BIOLOGY OF LEISHMANIA IN PHLEBOTOMINE SANDFLIES

该项目的目的是研究人类致病性 利什曼原虫在它们的白蛉媒介中。 该项目涉及 寄生虫学，医学昆虫学，遗传学， 生物化学和免疫学。 人工饲养的沙蝇 实验感染了许多不同类型的利什曼原虫， 昆虫体内寄生虫生物学的以下方面将被 研究了：（1）寄生虫的生长速度和发展， 沙蝇肠道，（2）在利什曼原虫之间的遗传交换的可能性， 媒介昆虫;（3）白蛉易感性机制; 对利什曼原虫感染的抵抗力，以及（4）寄生虫如何附着， 在沙蝇的肠道中维持自己的生命 最近开发的 白蛉（Phlebotomus papatasi）是一种高度易感动物， 对L.主要感染，将在这项工作中使用。 与哈佛大学和 阿拉斯加大学将继续在生物学的其他方面， 这种媒介和寄生虫的相互作用。

The objective of this project is to study the biology of human pathogenic Leishmania in their phlebolomine sand fly vectors. The project involves the disciplines of parasitology, medical entomology, genetics, biochemistry and immunology. Laboratory-reared sand flies will be experimentally infected with a number of different Leishmania types and the following aspects of the parasites' biology in the insects will be studied: (1) the growth rate and development of the parasites within the sand fly gut, (2) the possibility of genetic exchange among Leishmania in the insect vector, (3) the mechanisms of sand fly susceptibility and resistance to leishmania infection, and (4) how the parasites attach and maintain themselves within the sand fly gut. Recently developed lines of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi, which are highly susceptible and refractory to L. major infection, will be utilized in this work. Collaborative research with scientists at Harvard University and the University of Alaska will be continued on other aspects of the biology of this vector-parasite interaction.