by D Ghosh, Sagar SK, Molina R, Alim A, Chowdhury R, Alam MS, Alvar J, Mondal D. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2025, 112(6):1201-1206. doi: 10.110.4269/ajtmh.23-0683
Summary: The authors of this study established a colony of Phlebotomus argentipes sand flies from 430 wild-caught females in a controlled laboratory environment in Bangladesh. Over multiple generations, 1,034 sand flies laid eggs. Egg emergence rates varied significantly between wild-caught (F0) and laboratory-reared generations (F1-6), except for the F1 and F6. The incubation period differed significantly between F0 and F1-F6. Mortality was highest in the first instar (13.9%) and lowest in the pupae stage (1.9%). Pupae to adult development was 98% successful. This is the first successful laboratory colonization of P. argentipes in Bangladesh. This will allow a better understanding of the sand fly’s role as a Leishmania vector and support further research in xenodiagnoses, insecticide resistance, and other experimental infections.
