B cell immune response to human bocaviruses.

BACKGROUND: Human bocaviruses (HBoVs) have been demonstrated in respiratory and gastrointestinal infections; however, the immune response to them has not been studied in detail. In this study, we investigated the B cell immune responses to HBoV1 and HBoV2, representing two different species of bocaviruses in humans. METHODS: We analyzed the effects of stimulations with HBoV1 and 2 virus-like particles (VLPs) and of co-stimulation with HBoV1-rhinovirus (RV) on cells of the immune system by flow cytometry, transcriptomics, and luminometric immune assays. RESULTS: Human B cells, and particularly B regulatory cells (Breg cells), showed an increased immune response to HBoV1-VLPs stimulation. These immune responses were also supported by increased IL-1RA and PDL1 expressions in IL-10+ B cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with HBoV1-VLPs. In addition, increased levels of IL-10 and IL-1RA were determined in the supernatants of PBMCs following HBoV1-VLPs stimulation. HBoV1-VLPs and RV co-stimulation increased the IL-10+ B cell population. Transcriptome analysis by next-generation RNA sequencing showed an increased expression of IL-10 signalling and Breg cell markers in PBMCs stimulated with HBoV1-VLPs. Furthermore, TGF-ß and chemoattractants MIP-1α, MIP-1ß and IP10 protein levels were high in the supernatants of PBMCs stimulated with HBoV1-VLPs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate that in Breg cells, IL-10 signalling pathways, and anti-inflammatory activity are induced by HBoV1, which can explain the often mild nature of the disease. In addition, the immune regulatory response induced by HBoV1-VLPs may indicate a potential immunomodulatory role of HBoV1 on the immune system and may represent an immune regulatory strategy.

Identification of Ochrobactrum as a bacteria with transstadial transmission and potential for application in paratransgenic control of leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic vector-borne disease with worldwide distribution. All current approaches in leishmaniasis control or development of vaccines/cures showed only limited success. Recently, paratransgenesis has been marked as a promising strategy for leishmaniasis control. Thus, the investigations of the gut microbial content of sand flies have gained popularity. Gut microbial composition of the laboratory colony of Phlebotomus papatasi was investigated via microbial culturomics approach which refers to the combination of multiple culture conditions and different selective and/or enriched culture mediums, followed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Investigations were conducted on three offspring generations, with six samplings of immature stages (four larval samplings, one pre-pupa, one pupa) and samplings of adults before and after blood feeding. The aim was to determine if microbiome changes during the sand fly development and to identify bacteria with transstadial potential. The presence of 8 bacterial taxa (Bacillus sp., Terribacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Alcaligenes sp., Microbacterium sp., Leucobacter sp., Ochrobactrum sp. and Enterobacter sp.), 2 fungi (Fusarium sp. and Acremonium sp.) and 1 yeast (Candida sp.) were recorded. Gram-positive bacteria were more diverse, but gram-negative bacteria were more abundant. All taxa were recorded among immature stage samples, while only one bacterium was detected in adults. Microbial diversity among larval samples was stable, with a steady decrease in pre-pupa and pupa, resulting in the survival of only Ochrobactrum sp. in adults. Abundance of microbes was higher when larvae were actively feeding, with a gradual decrease after larvae stopped feeding and commenced pupation. Ochrobactrum sp. is the bacteria with transstadial potential, worthy of future in-depth analysis for the application in paratransgenic approach for the control of Leishmania sp.

The kinesin of the flagellum attachment zone in Leishmania is required for cell morphogenesis, cell division and virulence in the mammalian host.

