Phlebotomines sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) on a rural area from Santa Fe de Antioquia, Colombia

Fragmentation of ecosystems is generally associated with human intervention processes that modify the landscape and affect the distribution patterns of species with medical importance. A survey of Lutzomyia species, potential vectors of Leishmania, was conducted in the agricultural center Cotove, a disturbed area in the municipality of Santa Fe de Antioquia, Department of Antioquia. Sampling was accomplished using CDC light traps, Shannon traps, active daily searches, and oiled paper traps. Six species of sandflies were identified, highlighting the presence of Lutzomyia gomezi, a highly anthropophilic species involved in the transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in different regions of Colombia. It is also important to highlight the presence of L. cayennensis cayennensis, L. lichyi and L. micropyga, all of which have antecedents of natural infection with Leishmania spp. in jungle and urban environments. Our findings suggest a potential risk and the need to assess the possible circulation of the parasite in this area of growing tourism and agriculture in Colombia.