BACKGROUND: Sand fly females require a blood meal to develop eggs. The size of the blood meal is crucial for fecundity and affects the dose of pathogens acquired by females when feeding on infected hosts or during experimental membrane-feeding. METHODS: Under standard laboratory conditions, we compared blood meal volumes taken by females of ten sand fly species from four genera: Phlebotomus, Lutzomyia, Migonomyia, and Sergentomyia. The amount of ingested blood was determined using a haemoglobin assay. Additionally, we weighed unfed sand flies to calculate the ratio between body weight and blood meal weight. RESULTS: The mean blood meal volume ingested by sand fly females ranged from 0.47 to 1.01 µl. Five species, Phlebotomus papatasi, P. duboscqi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Sergentomyia minuta, and S. schwetzi, consumed about double the blood meal size compared to Migonomyia migonei. The mean body weight of females ranged from 0.183 mg in S. minuta to 0.369 mg in P. duboscqi. In males, the mean body weight ranged from 0.106 mg in M. migonei to 0.242 mg in P. duboscqi. Males were always lighter than females, with the male-to-female weight ratio ranging from 75% (in Phlebotomus argentipes) to 52% (in Phlebotomus tobbi). CONCLUSIONS: Females of most species took a blood meal 2.25-3.05 times their body weight. Notably, the relatively tiny females of P. argentipes consumed blood meals 3.34 times their body weight. The highest (Mbl/Mf) ratios were found in both Sergentomyia species studied; females of S. minuta and S. schwetzi took blood meals 4.5-5 times their body weight. This parameter is substantially higher than that reported for mosquitoes and biting midges.

Department of Parasitology Faculty of Science Charles University Prague 2 CZ 128 43 Czech Republic

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Maroli M, Feliciangeli MD, Bichaud L, Charrel RN, Gradoni L. Phlebotomine sandflies and the spreading of leishmaniases and other diseases of public health concern. Med Vet Entomol. 2013;27:123–47. 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2012.01034.x. 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2012.01034.x PubMed DOI

Jancarova M, Polanska N, Volf P, Dvorak V. The role of sand flies as vectors of viruses other than phleboviruses. J Gen Virol. 2023;104:4. 10.1099/jgv.0.001837. 10.1099/jgv.0.001837 PubMed DOI

Sant’anna MR, Nascimento A, Alexander B, Dilger E, Cavalcante RR, Diaz-Albiter HM, et al. Chicken blood provides a suitable meal for the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis and does not inhibit Leishmania development in the gut. Parasit Vectors. 2010;3:3. 10.1186/1756-3305-3-3. 10.1186/1756-3305-3-3 PubMed DOI PMC

Noguera P, Rondon M, Nieves E. Caloric content of the sand fly Lutzomyia ovallesi (Diptera: Psychodidae) vector of Leishmania. Rev Colomb Entomol. 2006;32:57–60. 10.25100/socolen.v32i1.9359.10.25100/socolen.v32i1.9359 DOI

Volf P, Volfova V. Establishment and maintenance of sand fly colonies. J Vector Ecol. 2011;36:1–9. 10.1111/j.1948-7134.2011.00106.x.10.1111/j.1948-7134.2011.00106.x PubMed DOI

Lawyer P, Killick-Kendrick M, Rowland T, Rowton E, Volf P. Laboratory colonization and mass rearing of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae). Parasite. 2017;24:42. 10.1051/parasite/2017041. 10.1051/parasite/2017041 PubMed DOI PMC

Pruzinova K, Sadlova J, Seblova V, Homola M, Votypka J, Volf P. Comparison of bloodmeal digestion and the peritrophic matrix in four sand fly species differing in susceptibility to Leishmania donovani. PLoS ONE. 2015;2015:e0128203. 10.1371/journal.pone.0128203.10.1371/journal.pone.0128203 PubMed DOI PMC

Denlinger DS, Li AY, Durham SL, Lawyer PG, Anderson JL, Bernhardt SA. Comparison of in vivo and in vitro methods for blood feeding of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the laboratory. J Med Entomol. 2016;53:1112–6. 10.1093/jme/tjw074. 10.1093/jme/tjw074 PubMed DOI PMC

Venter GJ, Paweska JT, Lunt H, Mellor PS, Carpenter S. An alternative method of blood-feeding Culicoides imicola and other haematophagous Culicoides species for vector competence studies. Vet Parasitol. 2005;131:331–5. 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.05.002. 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.05.002 PubMed DOI

