Sand fly and Leishmania spp. survey in Vojvodina (Serbia): first detection of Leishmania infantum DNA in sand flies and the first record of Phlebotomus (Transphlebotomus) mascittii Grassi, 1908

Background Leishmaniasisin Serbia was an endemic disease, and is considered to be eradicated for more than 40 years. In the past decade sporadic cases of canine leishmaniasisstarted to emerge for the first time in Vojvodina Province (previously non- endemicregion of Serbia). Reports of introduced, and later on autochthonous cases of leishmaniasisalerted the possibility of disease emergence. The aim of this study was to bridge more than a half a century wide gap in entomologicalsurveillance of sand fly vectors in Vojvodina, as well as to verify the presence of the vector species that could support Leishmania spp. circulation.