Enhanced sandfly attraction to Leishmania-infected hosts

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2002 Mar-Apr;96(2):117-8. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(02)90273-7.

Abstract

We report that hamsters infected with Leishmania infantum are more attractive to female sandflies in bioassays. Entrained odours from infected animals were shown by gas chromatography to contain peaks absent from uninfected individuals. Implications of enhanced transmission, potential for developing novel diagnoses and the significance to epidemiological models are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cricetinae / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Leishmania infantum / physiology*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / parasitology*
  • Odorants
  • Psychodidae / physiology*