Study of fauna, activity patterns and infection rate of phlebotomine sand flies in Western Iran.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a crucial vector-borne disease caused by various species of and is transmitted by several species of sandflies. The present study was conducted to describe sand fly fauna on vectors of leishmaniasis and performing molecular identification of isolates from them on the Iran-Iraq border. Entomological surveys were done from May to October 2016-2018 in 2 counties (Mehran and Dehloran) of Ilam province, west of Iran. Sandflies were collected by 40 Sticky Traps at each station. Samples were mounted for species identification using morphological characters of the head and abdominal terminalia. DNA was extracted from females, and isolates were identified through PCR on minicircle kDNA, followed by sequencing. A total of 5592 sandflies including 2 genera of and comprising 8 species of sand flies were detected. infection was detected in 3.33% of 300 tested female sandflies. was predominant in outdoor and indoor resting places. was determined as dominant vector of infection in Mehran and Dehloran counties, West of Iran. It seems the composition of sandfly species in the study area is almost similar to the other parts of Iran. A detailed description of the epidemiology and ecology of Phlebotomine sand flies needs to be established to accomplish effective vector control programs.