The sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in military camps in northern Afghanistan (2007–2009), as identified by morphology and DNA ‘barcoding’

Abstract

As part of a continuous, standardized programme of monitoring the Leishmania vectors in German military camps in northern Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, a detailed taxonomic analysis of the endemic sandfly fauna, as sampled using light and odour‐baited traps, was conducted. Of the 10 sandfly species that were recorded, six may serve as enzootic and/or zooanthroponotic vectors of parasites causing human leishmaniasis.

The use of a simple DNA‐‘barcoding’ technique based on the mitochondrial cyt b gene, to identify the collected sandflies to species level, revealed (1) a clear discrimination between the potential vector species, (2) clustering of species within most subgenera, and (3) particularly high heterogeneity within the subgenus Paraphlebotomus (Phlebotomus alexandri being grouped with Ph. papatasi rather than with other Paraphlebotomus species). The data also indicate a high level of genetic heterogeneity within the subgenus Sergentomyia but close similarity between Sergentomyia sintoni and Sergentomyia murgabiensis. The morphological similarity of many medically important sandflies can make species identification difficult, if not impossible. The new DNA‐barcoding techniques may provide powerful discriminatory tools in the future.

This study formed part of the M.Sc thesis of one of the authors (L.S.) at Hamburg University’s Department of Biology; Professor B. Misof is thanked for his supervision. The authors are also grateful to M. Fiedler, K. Hepke, L. Vergnes, S. Priesnitz and A. Crecelius for fieldwork and laboratory assistance. The laboratory support of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine is also gratefully acknowledged.