RESEARCH ARTICLE Molecular detection of Leishmania infantum DNA and host blood meal identification in Phlebotomus in a hypoendemic focus of human leishmaniasis in northern Algeria Kahina Bennai1,2, Djamel Tahir1, Ismail Lafri1,3, Amina Bendjaballah-Laliam4, Idir Bitam1,5,6, Philippe Parola1* a1111111111 1 Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU MeÂditerraneÂe Infection, Marseille, France, 2 Laboratoire de Valorisation et Conservation des Ressources Biologiques (VALCOR), Faculte des a1111111111 Sciences, Universite M'Hamed Bougara, Boumerdes, AlgeÂrie, 3 Institut des Sciences VeÂteÂrinaires, Universite a1111111111 Blida 1, Blida, AlgeÂrie, 4 Etablissement Public Hospitalier de Hadjout, Tipaza, AlgeÂrie, 5 Laboratoire a1111111111 Biodiversite et Environnement, Universite des Sciences et Technologies Houari Boumediene, Alger, AlgeÂrie, a1111111111 6 Ecole SupeÂrieure des Sciences de l'Aliment et des Industries Agro-Alimentaires, Alger, AlgeÂrie *
[email protected] OPEN ACCESS Abstract Citation: Bennai K, Tahir D, Lafri I, Bendjaballah- Laliam A, Bitam I, Parola P (2018) Molecular detection of Leishmania infantum DNA and host Background blood meal identification in Phlebotomus in a hypoendemic focus of human leishmaniasis in Leishmania parasites are transmitted by female phlebotomine sand flies that maintain the northern Algeria. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 12(6): enzootic cycle by circulating between sylvatic and domestic mammals. Humans are part of e0006513. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. this cycle as accidental hosts due to the vector's search for a source of blood. In Algeria, pntd.0006513 Human Leishmaniases (HL) are endemic and represent a serious public health problem Editor: Gabriele SchoÈnian, Charite University because of their high annual incidence and their spread across the country.