Identification of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry
Abstract Background Phlebotomine sand flies are incriminated in the transmission of several human and veterinary pathogens.To elucidate their role as feline 1-hcpch vaccine vectors, proper species identification is crucial.Since traditional morphological determination is based on minute and often dubious characteristics on their head and genitalia,