LEISHMANIASIS IN ECUADOR .2. MAN VECTORS CONTACTS WITH LUTZOMYIA-TRAPIDOI AND LU-GOMEZI/

In two leishmaniasis endemic foci of the Pacific coast of Ecuador, whe re the primary forest is severely attacked by human settlements, intra domiciliar sandfly catches, with light trap and human bait, have been carried out from August 1991 to October 1992. The presumed vector Lutz omyia trapidoi was by far the dominant species inside dwellings at Par aiso Escondido in the preandean hills (86 % of the anthropophilic sand fly population, and 8.5 females/night catch by light trap). Not a sing le Lu. gomezi was caught in this village. At La Tablada, Lu. gomezi wa s the dominant anthropophilic species in the coastal cordillera (83 % of anthropophilic sandfly population and 3.7 females/night catch by li ght trap); Lu. trapidoi accounted only for 4.6 % of the total catches in this village. On human bait, catches were variable depending on the day and on the season, but dominant species were always the same. The percentage of Lu. trapidoi was higher on human bait than in light tra p. Blood meal identifications of engorged Lu. gomezi and Lu. trapidoi confirmed the anthropophily of these two species in the houses.