Natural infection of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Cembrene-1 population) with Leishmania infantum in a new visceral leishmaniasis focus in the eastern region of São Paulo State, Brazil.

Abstract INTRODUCTION Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) transmission has been associated with two different populations of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex in São Paulo state. METHODS In a recent focus of VL, we captured and dissected sand flies and investigated Leishmania infantum infection by parasitological, PCR, and sequencing analysis. RESULTS Flagellates were observed in 2 of 47 (4.2%) cembrene-1 Lu. longipalpis females. The sequences obtained matched those of Le. infantum. CONCLUSIONS We found that the transmission of Le. infantum by cembrene-1 females may occur at a high rate in this focus of VL and presented new data on the vector capacity of this population.