Sec 33 Infestations, Bites, and Stings

Question 1

Endemic areas: OW Leishmaniasis

Answer 1

Mediterranean basin, Southern Europe, Central Africa, and parts of Southern and Central Asia

Question 2

Endemic areas: NW Leishmaniasis

Answer 2

Central and South America

Question 3

Leishmania-free areas

Answer 3

New Zealand, Antarctica, and the Pacific islands

Question 4

Leishmania are dimorphic parasites; in the gut of the sandfly or in culture, they exist in this spindle-shaped motile (single anterior flagellum) form.

Answer 4

Promastigote form (10–20 μm)

Question 5

Leishmania are dimorphic parasites; in the cells of the host reticuloendothelial system, they exist in this oval nonmotile form that has a relatively large basophilic nucleus and a smaller rod-shaped kinetoplast of extranuclear DNA at the base of the lost flagellum.

Answer 5

Amastigote form (2–6 μm)

Question 6

Insect vector of Leishmaniasis

Answer 6

The female phlebotomine sandfly
Phlebotomus in the OW
Lutzomyia and Psychodopygus in the NW

Question 7

Are less than 3 mm long, and do not fly far from their breeding site. Their activity is mostly crepuscular or nocturnal while the host is asleep. They rest during the day and lay their eggs in dark, cool, humid, and organic matterrich places such as rodent burrows, bird’s nests, and house wall fissures. Being exophilic and exophagic, they prefer to rest and to have their meal outdoors, which limits their control through house spraying.

Answer 7

Female phlebotomine sandfly