ID#: 10277
Caption:
This photograph depicts a left lateral view of a Phlebotomus papatasi sand fly, which had landed atop the skin surface of the photographer, who had volunteered himself as host for this specimen’s blood meal. The sand flies are members of the dipteran family, Psychodidae, and the subfamily Phlebotominae. This specimen had just completed its ingestion of its blood meal, which is visible through its distended transparent abdomen. Sand flies like this P. papatasi, are responsible for the spread of the vector-borne, parasitic disease, leishmaniasis, which is caused by the obligate intracellular protozoa of the genus, Leishmania.
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Content Provider(s): CDC/ Frank Collins
Creation Date: 2006
Photo Credit: James Gathany
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Copyright Restrictions: None - This image is in the public domain and thus free of any copyright restrictions.