Leishmania parasites possess a unique and complex cytoskeletal structure termed flagellum attachment zone (FAZ) connecting the base of the flagellum to one side of the flagellar pocket (FP), an invagination of the cell body membrane and the sole site for endocytosis and exocytosis. This structure is involved in FP architecture and cell morphogenesis, but its precise role and molecular composition remain enigmatic. Here, we characterized Leishmania FAZ7, the only known FAZ protein containing a kinesin motor domain, and part of a clade of trypanosomatid-specific kinesins with unknown functions. The two paralogs of FAZ7, FAZ7A and FAZ7B, display different localizations and functions. FAZ7A localizes at the basal body, while FAZ7B localizes at the distal part of the FP, where the FAZ structure is present in Leishmania. While null mutants of FAZ7A displayed normal growth rates, the deletion of FAZ7B impaired cell growth in both promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania. The kinesin activity is crucial for its function. Deletion of FAZ7B resulted in altered cell division, cell morphogenesis (including flagellum length), and FP structure and function. Furthermore, knocking out FAZ7B induced a mis-localization of two of the FAZ proteins, and disrupted the molecular organization of the FP collar, affecting the localization of its components. Loss of the kinesin FAZ7B has important consequences in the insect vector and mammalian host by reducing proliferation in the sand fly and pathogenicity in mice. Our findings reveal the pivotal role of the only FAZ kinesin as part of the factors important for a successful life cycle of Leishmania.

Systematic Review: Re-emergence of human leishmaniasis in the Balkans.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an updated overview of the leishmaniasis epidemiology in the Balkans, as this region presents "blank space" on the map of leishmaniasis knowledge in Europe. METHODS: Following the PRISMA guideline, literature on the presence and circulation of human leishmaniasis in Balkan countries was screened in PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Matica Srpska Library and the National Library of Serbia. RESULTS: Sixty nine publications from 1919 until September 2020 were reviewed. Historical records indicate that leishmaniasis was previously present mainly in the southern parts of the Balkans, while newer data demonstrate its northward spread. CONCLUSIONS: Human leishmaniasis is re-emerging in the Balkans and in some areas is already widespread.

West Nile virus 'circulation' in Vojvodina, Serbia: Mosquito, bird, horse and human surveillance.

Efforts to detect West Nile virus (WNV) in the Vojvodina province, northern Serbia, commenced with human and mosquito surveillance in 2005, followed by horse (2009) and wild bird (2012) surveillance. The knowledge obtained regarding WNV circulation, combined with the need for timely detection of virus activity and risk assessment resulted in the implementation of a national surveillance programme integrating mosquito, horse and bird surveillance in 2014. From 2013, the system showed highly satisfactory results in terms of area specificity (the capacity to indicate the spatial distribution of the risk for human cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease - WNND) and sensitivity to detect virus circulation even at the enzootic level. A small number (n = 50) of Culex pipiens (pipiens and molestus biotypes, and their hybrids) females analysed per trap/night, combined with a high number of specimens in the sample, provided variable results in the early detection capacity at different administrative levels (NUTS2 versus NUTS3). The clustering of infected mosquitoes, horses, birds and human cases of WNND in 2014-2015 was highly significant, following the south-west to north-east direction in Vojvodina (NUTS2 administrative level). Human WNND cases grouped closest with infected mosquitoes in 2014, and with wild birds/mosquitoes in 2015. In 2014, sentinel horses showed better spatial correspondence with human WNND cases than sentinel chickens. Strong correlations were observed between the vector index values and the incidence of human WNND cases recorded at the NUTS2 and NUTS3 levels. From 2010, West Nile virus was detected in mosquitoes sampled at 43 different trap stations across Vojvodina. At 14 stations (32.56%), WNV was detected in two different (consecutive or alternate) years, at 2 stations in 3 different years, and in 1 station during 5 different years. Based on these results, integrated surveillance will be progressively improved to allow evidence-based adoption of preventive public health and mosquito control measures.

Effect of high-volume insecticide spraying on sand fly vectors in household gardens in Spain.

