2.2. Mice and sand flies

Female Swiss mice (20–25 g) were purchased from Janvier (France). Food for laboratory rodents (Carfil, Arendonk, Belgium) and drinking water were available ad libitum. In Prague, BALB/c mice (AnLab) were provided with a standard feed mixture ST-1 (Velaz) and water ad libitum, with a 12 h light/12 h dark photoperiod, temperature 22–25 °C and humidity 40–60%. Flies were maintained at the insectary of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic (P. perniciosus) and at the Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Belgium (L. longipalpis), as described elsewhere (Volf and Volfova, 2011). In brief, flies were kept in cages at 25–26 °C and 70–80% relative humidity. Cotton wool soaked in 30% sugar solution was provided for feeding the adults. Larvae were fed three times a week with a mixture of fermented rabbit feces, rabbit pellets and mice pellets. Blood feeding of adult females was performed once weekly on anesthetized (1.75 mg/20 g ketamine and 0.25 mg/20 g xylazine) mice.