Effect of Lutzomyia whitmani (Diptera : Psychodidae) salivary gland lysates on Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection in BALB/c mice

Previous reports showed that Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva exacerbate Leishm ania braziliensis infection in mice. The sandfly Lu. whitmani is one of the vectors of L. (Viannia) braziliensis (LVb), a causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the State of Ceara, Brazil. To determine whether saliva o f Lu. whitmani could increase the infectivity of LVb in mice, we inoculated groups of BALB/c mice with LVb promastigotes in the presence or absence of the salivary glands lysate from Lu. whitmani. We found that coinjection wi th Lu. whitmani saliva increased size but not longevity of cutaneous LVb le sions in BALB/c mice, since the formed lesions gradually resolved. The mech anism(s) by which Lu. whitmani saliva might exacerbate LVb infection in BAL B/c mice is speculated.