This study investigated the efficacy of high-volume spraying with the adulticide α-cypermethrin alone and in combination with the larvicide diflubenzuron on the density of sand flies in gardens of three detached households in periurban areas in southeast Spain. Treatments were applied four times between June and August 2016, and four nearby sites, two households and two non-urbanized sites, were untreated controls. The number of sand flies collected between May and October 2016 using sticky interception and light attraction traps, was 4446 specimens. Species identified morphologically included Sergentomyia minuta (n = 2101; 48%), Phlebotomus perniciosus (n = 1922; 44%), Phlebotomus papatasi (n = 173; 4%), Phlebotomus sergenti (n = 161; 4%) and Phlebotomus ariasi (n = 36; 1%). Sand flies were detected in both treated and untreated sites. The proportion of positive sticky traps and the median (range) density of sand flies in positive traps were 61% traps and 7 (2-172) sand flies/m2 /day in untreated sites, and 43% traps and 4 (1-56) sand flies/m2 /day in treated sites (p < 0.05). Similarly, for light traps, it was 96% traps and 30 (3-168) flies/trap/day, and 83% traps and 3 (1-12) sand flies/trap/day, respectively (p < 0.05). However, sand fly density followed a comparable seasonal pattern in untreated and treated sites and did not consistently decrease following insecticide applications. These results were confirmed with mixed negative binomial modelling of sand fly density adjusted for time since application, month, environmental setting and site. The limited efficacy of the treatments, added to their cost, the impact of insecticides on non-target organisms and human health, and the risk of development of insecticide resistance, should dissuade similar outdoor applications to control sand fly vector populations in residential areas.

Canine leishmaniasis in Balkan - A review of occurrence and epidemiology.

Canine leishmaniasis is a parasitic zoonotic infection of dogs caused by the Leishmania spp. parasites. In Europe, canine leishmaniasis is among the most important vector-borne parasitic diseases of dogs, with majority of data originating from countries of southwestern Europe. With its scarce and outdated records, the Balkan region presents the "blank space" in the European map of canine leishmaniasis knowledge. Numerous records obtained during the past decade and a half indicate the emergence of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis in new settings all across Balkan, a significant increase in the numbers of infected dogs in previously endemic areas, and northward spread of the disease. As the majority of canine leishmaniasis data from Balkan countries are several decades old and generally written in native Balkan languages, hence not available to the broader area of scientists, comprehensive search of scientific literature published from 1934 to January 2021 was conducted in order to provide a better perspective to the past and current canine leishmaniasis situation in Balkan. This review provides exhaustive information on all leishmaniasis records in dogs, wild animals and cats, available from 10 countries of the Balkan region. It identifies dogs as the main disease reservoirs and highlights the importance of wild animals, and potentially cats, as disease reservoirs, which is of great public and veterinary health concern. Additionally, certain shortcomings in canine leishmaniasis research, management, surveillance and control were identified.

Protein methyltransferase 7 deficiency in Leishmania major increases neutrophil associated pathology in murine model.

Leishmania major is the main causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World. In Leishmania parasites, the lack of transcriptional control is mostly compensated by post-transcriptional mechanisms. Methylation of arginine is a conserved post-translational modification executed by Protein Arginine Methyltransferase (PRMTs). The genome from L. major encodes five PRMT homologs, including the cytosolic protein associated with several RNA-binding proteins, LmjPRMT7. It has been previously reported that LmjPRMT7 could impact parasite infectivity. In addition, a more recent work has clearly shown the importance of LmjPRMT7 in RNA-binding capacity and protein stability of methylation targets, demonstrating the role of this enzyme as an important epigenetic regulator of mRNA metabolism. In this study, we unveil the impact of PRMT7-mediated methylation on parasite development and virulence. Our data reveals that higher levels of LmjPRMT7 can impair parasite pathogenicity, and that deletion of this enzyme rescues the pathogenic phenotype of an attenuated strain of L. major. Interestingly, lesion formation caused by LmjPRMT7 knockout parasites is associated with an exacerbated inflammatory reaction in the tissue correlated with an excessive neutrophil recruitment. Moreover, the absence of LmjPRMT7 also impairs parasite development within the sand fly vector Phlebotomus duboscqi. Finally, a transcriptome analysis shed light onto possible genes affected by depletion of this enzyme. Taken together, this study highlights how post-transcriptional regulation can affect different aspects of the parasite biology.

Colonization and genetic diversification processes of Leishmania infantum in the Americas.

Leishmania infantum causes visceral leishmaniasis, a deadly vector-borne disease introduced to the Americas during the colonial era. This non-native trypanosomatid parasite has since established widespread transmission cycles using alternative vectors, and human infection has become a significant concern to public health, especially in Brazil. A multi-kilobase deletion was recently detected in Brazilian L. infantum genomes and is suggested to reduce susceptibility to the anti-leishmanial drug miltefosine. We show that deletion-carrying strains occur in at least 15 Brazilian states and describe diversity patterns suggesting that these derive from common ancestral mutants rather than from recurrent independent mutation events. We also show that the deleted locus and associated enzymatic activity is restored by hybridization with non-deletion type strains. Genetic exchange appears common in areas of secondary contact but also among closely related parasites. We examine demographic and ecological scenarios underlying this complex L. infantum population structure and discuss implications for disease control.

