WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Researchers screened 1,937 sand flies in 124 pools collected from 24 sites during 2023–2025. Overall Wolbachia prevalence was estimated at 38.7%, with strong year-to-year variation. Eleven complete MLST profiles, all from Phlebotomus perniciosus, belonged to Supergroup B and shared an identical profile that had no exact match in public databases.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Natural symbiont surveillance can reveal biological structure that standard vector datasets miss. The result is a foundation for asking whether this lineage changes sand-fly reproduction or pathogen transmission, not evidence that it already provides a control tool.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
Prevalence was estimated from pooled samples and varied by year. The study characterized infection and phylogeny; it did not test effects on vector competence, pathogen transmission, survival or the feasibility of Wolbachia-based control.
SOURCE
Parasites & Vectors — primary study
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