis, foi comprovada por: 1) a agressividade e a variedade das espécies encontradas (83% das capturas e nove espécies); 2) a descoberta de uma nova espécie antropofílica, P. yucumensis e 3) o isolamento de uma amostra de Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis indistinguível das amostras humanas da mesma região, de duas espécies, P. llanosmartinsi e P. yucumensis.

An epidemiological survey of the vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis ("espúndia" type) was caried out in the Alto Beni region of Bolivia, an area of Andean foothills at the Eastern limit of the Amazonian lowlands. The climate is typical wet tropical (15ºS latitude). Anthropophilic phlebotomine sandfly species were sampled at 20 sites, all forested. The importance of species from the Psychodopygus group, already suspected as a vector in the transmission of Leishmania from the braziliensis complex, was confirmed by: 1) the aggressiveness and diversity of the species encountered (83% of catches, nine species), 2) the discovery of a new anthropophilic species, P. yucumensis and 3) the isolation of a strain of Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis indistinguishable from human strains from the same area, from two species, P. llanosmartinsi and P. yucumensis.

Psychodopygus yucumensis n.sp., uma nova espécie de flebotomíneo que pertence ao gênero Psychodopygus mang., é descrita das espécies coletadas sobre o homem, no departamento de Beni, na Bolívia. Os indivíduos do sexo masculino são característicos das séries panamensis, mas as fêmeas, muito próximas de p.c. carrerai, podem ser confundidas com esta espécie ("cryptic species"). A caracterização isoenzimática pode determinar cada indivíduo das duas espécies, enquanto que a análise morfométrica demonstra diferenças estatísticas entre as duas espécies. p. yucumensis é fortemente antropofílica. Uma cepa de Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis foi isolada desta nova espécie, indicando que ela é um dos vetores de leishmaniose mucocutânea na região subandina baixa.

Psychodopygus yucumensis n.sp., a new species of Phlebotomine sandfly belonging in genus Psychodopygus mang., is described from specimens collected from human bait, in Beni dept., Bolivia. The male is characteristic of the series panamensis, but the female, closely related to P. carrerai carrerai, can be confused with this species ("cryptic species"). Isozyme characterization can determine any specimen of either species, while morphometric analysis shows statistical differences between the two species. P. yucumensis is strongly anthropophilic. A Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis stock was isolated from this new species, indicating that it is one of the vectors of mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis in the lowland subandean area.