الفهرس 
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Abstract
SUMMARY
Al Rabta in the North-West of Libya is a rural area where the cutaneous
leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic for long time. Few reports are available on sand flies in
this area. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying and updating the sand fly
species composition, monthly abundance, effect of weather conditions on fly
abundance and P. papatasi density-reported CL cases relationship. Sand flies were
biweekly collected by CDC light traps from June to November 2012 and April to
November 2013 in two villages, Al Rabta East (RE) and Al Rabta West (RW). The
following are the main topics examined in this study:
ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON SAND FLIES
A. SPECIES COMPOSITION: Nine sand fly species (6 Phlebotomus and 3
Sergentomyia) were reported in the two study villages: P. papatasi, P. sergenti,
P. alexandri, P. chabaudi, P. longicuspis, P. langeroni, S. minuta, S. antennata
and S. fallax.
B. RELATIVE ABUNDANCE: A total of 5605 and 5446 flies were collected in
RE and RW, respectively during the two year period. S. minuta (24.6 and 28.3%
in RE and RW, respectively) and P. papatasi (22.6 and 21.6% in RE and RW,
respectively) were the abundant species. These were followed in descending order
of abundance by: S. fallax, P. longicuspis, P. alexandri, P. sergenti and P.
chabaudi. Both P. langeroni (1.7 and 1.5% in RE and RW, respectively) and S.
antennata (1.1 and 0.7% in RE and RW, respectively) were rare.
C. COMPARISON OF FLY DENSITIES IN THE TWO VILLAGES: In
general, densities of all sand fly species (of the two years together) in the two
villages were insignificantly different (P˃0.05) although higher density was
reported in RE (Mean±SD= 11.49±6.22 fly/ trap) than in RW (Mean±SD=
9.26±6.39 fly/ trap).
D. SEX RATIOS: More males were collected than females for all species however,
the ratios (males: females) were not deviated from the expected 1:1 for most of
the species in the two villages.
Summary
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E. RELATION OF FLY DENSITY TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS: In
both villages, the fly density (fly/trap) was directly related to the temperature and
RH (P˂0. 01) while it inversely related to wind velocity (P˃0.05).
F. MONTHLY ABUNDANC OF REPORTED SAND FLIES: For all species
altogether, in the two villages, flies were active from April to November with
increased activity from June to October. Prominent peaks were observed in
September and another peak was observed in June of the two years. Such trend
was followed by P. papatasi, P. longicuspis, and S. fallax. The other two
common species, P. alexandri showed a peak in August 2013 instead of
September (51 fly) and S. minuta had peaks in July instead of June of the two
years.
PHLEBOTOMUS PAPATASI ABUNDANCE IN RELATION TO THE
REPORTED CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS CASES
The relation of monthly densities (Fly / trap) of P. papatasi, the main vector of
CL to the reported CL cases during the fly activity periods in the two villages was
examined Cases in RE were reported from August to march (2012) and April (2013)
with higher numbers in October (4) and November (2) in both years. Peaks of P.
papatasi activity were during September 2012 and 2013. Cases in RW were reported in
April and from August to November (2012) with higher numbers (4) in October (2012)
while in 2013, no cases were reported due to insecticide application. Peaks of P. papatasi
activity were during September 2012 and 2013. This indicates that the period of high
abundance of P. papatasi (August – October) coincided with detection of higher numbers
of CL cases (August – November).
SAND FLY CONTROL
Sand fly control using ULV spraying with cypermethrin was evaluated in RW
through 3 spraying cycles during April, June and September 2013 and revealed that
during the post-spraying periods: (1) Density of the different species and the overall
density for all species altogether were significantly reduced, (2) the reduction in densities
of different species ranged from 33.33% to 77.52% with 46.69% as an overall reduction
for all species altogether and (3) Sex ratios of the most of species deviated from the
expected 1:1 ratio in favor of males. Moreover, ULV spraying reduced the reported CL
cases from 36 in 2012 to only 4 in 2013 (88.89% reduction). The obtained results indicate
the efficiency of ULV spraying in reducing sand fly population and consequently the
disease transmission