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Sandflies found in three states in Austria
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DENVER — Sandflies are more active for a longer period of time in Austria than previously thought, and this may lead to an emergence of sandfly-borne diseases in Central Europe, researchers said here.
According to a poster presentation by Wolfgang Poeppl, MD, of the department of infectious diseases and tropical medicine at Military Hospital Vienna, and colleagues, sandflies are typically found in the southern Mediterranean.
“The possible existence of autochthonous sandfly populations in Central Europe north of the Alps has long been excluded,” the researchers wrote. “However, in the past years, sandflies have been documented in Germany, Belgium and recently also in Austria, close to the Slovenian border. Moreover, autochthonous human Leishmania and Phlebovirus infections have been reported in Central Europe, particularly in Germany.”
Poeppl and colleagues performed sandfly trapping at 53 capture sites in Austria from 2010 to 2012 in the federal states of Styria, Burgenland and Lower Austria. Altogether, they identified 24 sandfly specimens at six sites in all of the three federal states. All of the specimens were Phlebotomus (Transphlebotomus) mascittii Grassi, 1908.
“Sandflies are autochthonous is Austria in small foci, but in the course of global warming, further spreading may be expected,” the researchers concluded. “The period of sandfly activity in Austria is long enough to allow Leishmania transmission to vertebrate hosts. These findings are of high relevance for a potential emergence of sandfly-borne diseases in Central Europe.”
For more information:
Poeppl W. #P-804. Presented at: ICAAC 2013; Sept. 10-13; Denver.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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Lyle Petersen, MD, MPH
In recent years, Phlebotomus sandflies have been identified in several locations in central Europe. This study from Austria reinforces the notion that their distribution and occurrence is wider and more frequent than previously recognized. It will be important to further investigate the ecology of sandflies in central Europe and determine whether environmental conditions are permissive for transmission of Leishmania spp. or of phleboviruses seen in southern Europe.
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