Comparative Study of Promastigote- and Amastigote-Initiated Infection of Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae) Conducted in Different Biosafety Level Laboratories.

Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are natural vectors of Leishmania. For the initiation of sand fly experimental infections either Leishmania amastigotes or promastigotes can be used. In order to obtain comparable results, it is necessary to adjust and standardize procedures. During this study, we conducted promastigote- and amastigote-initiated infections of Leishmania infantum Nicolle, 1908 parasites in Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perniciosus Newstead, 1911 in two laboratories with different levels of biosafety protection. Protocol originally designed for a biosafety level 2 facility was modified for biosafety level 3 facility and infection parameters were compared. Particularly, specially designed plastic containers were used for blood feeding; feeders were placed outside the sand fly cage, on the top of the mesh; feeding was performed inside the climatic chamber; separation of engorged females was done in Petri dishes kept on ice; engorged females were kept in the cardboard containers until dissection. All experiments, conducted in both laboratories, resulted in fully developed late stage infections with high number of parasites and colonization of the stomodeal valve. We demonstrated that protocol originally designed for biosafety level 2 facilities can be successfully modified for other biosafety facilities, depending on the special requirements of the individual institution/laboratory.

Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in eight Balkan countries: historical review and region-wide entomological survey.

BACKGROUND: Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are medically important vectors of human and veterinary disease-causing agents. Among these, the genus Leishmania (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), and phleboviruses are of utmost importance. Despite such significance, updated information about sand fly fauna is missing for Balkan countries where both sand flies and autochtonous leishmaniases are historically present and recently re-emerging. Therefore, a review of historical data on sand fly species composition and distribution in the region was followed by a large-scale entomological survey in eight Balkan countries to provide a recent update on local sand fly fauna. METHODS: The literature search involved the period 1910-2019. The entomological survey was conducted at 1189 sampling stations in eight countries (Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia), covering 49 settlements and 358 sampling sites between June and October in the years 2014 and 2016, accumulating 130 sampling days. We performed a total of 1189 trapping nights at these stations using two types of traps (light and CO2 attraction traps) in each location. Sampling was performed with a minimal duration of 6 (Montenegro) and a maximal of 47 days (Serbia) between 0-1000 m.a.s.l. Collected sand flies were morphologically identified. RESULTS: In total, 8490 sand fly specimens were collected. Morphological identification showed presence of 14 species belonging to genera Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia. Historical data were critically reviewed and updated with our recent findings. Six species were identified in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2 new records), 5 in Montenegro (2 new records), 5 in Croatia (2 new records), 9 in Bulgaria (5 new records), 11 in North Macedonia (1 new record), 10 in Serbia (no new records), 9 in Kosovo (3 new records) and 4 in Slovenia (no new records). CONCLUSIONS: This study presents results of the first integrated sand fly fauna survey of such scale for the Balkan region, providing first data on sand fly populations for four countries in the study area and presenting new species records for six countries and updated species lists for all surveyed countries. Our findings demonstrate presence of proven and suspected vectors of several Leishmania species.

Experimental infection of Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus tobbi with different Leishmania tropica strains.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania tropica is increasingly documented in Europe and the Middle East. Besides its specific vector, Phlebotomus sergenti, permissive Phlebotomus sand flies are suspected as potential vectors of L. tropica. We investigated the susceptibility of two widely distributed species, Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus tobbi. Laboratory-reared sand flies were infected experimentally with L. tropica strains differing in lipophosphoglycan epitopes, geographical distribution and epidemiology. High infection rates, heavy parasite loads and fully developed late-stage infections including colonization of the stomodeal valve were observed in all parasite-vector combinations. Our findings demonstrate that P. perniciosus and P. tobbi are susceptible to different L. tropica strains and may play a role in their circulation in endemic foci of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

LmxM.22.0250-Encoded Dual Specificity Protein/Lipid Phosphatase Impairs Leishmania mexicana Virulence In Vitro.

Protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation is an important regulatory mechanism that controls many key physiological processes. Numerous pathogens successfully use kinases and phosphatases to internalize, replicate, and survive, modifying the host's phosphorylation profile or signal transduction pathways. Multiple phosphatases and kinases from diverse bacterial pathogens have been implicated in human infections before. In this work, we have identified and characterized the dual specificity protein/lipid phosphatase LmDUSP1 as a novel virulence factor governing Leishmania mexicana infection. The LmDUSP1-encoding gene (LmxM.22.0250 in L. mexicana) has been acquired from bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. Importantly, its orthologues have been associated with virulence in several bacterial species, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Listeria monocytogenes. Leishmania mexicana with ablated LmxM.22.0250 demonstrated severely attenuated virulence in the experimental infection of primary mouse macrophages, suggesting that this gene facilitates Leishmania pathogenicity in vertebrates. Despite significant upregulation of LmxM.22.0250 expression in metacyclic promastigotes, its ablation did not affect the ability of mutant cells to differentiate into virulent stages in insects. It remains to be further investigated which specific biochemical pathways involve LmDUSP1 and how this facilitates the parasite's survival in the host. One of the interesting possibilities is that LmDUSP1 may target host's substrate(s), thereby affecting its signal transduction pathways.

A survey of sand flies (Diptera, Phlebotominae) along recurrent transit routes in Serbia.

Serbia was a country endemic for leishmaniasis with rich and abundant sand fly fauna during the middle of the 20th century. After 1968, the disease was considered as eradicated, and as a consequence, all research on vectors and pathogens was neglected. The recent detection of Leishmania infantum in sand flies and confirmed cases of leishmaniasis in humans and dogs indicated the risk of re-emergence in Serbia. Also, for millions of refugees/immigrants, Serbia is a transit route between East-Mediterranean and Middle-East countries, and Central/North Europe, and it is under constant risk of vector and disease introduction. Primary objectives of this research were to determine which sand fly species are present around transit routes, whether they include vectors of the Leishmania spp. moreover, is/are Leishmania spp. present in the vectors. Surveys were conducted at 55 locations, organised in four clusters, which covered main immigrant routes and shelters/camps as well as tourist/trade transit routes. In total, 367 sand fly specimens were collected. Nine species were identified: Phlebotomus papatasi, P. perfiliewi, P. tobbi, P. neglectus, P. sergenti, P. alexandri, P. simici, P. balcanicus and P. mascittii. Detection of P. alexandri represents the first record in Serbia. The diversity of sand fly species increased while the number of collected specimens per night decreased during the period of research neglection. Phlebotomus neglectus, a proven vector of L. infantum, was a predominant species in all surveyed clusters, and in 56,52% of locations, it was the only species present. Although all detected species are regarded either as proven or suspected vectors of Leishmania spp., screening of females for Leishmania presence resulted negative. Our study provides insight into the significant changes of sand fly fauna in Serbia during the end of XX and beginning of XXI century. Diverse sand fly fauna in Serbia suggests that the establishment of new leishmaniasis foci is possible.

An update of the Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) checklist for the Balkans.

BACKGROUND: The prime significance of species belonging to the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is their ability to transmit viruses such as bluetongue virus (BTV) to wild and domestic ruminants. Prior to 1998, BTV was considered exotic in Europe, but according to recent history of its outbreaks, it has become endemic in southern and eastern European countries circulating beyond its expected historical limits, into the Balkan region. The wind-borne long-distance dispersal of Culicoides spp. over water bodies and local spreading between farms emphasize the necessity of filling in the information gaps regarding vector species distribution. In most Balkan countries, data on Culicoides fauna and species distribution are lacking, or information is old and scarce. RESULTS: During this study, 8586 specimens belonging to 41 species were collected. We present the first faunistic data on Culicoides species in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. For other countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Croatia), all historical records were compiled for the first time and then expanded with our findings to various extents. In all countries, confirmed or suspected BTV vector species belonging to the subgenera Avaritia and Culicoides were collected. The total number of species sampled during our field collections was 20 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (15 new records), 10 in Bulgaria (2 new records), 10 in Croatia (5 new records), 13 in FYROM, 9 in Kosovo, 15 in Montenegro, and 28 in Serbia. Of these, 14 species were registered for the first time in this part of the Balkans. CONCLUSIONS: This paper provides the first data about Culicoides fauna in FYROM, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, as well as new records and an update on the checklists for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Croatia. These findings provide preliminary insights into the routes of BTV introduction and spreading within the Balkans, and present a valuable contribution to further research related to Culicoides-borne diseases in Europe.

