THE EFFECT OF IMMUNE SERA FROM HAMSTERS IMMUNIZED WITH SANDFLY GUT AND WHOLE-BODY EXTRACT ANTIGENS ON THE FECUNDITY AND MORTALITY OF PHLEBOTOMUS-DUBOSCQI (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE)

Phlebotomus duboscqi were fed on hamsters previously immunized with di fferent concentrations of homogenized crude sandfly gut antigen and su pernatant obtained from whole body extract. The humoral response in th e rodents was quantified at different times post-immunization by the e nzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sandflies were fed on either immuniz ed or saline control hamsters and the effect of the blood meals on san dfly feeding, survival and fecundity was investigated. The humoral res ponse in immunized hamsters as measured by the presence of P. duboscqi -specific IgG antibodies was significantly greater (P<0.05) as compare d to the controls. This difference was noted in sera collected on 15 a nd 25 days post-immunization. Sandflies fed on immunized hamsters had a significantly higher mortality (P<0.05) and decreased egg production (P<0.05) than those fed on unimmunized control hamsters.