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Molecular taxonomy of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Europe
Grešová, Markéta ; Dvořák, Vít (advisor) ; Brzoňová, Jana (referee)
Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) are small blood sucking insects which are only proven vectors of neglected tropical disease called leishmaniasis. Sand flies of the genus Phlebotomus act as vectors in the Old World and those of genus Lutzomyia are vectors in the New World. However, not all of them are capable of transmitting the disease. It is therefore crutial to conclusively determinate the species and have up-to-date knowledge of their natural occurence. Routine identification based on morphological characters is challenging due to intraspecific variability of these or their possible damage during the capture and preparation. In adition, correct assessment of distinctive cahracters, especially for females, is difficult and requires certain expertise. Thus, approaches of molecular taxonomy have been recently increasingly used for sand flies species determination. This thesis presents usage of DNA sequencing and MALDI-TOF protein profiling for routine determination of sand flies caught in southeastern Europe and adjacent regions, where we have lack of information of present sand flies species. Another part of this thesis focus on closer examination of relations between selected closely related species within species complexes. Key words: Phlebotomus, molacular identification, DNA...
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Leishmaniasis and its vectors in the Balkan area
Grešová, Markéta ; Dvořák, Vít (advisor) ; Spitzová, Tatiana (referee)
Leishmaniases are parasitic diseases transmitted by bloodsucking sand flies, which are distributed worldwide. Beside America, Africa and Asia, they are also present in southern Europe, mostly in the Mediterranean area, where L. infantum causes mainly visceral, rarely also cutaneous form of the disease. Balkan Penninsula is also one of endemic regions. Here, thanks to huge malaria eradication campaign in the 1950's, number of cases declined massively. Nevertheless, leishmaniasis has been reemerging since then. The main vectors of human leishmaniasis are sand flies of the subgenus Larroussius, mainly P. neglectus, P. perfiliewi and P. tobbi. The main reservoir animal is a domestic dog. Currently, the epidemiological significance of domestic cats and wild animals (hare, jackal, fox) is also studied. Most cases of human leishmaniasis are reported from Albania and Greece, where L. tropica is also present, causing cutaneous form of the disease. The aim of this thesis is to summarize the occurrence of leishmaniasis and its vectors in individual Balkan countries. Key words: leishmaniasis, Europe, Balkan, L. infantum, sand flies
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