Table 1 Mean concentration (ng/µl) and 260/280 purity ratios of DNA extracts obtained from phlebotomine sand flies according to different preservation methods and storage times. PCR success (positive/total and percentage) for the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and cacophony (CAC) genes is also shown

70% ethanol at room temperature (G1)

T1

4.5 ± 1.8

1.8 ± 0.4

10/10

100 

10/10

100

T2

3.0 ± 0.9

2.0 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T3

4.9 ± 2.2

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T4

2.6 ± 1.4

1.9 ± 0.1

10/10

100

10/10

100

T5

3.7 ± 1.1

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

95% ethanol at room temperature (G2)

T1

8.2 ± 5.7

1.7 ± 0.5

9/10

90

10/10

100

T2

2.7 ± 0.6

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T3

5.2 ± 5.7

1.8 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T4

2.7 ± 0.5

2.0 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T5

3.6 ± 0.7

2.0 ± 0.3

10/10

100

10/10

100

70% ethanol at 8 °C (G3)

T1

4.2 ± 2.7

1.8 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T2

2.3 ± 1.5

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T3

3.1 ± 0.9

1.9 ± 0.3

10/10

100

10/10

100

T4

2.7 ± 1.1

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T5

3.0 ± 0.7

2.1 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

95% ethanol at 8 °C (G4)

T1

4.9 ± 3.1

1.8 ± 0.4

10/10

100

10/10

100

T2

3.2 ± 0.5

1.8 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T3

3.8 ± 1.2

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T4

3.1 ± 1.2

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T5

3.3 ± 1.3

2.0 ± 0.3

10/10

100

10/10

100

Frozen dry at − 20 °C (G5)

T1

7.7 ± 3.8

1.6 ± 0.3

10/10

100

10/10

100

T2

4.0 ± 1.8

1.8 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T3

4.5 ± 2.2

1.8 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T4

4.5 ± 2.4

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100

T5

4.3 ± 0.9

1.9 ± 0.2

10/10

100

10/10

100