The Development of a Sandfly Semiochemical Surveillance Trap: Field-testing in a Leishmania-Endemic Region (Murcia, Spain)

The Development of a Sandfly Semiochemical Surveillance Trap: Field-testing in a Leishmania-Endemic Region (Murcia, Spain)

Life Sciences

Danny Chen

2024

Arturo Hernandez Colina, Orin Courtney

Phlebotomine sandflies vector multiple disease-causing agents, such as Leishmania spp. Leishmaniasis causes great disease burden especially in developing nations, remains a neglected tropical disease and is endemic in tropical regions and across the mediterranean basin. Although it is curable, treatment can be problematic and expensive. To improve vector and parasite surveillance, sandfly sensory ecology can be exploited to develop novel tools, such as the use of semiochemicals. This work is part of a multidisciplinary approach to combat sandfly vector borne diseases named CLIMOS. This study aims to test the semiochemicals with the highest potential in the lab under field conditions to assess whether they can influence sandfly catches. The absence of significant results indicate a lack of significant effect of the semiochemicals on sandfly catches compared to the control treatment; thus, the current formulation may not be beneficial for vector surveillance. However, differences in sandfly abundance between sampling sites suggest that environmental factors may play a crucial role in trap effectiveness. The study's limitations include time constraints and challenges related to mounting and identification protocols, highlighting the need for long-term studies and the application of molecular techniques. Future research should aim to identify reasons underlying the lack of significant effects of semiochemicals, and testing different doses to optimise their use further in enhanced traps.

Leishmaniasis, Vector Surveillance, Sandfly-borne Diseases, Vector-borne diseases, Semiochemicals, Semiochemical Traps, Field testing in Murcia, Spain