## Vector of Leishmania donovani **Key Point:** Phlebotomus argentipes is the principal vector for Leishmania donovani in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic plains. ### Vector Characteristics - **Anthropophilic** — prefers human hosts - **Nocturnal** — feeds at night - **Indoor resting** — found in cracks, crevices of houses - **Distribution** — endemic in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and parts of Uttar Pradesh ### Geographic Distribution of Vectors | Vector | Geographic Region | Parasite Species | | --- | --- | --- | | Phlebotomus argentipes | Indian subcontinent, East Africa | L. donovani (VL) | | Phlebotomus papatasi | Mediterranean, Middle East | L. major (CL) | | Lutzomyia longipalpis | Central & South America | L. donovani, L. infantum | | Phlebotomus martini | Africa | L. donovani | **High-Yield:** P. argentipes is the ONLY vector responsible for kala-azar transmission in India — this is a high-yield fact for NEET PG. **Clinical Pearl:** Elimination of P. argentipes through indoor residual spraying (IRS) with DDT has been a cornerstone of the kala-azar elimination programme in India, leading to significant reduction in VL cases.
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