Direct evidence for an expanded circulation area of the recently identified Balkan virus (Sandfly fever Naples virus species) in several countries of the Balkan archipelago.

BACKGROUND: Recently, Balkan virus (BALKV, family Phenuiviridae, genus Phlebovirus) was discovered in sand flies collected in Albania and genetically characterised as a member of the Sandfly fever Naples species complex. To gain knowledge concerning the geographical area where exposure to BALKV exists, entomological surveys were conducted in 2014 and 2015, in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH), Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia and Serbia. RESULTS: A total of 2830 sand flies were trapped during 2014 and 2015 campaigns, and organised as 263 pools. BALKV RNA was detected in four pools from Croatia and in one pool from BH. Phylogenetic relationships were examined using sequences in the S and L RNA segments. Study of the diversity between BALKV sequences from Albania, Croatia and BH showed that Albanian sequences were the most divergent (9-11% [NP]) from the others and that Croatian and BH sequences were grouped (0.9-5.4% [NP]; 0.7-5% [L]). The sand fly infection rate of BALKV was 0.26% in BH and 0.27% in Croatia. Identification of the species content of pools using cox1 and cytb partial regions showed that the five BALKV positive pools contained Phlebotomus neglectus DNA; in four pools, P neglectus was the unique species, whereas P. tobbi DNA was also detected in one pool. CONCLUSIONS: We report here (i) the first direct evidence that the Balkan virus initially described in coastal Albania has a much wider dissemination area than originally believed, (ii) two real-time RT-PCR assays that may be useful for further screening of patients presenting with fever of unknown origin that may be caused by Balkan virus infection, (iii) entomological results suggesting that Balkan virus is likely transmitted by Phlebotomus neglectus, and possibly other sand fly species of the subgenus Larroussius. So far, BALKV has been detected only in sand flies. Whether BALKV can cause disease in humans is unknown and remains to be investigated.

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: Leishmaniasis in Serbia was an endemic disease, and is considered to be eradicated for more than 40 years. In the past decade sporadic cases of canine leishmaniasis started to emerge for the first time in Vojvodina Province (previously non-endemic region of Serbia). Reports of introduced, and later on autochthonous cases of leishmaniasis alerted the possibility of disease emergence. The aim of this study was to bridge more than a half a century wide gap in entomological surveillance of sand fly vectors in Vojvodina, as well as to verify the presence of the vector species that could support Leishmania spp. circulation. RESULTS: During the period 2013-2015, a total of 136 sand flies were collected from 48 of 80 surveyed locations. Four sand fly species of the genus Phlebotomus were detected: P. papatasi, P. perfiliewi, P. mascittii and P. neglectus. Detection of P. mascittii represents the first record of this species for the sand fly fauna in Vojvodina and in Serbia. All female specimens (n = 80) were tested for Leishmania spp. DNA, and three blood-fed P. papatasi specimens were positive (4%). One positive DNA sample was successfully amplified by ITS1 nPCR. The RFLP analysis of the resulting 350 bp fragment showed a typical pattern of L. infantum, and the ITS1 partial sequence blasted in GenBank confirmed 100% identity with L. infantum and L. donovani complex sequences. This result represents the first record of both Leishmania spp. and L. infantum DNA from sand flies in Vojvodina, and in Serbia. CONCLUSIONS: Presence of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis cases, records of Phlebotomus (Larroussius) species proven vectors of L. infantum (P. perfiliewi and P. neglectus) and detection of L. infantum DNA from wild caught (non-competent) vectors, prove that L. infantum is present in Vojvodina and indicates a probable circulation in the region.