Preliminary information on sandflies in the north of Parana State, Brazil

The results from sandfly collections in 10 municipalities in Parana State, Brazil are reported. The captures were done using Falcao traps in homes, domestic animal shelters and forested areas, from 1999 to 2002. A total of 13,653 sandflies were collected from 10 species of the genera Brumptomyia, Expapillata, Evandromyia, Migonemyia, Pintomyia, Nyssomyia and Psathyromyia. The species Nyssomyia neivai was predominant in five municipalities. N. whitmani predominated in the other five, in greater numbers than for N. neivai in the first five municipalities. High frequencies of sand flies were found in forests, homes, pigpens and henhouses. Investigations on the participation of domestic animals and phlebotomine fauna in the epidemiology of tegumentary leishmaniasis should be routine in health surveillance, especially where this disease is endemic.