Phlebotomine Sand Flies in Southern Thailand: Entomological Survey, Identification of Blood Meals and Molecular Detection of Trypanosoma spp

An entomological survey at rural and cavernicolous localities in four provinces in southern Thailand provided 155 blood-fed females of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) that were identified based on morphological characters as ( = 19), ( = 4), ( = 3), ( = 20), ( = 9), ( = 23), ( = 4), ( = 32), ( = 5), ( = 2), ( = 17), ( = 11) and sp. ( = 6). The dominant species in this study was , which was collected specifically in a Buddha cave. Screening for DNA of parasitic protozoans revealed eight specimens (5.16%) of four species ( , , and ) positive for sp., while no spp. DNA was detected. Blood meals of engorged females were identified by PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay on a fragment of cytochrome ( ) gene with a success rate 36%, humans, dogs, and rats being determined as sources of blood. Bloodmeal analysis of two -positive females ( and sp.) identified blood from dogs and humans, respectively. Our findings indicate that , , and may be incriminated in circulation of detected spp.