Experimental acquisition, development, and transmission of Leishmania tropica by Phlebotomus duboscqi

► Experimental infection of P. duboscqi, from Kenya, by L. tropica from Turkey. ► L. tropica acquired by natural and artificial membrane blood feeding of sand flies. ► All four recognized stages of L. tropica promastigote development observed. ► Bite transmission confirmed by detection of parasite DNA in hamster tissue/organs.