Geographical distribution of sandflies in the eastern province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

A survey of the eastern province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for sandflies revealed the distribution of only Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli); and three species of Sergentomyia, viz., S. antennata (Newstead), S. clydei (Sinton) and S. fallax (Parrot). In Hofuf of Al-Ahsa area, all these four species were found. P. papatasi was, however, in abundance and the only sandfly carrier of Leishmania in the highly endemic area of Al-Ahsa. The three species of Sergentomyia were of no inedical importance, being not infected and carrier of Leishmania to human beings. In Salwa and Khurais, no sandfly was present; while non-infective P. papatasi, S. antennata and S. clydei were collected from Haradh. In Hafrulbatin, these three species were also found. In Dammam area, big towns and urban localities like Jubail, Qateef, Saihat, Rahima: Safwa and Abquaiq had no sandfly and thus designed as Leishmania free zone. In Sarrar and Quryat-Al-Aliya localities, P. papatasi was directly related to the sporadic cases of leishmaniasis.