Behaviour of sandflies infected with Leishmania

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a ` neglected tropical disease neglected tropical disease', and there have been some significant recent advances in research on how Leishmania Leishmania species, the causative agents of the disease, affect the behaviour of phlebotomine sandfly sandflies, their insect vectors. This chapter briefly describes the eco-epidemiology of some natural transmission cycles, focusing on the ones that are susceptible to laboratory experimentation. Research on these transmission cycles has often been prompted by their public health importance, although some vector-parasite associations have become models because of the ease of laboratory experimentation. The principal models of experimental infection are explained in some detail, to enable us to review the current knowledge of changes in sandfly behavioural traits that have been specifically related to Leishmania infections and might affect leishmaniasis transmission. Finally, we discuss how this knowledge could lead to new ways of controlling sandflies and leishmaniasis.