Evaluation of sugar meal administered anti-Leishmania compounds on the vectorial capacity of the vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis

Ferreira, Tainá Neves and Latgé, Samara Graciane Costa and Ramos, Tadeu Diniz and Demidoff, Felipe Cerqueira and Cunha-Júnior, Edézio Ferreira and Costa, Paulo Roberto Ribeiro and de Souza, Marcus Vinícius Nora and Brandão Gomes, Cláudia Regina and Dillon, Viv Maureen and Netto, Chaquip Daher and Torres Santos, Eduardo Caio and Dillon, Rod James and McDowell, Mary Ann and de Matos Guedes, Herbert Leonel and Genta, Fernando Ariel (2025) Evaluation of sugar meal administered anti-Leishmania compounds on the vectorial capacity of the vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis. PLoS One, 20 (6): e0325178. ISSN 1932-6203

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Abstract

Multiple strategies involving the parasite-host-vector triad are necessary to control leishmaniasis. One option is to prevent or reduce transmission of the pathogen by the phlebotomine sand fly vectors. In this sense, it is essential to explore compounds that may influence the vectorial capacity of the insect and reduce its longevity. We investigated the effect of anti-Leishmania drugs administered via the sugar meal on longevity, blood feeding, oviposition, and parasite load on the third day of infection of the sand flies, to identify the most promising candidates for vector infection tests. We identified compounds that affected the longevity of sand flies (three pterocarpanquinones - LQB-475, LQB-181, and LQ-03; one hydroxyethylpiperazine, PMIC-4, and Pentamidine), reduced oviposition of females after blood feeding (LQB-181 and PMIC-4), but did not decrease infection rates or parasite loads. The results provide the effect of antiparasitic drugs from the perspective of the insect vector.