Culicoides’ species from a Leishmania transmission hotspot and efficacy of the Captor(®) suction light trap

Culicoides have medical and veterinary importance, as they play a role as vectors of viruses, protozoa, and nematodes that cause diseases. Despite the relevance to public health, greater attention has been given to other insect vectors. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the Captor(®) light trap in capturing Culicoides that could be examined for the presence of Leishmania DNA. The insects were captured in a rural area of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where canine and human visceral leishmaniasis have been diagnosed. Adult insects were collected weekly, from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, for a 12 month period using a Captor(®) brand suction light trap. All Culicoides were identified at species level. Pools of Culicoides were tested using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique for the detection of Leishmania DNA. A total of 16,016 specimens were collected (71.54% females and 28.39% males), divided among seven species. In the DNA analysis, none of the pools showed a positive result for Leishmania. The data presented demonstrate that the trap is efficient and can be an alternative for use in entomological research. They also demonstrate that, despite the females having hematophagous habits, similar to other vector insects, they did not have contact with Leishmania in the studied locality.