Theodor O. On the relation of Phlebotomus papatasi to the temperature and humidity of the environment. Bull Entomol Res. 1936;27:653–71. 10.1017/S0007485300058739.10.1017/S0007485300058739 DOI

de Freitas J, da Guedes AS. Determination by radioactive iron (59Fe) of the amount of blood ingested by insects. Bull World Health Organ. 1961;25:271–3. PubMed PMC

Killick-Kendrick R, Leaney AJ, Ready PD. The establishment, maintenance and productivity of a laboratory colony of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae). J Med Entomol. 1977;13:429–40. 10.1093/jmedent/13.4-5.429 PubMed DOI

Daba S, Daba A, Shehata MG, El Sawaf BM. A simple micro-assay method for estimating blood meal size of the sand fly, Phlebotomus langeroni (Diptera: Psychodidae). J Egypt Soc parasitol. 2004;34:173–82. PubMed

da Rocha Silva FB, Miguel DC, Machado VE, Oliveira WHC, Goulart TM, Tosta CD, et al. Influence of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection on the attractiveness of BALB/c mice to Nyssomyia neivai (Diptera: Psychodidae). PLoS ONE. 2019;14:e0214574. 10.1371/journal.pone.0214574. 10.1371/journal.pone.0214574 PubMed DOI PMC

Ticha L, Volfova V, Mendoza-Roldan JA, Bezerra-Santos MA, Maia C, Sadlova J, et al. Experimental feeding of Sergentomyia minuta on reptiles and mammals: comparison with Phlebotomus papatasi. Parasit Vectors. 2023;16:126. 10.1186/s13071-023-05758-5. 10.1186/s13071-023-05758-5 PubMed DOI PMC

Briegel H, Rezzonico L. Concentration of host blood protein during feeding by anopheline mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol. 1985;22:612–8. 10.1093/jmedent/22.6.612. 10.1093/jmedent/22.6.612 PubMed DOI

Leprince DJ, Higgins JA, Church GE, Issel CJ, McManus JM, Foil LD. Body size of Culicoides variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in relation to bloodmeal size estimates and the ingestion of Onchocerca cervicalis (Nematoda: Filarioidea) microfiliariae. J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 1989;5:100–3. PubMed

Shortt HE, Swaminath CS. The method of feeding of Phlebotomus argentipes with relation to its bearing on the transmission of kala-azar. Indian J Med Res. 1927;15:827–36.

Sadlova J, Reishig J, Volf P. Prediuresis in female Phlebotomus sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae). Eur J Entomol. 1998;95:643–7.

Briegel H. Metabolic relationship between female body size, reserves, and fecundity od Aedes aegypti. J Insect Physiol. 1990;36:165–72. 10.1016/0022-1910(90)90118-Y.10.1016/0022-1910(90)90118-Y DOI

Phasomkusolsil S, Pantuwattana K, Tawong J, Khongtak W, Kertmanee Y, Monkanna N, et al. The relationship between wing length, blood meal volume, and fecundity for seven colonies of Anopheles species housed at the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand. Acta Trop. 2015;152:220–7. 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.09.021. 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.09.021 PubMed DOI

Jacobson RL, Studentsky L, Schlein Y. Glycolytic and chitinolytic activities of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) from diverse ecological habitats. Folia Parasitol. 2007;54:301–9. 10.14411/fp.2007.039.10.14411/fp.2007.039 PubMed DOI

Fujisaki K, Kamio T, Kitaoka S, Morii T. Quantitation of the blood meal ingested by Culicoides arakawae (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). J Med Entomol. 1987;24:702–3. 10.1093/jmedent/24.6.702. 10.1093/jmedent/24.6.702 PubMed DOI

Clements AN. The biology of mosquitoes. Volume 1. Development nutrition and reproduction. London: Chapman and Hall; 1992.

Woke PA, Ally MS, Rosenberger CR. The numbers of eggs developed related to the quantities of human blood ingested in Aedesaegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am. 1956;49:435–41. 10.1093/aesa/49.5.435.10.1093/aesa/49.5.435 DOI

Nayar JK, Sauerman DM. The effects of nutrition on survival and fecundity in Florida mosquitoes. Part 2. Utilization of a blood meal for survival. J Med Entomol. 1975;12:99–103. 10.1093/jmedent/12.1.99. 10.1093/jmedent/12.1.99 PubMed DOI

