Abstract

The present study reports two simple molecular approaches allowing a rapid identification of the most prevalent species of phlebotomine sand flies in the Mediterranean region. A PCR protocol for the amplification of ITS2 ribosomal region and a PCR-RFLP on a mitochondrial DNA fragment (cytb-nd1) were settled in order to identify and discriminate among Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus neglectus, Phlebotomus perfiliewi, Phlebotomus papatasi and Sergentomyia minuta. The ITS2 regions showed a certain degree of interspecific variability, which led to PCR amplicons of different sizes, i.e., 450, 490, 460, 480 and 530 bp for P. perniciosus, P. neglectus, P. perfiliewi, P. papatasi, and S. minuta, respectively. Analogously, the digestion of a mitochondrial DNA amplicon with Ase I enzyme showed five different restriction profiles, which allowed the unequivocal differentiation of the sand fly species examined. These methods might represent useful tools for a molecular large scale screening of phlebotomine sand fly species caught in areas where leishmaniasis is endemic, in order to plan appropriate epidemiological surveillance programs for both Leishmania spp. and their vectors.

Autore Pugliese

• Otranto Domenico , Latrofa Maria Stefania

Tutti gli autori

• OTRANTO D.;DANTAS TORRES F.;ANNOSCIA G.;ANNOSCIA G.;LATROFA M.S.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Non Disponibile

Anno di pubblicazione

2012

ISSN

0304-4017

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Scopus

16

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile