page_title: Lutzomyia longipalpis
section_title: Pathogenesis
hierarchical_section_title: Lutzomyia longipalpis / Pathogenesis
caption_attribution_description: Hrvatski: Promastigoti Leshmaniae infantum izgleda mrkve s bičem. Preparat je eksudat miša boja po Giemsa-Romanowskom.
context_page_description: Lutzomyia longipalpis is a species complex of sandfly belonging to the family Psychodidae. This species is primarily present in Central and South America, but has also appeared in Mexico. There have been reports of L. longipalpis as far south as Argentina, as they are found in a wide variety of ecological conditions. Both males and females feed on sugars from plants and aphids, but only adult females feed on the blood of other mammals. The species has recently begun appearing in urban areas throughout Brazil, and serves as a key vessel for the propagation of the parasite Leishmania infantum. The presence of these flies appears to be strongly correlated to the presence of domestic chickens in Latin America. The first major urban outbreak of the lethal Visceral leishmanias epidemic was detected in Teresina, Piauí State in the early 1980s following a massive planting of acacias.
context_section_description: L. longipalpis plays a primary role in the transmission of Leishmania infantum throughout several countries in South America.This parasite directly causes visceral leishmaniasis, which is a severe disease that affects internal organs, including the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. The parasitic pathogen is transmitted through the bite of a sandfly, and although humans can be infected, humans cannot spread the disease further. Instead, domestic dogs are the primary amplification host for the parasite.
caption: Leishmania infantum in a bone marrow smear.
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