Susceptibility of Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) to Trypanosomatidae from Two-Toed Sloths (Edentata: Bradypodidae)1

Abstract

Xenodiagnostic trials consisted of 1665 laboratoryreared sand flies (Lutzomyia sanguinaria, Lu. gomezi, and Lu. trapidoi) in 114 lots fed on 72 Two-toed Sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni). Fifty-eight (80.6%) of the sloths had trypanosomatid infections as follows: Leishmania braziliensis, 20 (27.8%); Endotrypanum schaudinni, 39 (54.2%); Trypanosoma rangeli, 15 (20.8%); and T. Cruzi, 1 (1.4%), as determined by the biopsy-culture technique. Nineteen animals (26.4%) had multiple infections. Seven (7.7%) of 91 Lu. sanguinaria, which fed on 7 animals infected with Le. braziliensis, acquired the parasite. A total of 187 (31.1%) of 601 sand flies of 3 species developed flagellates after feeding on 21 animals infected with E. schaudinni. Only 1% of 292 flies developed parasites after feeding on 8 sloths with T. rangeli.