Sandflies (Diptera : Psychodidae) associated with epidemic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sanliurfa, Turkey

As part of a project to study the possible impact of environmental change o n health in southeastern Turkey, we evaluated sandfly species diversity, ab undance, and habitat associations in an urban area where cutaneous leishman iasis was undergoing epidemic re-emergence. Houses and caves in and around the city of Sanliurfa, Turkey, were sampled using mechanical aspirators, st icky papers, and CDC light traps. Of 1,649 sandflies captured, including 6 Phlebotomus and 1 Sergentomyia species, nearly all were P. papatasi (Scopol i) (967) or P. sergenti Parrot (674). Sandflies were active during June-Sep tember (hot dry season), but not during January (cool rainy season). Restin g phlebotomines were abundant inside houses. Houses sampled in 3 neighborho ods with a high cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence (9-65 cases per 1,000 pop ulation) had >10 times more flies than at a comparison site where few cases (0.2 per 1,000) have been reported. Results indicated that P. sergenti or P. papatasi were the probable vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis during thi s outbreak and that control of these sandflies may eliminate transmission.