Senghor MW, Niang AA, Depaquit J, Faye MN, Elguero E, Gaye O, et al. Transmission of Leishmania infantum in the canine leishmaniasis focus of Mont-Rolland, Senegal: ecological, parasitological and molecular evidence for a possible role of Sergentomyia sand flies. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10:e0004940. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004940. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004940 PubMed DOI PMC

Polanska N, Ishemgulova A, Volfova V, Flegontov P, Votypka J, Yurchenko V, et al. Sergentomyia schwetzi: salivary gland transcriptome, proteome and enzymatic activities in two lineages adapted to different blood sources. PLoS ONE. 2020;15:e0230537. 10.1371/journal.pone.0230537. 10.1371/journal.pone.0230537 PubMed DOI PMC

Knotkova Z, Morici M, Oliveri M, Knotek Z. Blood profile in captive adult male leopard geckos (Euplepharis macularius). Vet Med-Czech. 2019;64:172–7. 10.17221/164/2018-VETMED.10.17221/164/2018-VETMED DOI

Reinhold JM, Shaw R, Lahondère C. Beat the heat: Culex quinquefasciatus regulates its body temperature during blood feeding. J Therm Biol. 2021;96:102826. 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102826. 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102826 PubMed DOI

Carvalho GML, Rêgo FD, Tanure A, Silva ACP, Dias TA, Paz GF, et al. Bloodmeal identification in field-collected sand flies from Casa Branca, Brazil, using the Cytochrome b PCR method. J Med Entomol. 2017;54:1049–54. 10.1093/jme/tjx051. 10.1093/jme/tjx051 PubMed DOI

Martín-Martín I, Molina R, Rohoušová I, Drahota J, Volf P, Jiménez M. High levels of anti-Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva antibodies in different vertebrate hosts from the re-emerging leishmaniosis focus in Madrid, Spain. Vet Parasitol. 2014;202:207–16. 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.02.045. 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.02.045 PubMed DOI

Lemma W, Tekie H, Abassi I, Balkew M, Gebre-Michael T, Warburg A, et al. Nocturnal activities and host preferences of Phlebotomus orientalis in extra-domestic habitats of Kafta-Humera lowlands, Kala-azar endemic, Northwest Ethiopia. Parasit Vectors. 2014;7:594. 10.1186/s13071-014-0594-3. 10.1186/s13071-014-0594-3 PubMed DOI PMC

Svobodová M, Alten B, Zídková L, Dvorák V, Hlavacková J, Myskova J, et al. Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum transmitted by Phlebotomus tobbi. Int J Parasitol. 2009;39:251–6. 10.1016/j.ijpara.2008.06.016. 10.1016/j.ijpara.2008.06.016 PubMed DOI

Benoit JB, Denlinger DL. Meeting the challenges of on-host and off-host water balance in blood-feeding arthropods. J Insect Physiol. 2010;56:1366–76. 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2010.02.014. 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2010.02.014 PubMed DOI PMC

Lahondère C, Lazzari CR. Mosquitoes cool down during blood feeding to avoid overheating. Curr Biol. 2012;22:40–5. 10.1016/j.cub.2011.11.029. 10.1016/j.cub.2011.11.029 PubMed DOI

Vaughan JA, Noden BH, Beier JC. Concentration of human erythrocytes by anopheline mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) during feeding. J Med Entomol. 1991;28:780–6. 10.1093/jmedent/28.6.780. 10.1093/jmedent/28.6.780 PubMed DOI

Adler S, Theodor O. The mouthparts, alimentary tract and salivary apparatus of the female in Phlebotomus papatasii. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1926;20:109–42. 10.1080/00034983.1926.11684482.10.1080/00034983.1926.11684482 DOI

Schmidt JR, Schmidt ML. Observations on the feeding habits of Phlebotomus Papatasi (Scopoli) under simulated natural conditions. J Med Entomol. 1965;2:225–30. 10.1093/jmedent/2.3.225. 10.1093/jmedent/2.3.225 PubMed DOI

Mukhopadhyay J, Ghosh K. Vector potential of Phlebotomus duboscqi and P. papatasi: a comparison of feeding behaviour, reproductive capacity and experimental infection with Leishmania major. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1999;93:309–18. 10.1080/00034989958573. 10.1080/00034989958573 PubMed DOI

Alexandre J, Sadlova J, Lestinova T, Vojtkova B, Jancarova M, Podesvova L, et al. Experimental infections and co-infections with Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum in two sand fly species, Lutzomyia migonei and Lutzomyia longipalpis. Sci Rep. 2020;10:3566. 10.1038/s41598-020-60600-7. 10.1038/s41598-020-60600-7 PubMed DOI PMC