Resumen

ACEVEDO, María de los Ángeles  y  ARRIVILLAGA, Jazzmín. Eco-epidemiology of Phlebovirus (Bunyaviri dae, Phlebovirus) transmitted by Phlebotomus (Phychodidae, Phlebotominae). Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2008, vol.48, n.1, pp.3-16. ISSN 1690-4648.

Currently, the emergence and re-emergence of new arboviruses are of great importance in public health, the Phlebovirus genus (Bunyaviridae) is an important part of this group of viruses constituted at present of 68 serotypes. The infection caused by Phlebovirus creates clinically common symptoms of fever, headache, and rarely presents meningitis or meningoencephalitis, known for its symptoms as “Phlebotomus fever.” These viruses are transmitted mainly by Diptera, Psychodidae belonging to Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia genera. The population dynamics of Phlebovirus indicates that its presence is closely associated with the sites where the vector is distributed in parts of Asia, Africa and Europe between 20° and 5° latitude, as well as in the Americas associated mainly in the woodlands. The females of this genus are hematophages and capable of transmitting the virus in a transovaric way. The cycle is not limited to the transmission-reservoir hostvector, and coupled with this, the fourth-instar larvae in diapause retain their infectivity. The diagnosis may be made by a variety of molecular and serological techniques for some viruses of this group, but since they are not performed often, many cases are often overlooked.

Palabras clave : arbovirus; Phlebovirus; Phlebotomus; Lutzomyia; Bunyaviridae; sandfly fever.