Influence of Leishmania infection on blood-meal digestion in the sandflies Phlebotomus papatasi and P. langeroni.

The presence of amastigote-initiated infections of Leishmania major parasites caused a significant suppression in alkaline protease, trypsin and aminopeptidase activity during the first 30 h after ingestion of the infected bloodmeal in Phlebotomus papatasi, the natural vector of L. major. Protease levels were significantly higher in infected flies after 72 h than in the control group, where digestion had ceased. Evidence for the suppression of protease activity in infected P. langeroni, a sympatric but un-natural vector of L. major, was less clear; there was no difference in alkaline protease activity between control and infected groups in the first 24 h. However, protease, trypsin and aminopeptidase activities were elevated after 72 h in infected P. langeroni, indicating a delay in the time to the end of digestion and passage of the bloodmeal. The potential advantages for parasite development in suppressing protease activity and extending the period of bloodmeal digestion are discussed.