%0 Journal Article
%T Distribution and Abundance of Phlebotominae, Vectors of Leishmaniasis, in Argentina: Spatial and Temporal Analysis at Different Scales
%A Mar¨ªa Gabriela Quintana
%A Mar¨ªa Soledad Fern¨¢ndez
%A Oscar Daniel Salom¨®n
%J Journal of Tropical Medicine
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/652803
%X The spatial-temporal analysis of the abundance of insects, vectors of tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL), was performed in Argentina using spatial-temporal increasing scales. In the microscale (microfocal), the effect of the primary vegetation-crop interface in vector abundance was observed, and also how the shelters, food sources, and other environmental characteristics contribute to habitat microheterogeneity and so to a microheterogeneous vector distribution. In the mesoscale (locality or epidemic focus), the results from different foci of TL (rural and periurban) and VL (urban) suggested a metapopulation structure determined partially by quantifiable habitat variables that could explain the increase of risk associated to an increase of vector-human contact due to climatic or anthropogenic changes. In the macroscale (regional), captures of vectors and records of human cases allowed the construction of risk maps and predictive models of vector distribution. In conclusion, in order to obtain valid results transferrable to control programs from spatial studies, special attention should be paid in order to assure the consistency between the spatial scales of the hypotheses, data, and analytical tools of each experimental or descriptive design. 1. Introduction The leishmaniases comprise a set of clinical manifestations produced by different Trypanosomatidae parasites of the genus Leishmania, transmitted by the bite of the female of Phlebotominae, in America from the genus Lutzomyia. The three main clinical forms are visceral leishmaniasis (VL), cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (ML), the last two are called together tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL). In Argentina were characterized four species of Leishmania from human cases: Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, Le. (Leishmania) amazonensis, Le. (Viannia) guyanensis, associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis, and Le. infantum associated to visceral leishmaniasis [1]. The association of the parasite Leishmania with its vector is generally ¡°species specific,¡± with restrictive vector competence, although permissive vector species were also described [2, 3]. Lutzomyia is the largest genus of vectors present in America, with approximately 500 species, 40 of them are vectors of leishmaniases. The classification adopted in this study was from Young and Duncan [4]. In Argentina, 28 species of Phlebotominae (23 species of Lutzomyia, 4 of Brumptomyia, and 1 species of Oligodontomyia) were recorded, distributed in 13 provinces, and from those were incriminated as
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jtm/2012/652803/