Natural infection of Nyssomyia neivai by Leishmania (Viannia) spp. in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil, detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

Natural sandfly infection by Leishmania spp. in an area endemic for American cutaneous leishmaniasis was analyzed using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sandflies were captured using Falcão light traps in an endemic area of the municipality of Doutor Camargo during March, April, and June 2008. In total, 1803 females were analyzed; 1755 were Nyssomyia neivai (Pinto) and 48 were Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes and Coutinho). Multiplex PCR analyses using MP3H-MP1L and 5Llcac-3Llcac primers showed the presence of Leishmania (Viannia) spp. in 4/181 pools of sandflies, all Ny. neivai, that is, a minimal infection rate of 0.22%. This study showed, for the first time, the presence of DNA of Leishmania (Viannia) spp. in Ny. neivai. This suggests the existence of natural infection by Leishmania (Viannia) spp. in Ny. neivai in the state of Paraná. Multiplex PCR is an important tool in the detection of Leishmania infection in sandflies.