@article{fdi:010066746,
  title = {{S}easonal dynamics of phlebotomine sand fly species proven vectors of {M}editerranean {L}eishmaniasis caused by {L}eishmania infantum},
  author = {{A}lten, {B}. and {M}aia, {C}. and {A}fonso, {M}. {O}. and {C}ampino, {L}. and {J}imenez, {M}. and {G}onzalez, {E}. and {M}olina, {R}. and {B}anuls, {A}nne-{L}aure and {P}rudhomme, {J}orian and {V}ergnes, {B}aptiste and {T}oty, {C}{\'e}line and {C}assan, {C}{\'e}cile and {R}ahola, {N}il and {T}hierry, {M}. and {S}ereno, {D}enis and {B}ongiorno, {G}. and {B}ianchi, {R}. and {K}houry, {C}. and {T}sirigotakis, {N}. and {D}okianakis, {E}. and {A}ntoniou, {M}. and {C}hristodoulou, {V}. and {M}azeris, {A}. and {K}arakus, {M}. and {O}zbel, {Y}. and {A}rserim, {S}. {K}. and {K}asap, {O}. {E}. and {G}unay, {F}. and {O}guz, {G}. and {K}aynas, {S}. and {T}sertsvadze, {N}. and {T}skhvaradze, {L}. and {G}iorgobiani, {E}. and {G}ramiccia, {M}. and {V}olf, {P}. and {G}radoni, {L}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {T}he recent geographical expansion of phlebotomine vectors of {L}eishmania infantum in the {M}editerranean subregion has been attributed to ongoing climate changes. {A}t these latitudes, the activity of sand flies is typically seasonal; because seasonal phenomena are also sensitive to general variations in climate, current phenological data sets can provide a baseline for continuing investigations on sand fly population dynamics that may impact on future scenarios of leishmaniasis transmission. {W}ith this aim, in 2011-2013 a consortium of partners from eight {M}editerranean countries carried out entomological investigations in sites where {L}. infantum transmission was recently reported. {M}ethods/{P}rincipal {F}indings {A} common protocol for sand fly collection included monthly captures by {CDC} light traps, complemented by sticky traps in most of the sites. {C}ollections were replicated for more than one season in order to reduce the effects of local weather events. {I}n each site, the trapping effort was left unchanged throughout the survey to legitimate inter-seasonal comparisons. {D}ata from 99,000 collected specimens were analyzed, resulting in the description of seasonal dynamics of 56,000 sand flies belonging to {L}. infantum vector species throughout a wide geographical area, namely {P}. perniciosus ({P}ortugal, {S}pain and {I}taly), {P}. ariasi ({F}rance), {P}. neglectus ({G}reece), {P}. tobbi ({C}yprus and {T}urkey), {P}. balcanicus and {P}. kandelakii ({G}eorgia). {T}ime of sand fly appearance/disappearance in collections differed between sites, and seasonal densities showed variations in each site. {S}ignificant correlations were found between latitude/mean annual temperature of sites and i) the first month of sand fly appearance, that ranged from early {A}pril to the first half of {J}une; ii) the type of density trend, varying from a single peak in {J}uly/{A}ugust to multiple peaks increasing in magnitude from {M}ay through {S}eptember. {A} 3-modal trend, recorded for {P}. tobbi in {C}yprus, represents a novel finding for a {L}. infantum vector. {A}dults ended the activity starting from mid {S}eptember through {N}ovember, without significant correlation with latitude/mean annual temperature of sites. {T}he period of potential exposure to {L}. infantum in the {M}editerranean subregion, as inferred by adult densities calculated from 3 years, 37 sites and 6 competent vector species, was associated to a regular bell-shaped density curve having a wide peak center encompassing the {J}uly-{S}eptember period, and falling between early {M}ay to late {O}ctober for more than 99% of values. {A}pparently no risk for leishmaniasis transmission took place from {D}ecember through {M}arch in the years considered. {W}e found a common pattern of nocturnal females activity, whose density peaked between 11 pm and 2 am. {C}onclusions {D}espite annual variations, multiple collections performed over consecutive years provided homogeneous patterns of the potential behavior of leishmaniasis vectors in selected sites, which we propose may represent sentinel areas for future monitoring. {I}n the investigated years, higher potential risk for {L}. infantum transmission in the {M}editerranean was identified in the {J}une-{O}ctober period (97% relative vector density), however such risk was not equally distributed throughout the region, since density waves of adults occurred earlier and were more frequent in southern territories.},
  keywords = {{PORTUGAL} ; {ESPAGNE} ; {ITALIE} ; {FRANCE} ; {GRECE} ; {CHYPRE} ; {TURQUIE} ; {GEORGIE} ; {ZONE} {MEDITERRANEENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {N}eglected {T}ropical {D}iseases},
  volume = {10},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {e0004458 [22 p.]},
  ISSN = {1935-2735},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0004458},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066746},
}