Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T14:29:35.905Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Suspected vectors of lizard leishmaniasis in Kenya and their possible role in partial immunization of the human populationl against Leishmania donovani in kala-azar endemic areas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Mutuku J. Mutinga
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30771, Nairobi, Kenya
Johnson M. Ngoka
Affiliation:
Division of Vector-borne Diseases, Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 30141, Nairobi, Kenya
Get access

Abstract

Various species of sandflies were collected from outdoor natural resting sites from three districts in Kenya which are endemic for kala-azar (Machakos, West Pokot and Baringo). Their blood-meals were analysed to find out host preferences. Female fed-flies were dissected for parasitological investigation. Lizards from these areas were also trapped and blood and internal organs were examined and cultured for isolation of leishmania parasites. Only the lizards obtained from West Pokot and Baringo revealed leishmania parasites in cultures. Bloodmeal analysis showed that Phlebotomus anten-natus, P. bedfordi, P. schwetzi, P. africanus, P. martini, P. affinis and P. rodhaini fed on reptiles. Additionally, promastigotes were seen and isolated from these sandfly species. The disease incidence appears to be less in areas where leishmania parasites were encountered both in lizards and the sandflies in the same locality.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1981

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Belova, E. M. (1971) Reptiles and their importance in the epidemiology of leishmaniasis. Bull. Wld Hlth. Org. 44, 553660.Google ScholarPubMed
Edrissiam, G. H., Nadim, A., Sanati, A. and Ashar, A. (1971) The immunological relationship between Leishmania tropica (major) and the reptilia leishmania. Parasitologia 23, 411413.Google Scholar
Heisch, R. B. (1955) The vector of an outbreak of kala-azar in Kenya. Nature, 175, 433.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heisch, R. B., Wijers, D. J. B. and Minter, D. M. (1962) In the pursuit of the vector of kala-azar in Kenya. Br. med. J. I, 1456.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoare, C. A. (1959) Discussion on Manson-Bahr's paper. Trans. R. Soc. trop. Med. Hyg. 53, 136.Google Scholar
Latyshev, M. I. and Kryukova, A. P. (1953) The genetic relationship between various species of leishmania (Review in Tropical Dis. Bull. 1955, 52, 520–524). Prob. reg. Gen. Exp. Parasit. Med. Zool. 8, 211215 (in Russian).Google Scholar
Minter, D. M. (1963) Studies on the vector of kala-azar in Kenya, III. Distributional evidence. Ann. trop. Med. Parasit. 57, 1923.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Minter, D. M., Wijers, D. J. B., Heisch, R. B. and Manson-Bahr, P. E. C. (1962) Phlebotomus martini, a probable vector of kala-azar in Kenya Br. med. J. 2, 835.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mutinga, M. J. (1971) Phlebotomus longipes, a vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kenya. Trans. R. Soc. trop. Med. Hyg. 65, 106.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mutinga, M. J. (1975) Phlebotomus fauna in the cutaneous leishmaniasis focus of Mt. Elgon, Kenya. E. Afr. med. J. 52, 341347.Google ScholarPubMed
Mutinga, M. J. and Ngoka, J. M. (1978) Incrimination of the vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Kenya. E. Afr. med. J. 55, 337340.Google ScholarPubMed
Nadim, A. and Faghti, M. A. (1968a) The epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Isfahan Province of Iran. Trans. R. Soc. trop. Med. Hyg. 62, 534539.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nadim, A., Faghti, M. A. and Meghali, A. (1968b) Epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Turkemen-Sahara, Iran. J. trop. Med. Hyg. 71, 238239.Google ScholarPubMed
Nadim, A. Seyedi, Rashti, M. A. and Meghali, A. (1968c) On the nature of leptomonads found in Sergentomyia sintoni in Khoragan and their relationship to lizard leishmaniasis. J. trop. Med. Hyg. 71, 240.Google Scholar
Southgate, B. A. (1967) Leishmania adleri and natural immunity J. trop. Med. Hyg. 70, 3336.Google ScholarPubMed
Peters, W., Chance, M. L., Mutinga, M. J., Ngoka, J. M. and Schnur, L. F. (1977) The identification of human and animal isolates from Kenya. Ann. trop. Med. Parasit. 71, 501502.CrossRefGoogle Scholar