Phlebotomine sand flies are the only known vectors of Leishmania spp. protozoan which causes leishmaniasis in 98 countries. In Spain, 11 sand fly species are described, but only Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus ariasi are proven vectors of the disease. On the other hand, Sergentomyia minuta is one of the most abundant and ubiquitous sand flies in this territory, although scarce information is available about this species. Sand flies from this genus are known for their preference to feed on cold-blooded animals and are traditionally involved in the transmission of reptile Leishmania. However, studies have suggested that Sergentomyia spp. could be implicated in the transmission of human pathogenic Leishmania. This study analyses blood meal preferences and Leishmania sp. infection of S. minuta sand flies from the largest human leishmaniasis outbreak in Europe. Sand flies were collected during entomological surveillance carries out from 2012 to 2017 in the active season of these dipterans, from May to October. Molecular detection of Leishmania spp. showed 68 positive specimens of S. minuta out of 377 (18%). The analysis of blood meal preferences by amplification of 359 bp fragment of cytochrome b gene revealed that blood preference of S. minuta is not only limited to reptiles, but they also feed on mammals, including humans. Results suggest the presence of a Leishmania sp., related to Leishmania tarentolae, cycle in S. minuta from the studied area. Although there is no evidence about its incrimination in the L. infantum transmission more investigation is needed to elucidate the intravectorial cycle of Leishmania spp. in S. minuta sand flies, their feeding behaviour and their potential contribution in Leishmania spp. epidemiology in the country.

中文翻译：

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利什曼原虫 在西班牙西南马德里（2012-2017）的人类利什曼病集中的Sergentomyia minuta的检测和采血行为。

Phlebotomine沙蝇是利什曼原虫的唯一已知媒介。在98个国家/地区引起利什曼病的原生动物。在西班牙，描述了11种沙蝇种，但是只有百里香百里香（Phlebotomus perniciosus）和阿里百里香（Plebotomus ariasi）被证明是该病的媒介。另一方面，Sergentomyia minuta是该领土上最丰富，最普遍的沙蝇之一，尽管有关该物种的信息很少。该属的沙蝇因偏爱以冷血动物为食而闻名，传统上参与爬行动物利什曼原虫的传播。但是，研究表明，Sergentomyia spp。可能与人类致病利什曼原虫的传播有关。这项研究分析了血餐偏好和利什曼原虫。S.感染 minuta沙蝇是欧洲最大的人类利什曼病爆发。在2012年至2017年的昆虫监测活动期间（五月至十月），在昆虫学监测期间收集了沙蝇。利什曼原虫的分子检测。在377个样本中显示了68个阳性的小链霉菌阳性标本（18％）。通过扩增359 bp的细胞色素b基因片段分析血餐偏爱，发现小链球菌的血偏爱不仅限于爬行动物，而且还以包括人类在内的哺乳动物为食。结果表明，与研究区的塔氏Leishmania tarentolae相关的Leishmania sp。的存在。尽管没有证据表明其在婴儿乳杆菌的传播中有罪，但仍需要更多的研究来阐明利什曼原虫的矢量内循环。在S. minuta沙蝇，其取食行为及其对利什曼原虫的潜在贡献。该国的流行病学。