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Identification of Aerobic Gut Bacteria from the Kala Azar Vector, Phlebotomus argentipes: A Platform for Potential Paratransgenic Manipulation of Sand Flies

Heidi Hillesland, Amber Read, Bobban Subhadra, Ivy Hurwitz, Robin McKelvey, Kashinath Ghosh, Pradeep Das, AND Ravi Durvasula^*

Visceral leishmaniasis is an understudied parasitic disease responsible for significant global morbidity and mortality. We are presently investigating a method of disease prevention termed paratransgenesis. In this approach, symbiotic or commensal bacteria are transformed to produce anti-Leishmania molecules. The transformed bacteria are delivered back to sand flies to inactivate the parasite within the vector itself. In this study, we identified 28 distinct gut microorganisms from Phlebotomus argentipes trapped from four visceral leishmaniasis–endemic sites in India. A significant percent of Staphylococcus spp., environmental bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae were identified. Two non-pathogenic organisms, Bacillus megaterium and Brevibacterium linens, were also isolated. Both organisms are also used extensively in industry. Our results indicate that B. megaterium and B. linens are possible candidates for use in a model of paratransgenesis to prevent transmission of Leishmania.

Received May 29, 2008. Accepted for publication August 27, 2008.

^* Address correspondence to Ravi Durvasula, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131. E-mail: ravi.durvasula{at}va.gov

These authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Authors’ addresses: Heidi Hillesland, Amber Read, Bobban Subhadra, Ivy Hurwitz, Robin McKelvey, and Ravi Durvasula, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131. Kashinath Ghosh, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Pradeep Das, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India 800007.