BACKGROUND The incidence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has increased in the Southern region of Brazil in recent years, especially in the State of Paraná. New species have been suggested with potential to act as vector in VL endemic areas. OBJECTIVES Identify the Leishmania species in sand fly specimens collected from 2016 to 2018 in the municipality of Itaperuçu, Vale do Ribeira, Paraná, Brazil. METHODS Light traps were used for collections and for the analysis of sand fly were used the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodology and subsequent sequencing. FINDINGS Among the collected specimens, 88.62% were attributed to the species Nyssomyia neivai, which were grouped into 176 pools. Three positive pools were detected: two with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and one with L. (Leishmania) infantum. The positivity rate for the parasite was 0.25% based on the presence of at least one infected insect in the pool. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The detection of L. infantum in Ny. neivai draws attention due to its abundance and anthropophily in the State of Paraná. Moreover, this finding is considered as an alert and suggests that the vector competence of Ny. neivai and the criteria for its incrimination should be carried out, given its wide distribution in southern of Brazil. (VL years Paraná areas 201 Itaperuçu Ribeira PCR (PCR sequencing 8862 88 62 88.62 17 detected Viannia (Viannia L (Leishmania 025 0 25 0.25 pool Ny Moreover out 20 886 8 6 88.6 1 02 2 0.2 88. 0.

BACKGROUND In Acre state, Brazil, the dissemination of cutaneous leishmaniasis has increased in recent years, with limited knowledge of the potential Leishmania spp. vectors involved. OBJECTIVES Here, data concerning the sandfly fauna of Brasiléia municipality, Leishmania DNA-detection rates and the identification of blood meal sources of insects captured in 2013-2015 are presented. METHODS Parasite detection in female sandflies was performed individually by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Leishmania kDNA/sandfly cacophony-gene), with the identification of Leishmania spp. by hsp70-PCR and sequencing. The identification of blood gut-content from fed females was performed by cyt b-PCR and sequencing. FINDINGS A total of 4,473 sandflies were captured. A subgroup of 864 non-blood-fed females evaluated for the presence of Leishmania DNA showed 2.9% positivity for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and L. (V.) guyanensis. The identification of blood meal sources was performed in 96 blood-fed females, allowing the identification of 13 vertebrate species. In nine/96 fed females, DNA from L. (V.) shawi, L. (V.) guyanensis, L. (V.) braziliensis and Endotrypanum sp. was detected. MAIN CONCLUSIONS In Brumptomyia sp. and Evandromyia termitophila, the first report of Leishmania DNA-detection is provided in Acre; Nyssomyia shawi is implicated as potential vector of L. (V.) braziliensis and L. (V.) guyanensis for the first time in Brazil.

Abstract INTRODUCTION This study proposes to identify the Leishmania species found in the skin lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients from Brasiléia municipality (Acre). METHODS Skin biopsy imprints or biopsy fragments were assayed via kDNA-PCR/RFLP and FRET-real-time PCR. RESULTS Of individuals with suspected CL, 18 were positive for Leishmania kDNA. Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (61.1%) and Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis (5.5%) were identified in the positive samples. CONCLUSIONS These results are congruent with the previous reports in Acre and Bolivia, revealing L. braziliensis as the most prevalent species. L. guyanensis identification also corroborates with the epidemiology of the disease in the Amazon Basin.

The sandfly Trichophoromyia auraensis has recently evolved as a proven vector of Leishmania (Viannia) endemic to state of Acre in the north of Brazil. This note is intended to propose a correction in the report of the first occurrence of natural infection of Leishmania (Viannia) in this species. We and the other scientific groups reinforced that Tr. auraensis is a possible vector involved in the transmission of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Acre, Brazil.

Studies on the sandfly fauna to evaluate natural infection indexes are still limited in the Brazilian Amazon, a region with an increasing incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Here, by using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction directed to Leishmania kDNA and hybridisation, we were able to identify L. (Viannia) subgenus in 12 out of 173 sandflies captured in the municipality of Rio Branco, Acre state, revealing a positivity of 6.94%. By sequencing the Leishmania 234 bp-hsp70 amplified products from positive samples, infection by L. (V.) braziliensis was confirmed in five sandflies: one Evandromyia saulensis, three Trichophoromyia auraensis and one Pressatia sp. The finding of L. (Viannia) DNA in two Ev. saulensis corresponds to the first record of possible infection associated with this sandfly. Moreover, our study reveals for the first time in Brazil, Th. auraensis and Pressatia sp. infected by L. (Viannia) parasites.

Phlebotomine sandflies were captured in rural settlement and periurban areas of the municipality of Guaraí in the state of Tocantins (TO), an endemic area of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). Forty-three phlebotomine species were identified, nine of which have already been recognised as ACL vectors. Eleven species were recorded for the first time in TO. Nyssomyia whitmani was the most abundant species, followed by Evandromyia bourrouli, Nyssomyia antunesi and Psychodopygus complexus. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index and the evenness index were higher in the rural settlement area than in the periurban area. The evaluation of different ecotopes within the rural area showed the highest frequencies of Ev. bourrouli and Ny. antunesi in chicken coops, whereas Ny. whitmani predominated in this ecotope in the periurban area. In the rural settlement area, Ev. bourrouli was the most frequently captured species in automatic light traps and Ps. complexus was the most prevalent in Shannon trap captures. The rural settlement environment exhibited greater phlebotomine biodiversity than the periurban area. Ps. complexus and Psychodopygus ayrozai naturally infected with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis were identified. The data identified Ny. whitmani as a potential ACL vector in the periurban area, whereas Ps. complexus was more prevalent in the rural environment associated with settlements.