Abstract:
Phlebotomus argentipes Annandale and Brunetti
(Diptera : Psychodidae) is the major Indian vector of
visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by Leishmania
donovani. However, whilst the geographic range of
P. argentipes extends from Iran and Afghanistan in
the west to Malaysia and Indonesia in the southeast1,
VL is confined to northeastern and southern India,
and neighbouring Nepal and Bangladesh2,3. Despite
being located 32 km from the Indian state of Tamil
Nadu, where VL is endemic, autochthonous cases of
leishmaniasis were not reported in Sri Lanka until
1992. Prior to this leishmaniasis was detected only in
persons who had contracted the disease while working
in the middle east4. However, since 1992 the incidence
has been rising steadily, with 65 cases documented
by Siriwardena et al5 in 2003. The parasite
was identified in several Sri Lankan patients as L.
donovani zymodeme MON-376. However, this typically
causes VL in India, in Sri Lanka the clinical
manifestations are characteristic of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
