Blood Meal Analysis of Phlebotomine Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) for Leishmania spp. Identification and Vertebrate Blood Origin, Central Tunisia, 2015-2016.

During the time periods of June 2015 and from July to August 2016, sandflies were collected among seven collection sites of the three leishmaniasis endemic villages of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. A total of 690 sandflies were captured and identified (380 males and 310 females). Four species belonging to genus Phlebotomus (Ph.) and two species belonging to genus Sergentomyia were identified. Leishmania DNA was detected in four out of 310 females (one Ph. sergenti and three Ph. papatasi). The overall sensitivity of the Prepronociceptin gene detection reached 76%. The concurrent presence of Ph. papatasi and Ph. sergenti vectors, the analysis of blood-meals, together with the detection of L. major in Ph. papatasi, confirms the ultimate conditions for the transmission of the disease in center Tunisia. These results expand the known epidemiological area of distrubtion of leishmaniasis and its vectors in this part of Tunisia, highlighting the need for ongoing entomological and parasitological surveillance.