background: elongation factor-1, a conserved nuclear protein coding gene was used to identify iranian sandfly species. the phlebotomine sandfies are the vectors of the parasitic protozoan leishmania, the causative agents of leishmaniasis, in iran. methods: seven sets of primers were tried. pcr amplification of elongation factor-1 was successfully achieved for all 14 species of iranian sandfli...

background: the adult female sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) of the subgenus larroussius are important vectors of leishmania infantum (kinetoplastida: tripanosomatidae) in meshkinshahr district, northwest of iran. four phle­boto­mus ( larroussius ) species are present in this area, i.e. phlebotomus ( larroussius ) kandelakii , p. ( la. ) major , p. ( la. ) perfiliewi and p. ( la. ) tobbi . th...