-81- 

 Potential Vectors 



Based on the results of this field study and the records of other 

 workers, it can be said that Lu. diabol ica is an abundant, widely 

 distributed sand fly species in south central Texas. As the only 

 known anthropophi 1 ic species known in the state, with peridomestic 

 habits, and having a distribution that roughly coincides with areas of 

 Leishmania endemicity, it is strongly implicated as the probable 

 vector of human cutaneous lesishmaniasis in Texas (Fig. 2-29). 

 Further evidence to support this is provided by experiments in which 

 laboratory-fed Lu. diabol ica were shown capable of transmitting 

 L_. mexicana from infected to uninfected hamsters by bite. These 

 experiments are discussed in detail in Chapter 4. 



Endris et _al_. (1984) transmitted L mexicana from infected to 

 uninfected hamsters with laboratory-bred Lu. anthophora . This led 

 them to suggest that L mexicana could be maintained in wild rodent 

 populations by a non-anthropophi 1 ic species, such as Lu . anthophora , 

 and secondarily transmitted to man by a sympatric anthropophi 1 ic sand 

 fly, such as _Lu. diabol ica , thus impl eating L_u. anthophora as a 

 possible accomplice in the transmission of human cutaneous 

 leishmaniasis in Texas. A further possibility that can not be ruled 

 out is that Lu . texana may likewise be implicated as an accomplice 

 vector when knowledge of its hosts and feeding behavior are revealed. 



Processing and Maintenance of Wild-Caught Sand Flies 

 and Recovery of Eggs 



The advantage of recovering eggs from wild-caught females in the 

 field is clear. They are much easier to handle than adults and 



