Con el aporte científico de 

David Romo, Kelly Swing y Diego Mosquera

https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyx046

Primera publicación de Paúl Cárdenas como parte del 
Instituto de Microbiología 
desde su reincorporación a la USFQ. 

Fue publicado en el Journal of Medical Entomology indexado en Scopus.

The detection and identification of natural infections in sand flies by Leishmania protozoan species in endemic areas is a key factor in assessing the risk of leishmaniasis and in designing prevention and control measures for this infectious disease. In this study, we analyzed the Leishmania DNA using nuclear ribosomal internal transcript spacer (ITS) sequences. Parasite DNA was extracted from naturally infected, blood-fed sand flies collected in nine localities considered leishmaniasis-endemic foci in Ecuador. The species of parasites identified in sand flies were Leishmania major-like, Leishmania naiffi, Leishmania mexicana, Leishmania lainsoni, and “Leishmania sp. siamensis”. Sand fly specimens of Brumptomyia leopoldoi, Mycropigomyia cayennensis, Nyssomyia yuilli yuilli, Nyssomyia trapidoi, Pressatia triac