Association of Lutzomyia columbiana (Diptera : Psychodidae) with a leishmaniasis focus in Colombia due to species of the Leishmania mexicana complex

Colombia, Leishmania mexicana has a scattered geographical distribution and no sand fly vectors have been associated with its transmission. During the present study the anthropophilic sand fly Lutzomyia columbiana was found t o be the only species collected using diverse methods, in a small focus of Le. mexicana in the municipality of Samaniego, SW Colombia. Ecological data indicate that this sand fly species is present in both peri and intradomes tic habitats, where it readily bites mall. Further evidence comes from expe rimental infections of wild-caught Lu. columbiana with Le. Mexicana after f eeding on infected hamsters. Based on these results, it is suggested that t his sand fly is the most likely vector in the study area, suggesting the ex istence of a previously unknown sand fly-parasite association.