CLIMOS Trapping sites
Phlebotominae vs Mosquito
Image credits: © Carla Maia / UNL
Sand flies are tiny, hairy-winged insects that belong to the Phlebotominae subfamily. They can be found in warm and tropical climates worldwide. However, the impact of climate change is dramatically altering their geographical landscape reaching into new regions of Europe.
Often active during twilight hours, female sand flies feed on blood predominantly from mammals, facilitating the transmission of viruses and parasites. These pathogens cause diseases including summer meningitis and leishmaniasis that can affect both humans and animals.
Trapping sites
Field collections of sand flies were accomplished as planned in 11 countries +1 (Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Israel, France, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, and Spain), in addition, data from Greece was acquired by an IDAlert project partner.
Currently, sand fly specimens are being identified, with preliminary results suggesting new records for some species in several surveyed countries. A follow-up study on canine seroprevalence was done in several countries. Standardized screening for sand fly-borne pathogens is ongoing following the External Quality Assessment (EQA) for Leishmania and phleboviruses detection.
