SAND FLY VECTORIAL ECOLOGY IN THE STATE OF SAO-PAULO

Ecological aspect of sandfly distribution in the State of Sao Paulo, B razil are described. The main man-biting species are Lutzomyia whitman i, Lu.pessoai, Lu.intermedia, Lu.migonei and Lu.fischeri. Their primar y habitat is the forest but latter three of the above species are also encountered in domiciliary environment. Sylvatic species such as Lu.f laviscutellata bite man only rarely and Psychodopygus ayrozai seems to be more anthropophilic. The survival of sand flies in the residual fo rest and in cultivated areas where man has nearly destroyed the forest almost completely is analyzed Over the last ten years the incidence o f human American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) has been increasing: hu man cases occurring within several municipalities in which there is ov erlapping with the distribution of domiciliary Lu.intermedia. New ACL microfoci are appearing in the State of Sao Paulo and these call for f urther study.