Article

Host preference of Phlebotomus argentipes and Phlebotomus papatasi in different biotopes of West Bengal, India.

National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases (ICMR), Kolkata, India.
International Journal of Environmental Health Research (impact factor: 0.86). 01/2006; 15(6):449-54. DOI:10.1080/09603120500392525 pp.449-54
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Host preference Phlebotomus argentipes and Phlebotomus papatasi in different biotopes was investigated in two highly endemic Kala-azar districts of West Bengal, India for a better understanding of the transmission dynamics. Blood meals of 304 P. argentipes and 206 P. papatasi, collected from different biotopes from two Kala-azar affected districts in West Bengal, were tested against seven different antisera by modified Ouchterlony gel diffusion techniques. It appeared that host preference of P. argentipes varied widely in different biotopes, which is mainly zoophilic (62.80%), preferring to feed on man as the second choice (24.92%); however it is also a "chance feeder" according to biotopes. Multiple blood meals are also prevalent in P. argentipes at a much higher rate than that of P. papatasi. The implication in relation to epidemiological significance has been discussed.

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Keywords

chance feeder
 
different antisera
 
different biotopes
 
epidemiological significance
 
feed
 
Host preference Phlebotomus argentipes
 
India
 
Multiple blood meals
 
Ouchterlony gel diffusion techniques
 
P. papatasi
 
Phlebotomus papatasi
 
second choice
 
transmission dynamics
 
West Bengal
 

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