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Leishmania species: Detection and identification by nested PCR assay from skin samples of rodent reservoirs |
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| Authors: | Amir Ahmad Akhavan Ali Khamesipour Yavar Rassi Shaden Kamhawi Mohammad Hossein Arandian Niloufar Jalali-zand Niloufar Shareghi Mohammad Reza Yaghoobi-Ershadi |
| Affiliation: | a Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran b Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran c Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran d Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran e Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK f Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA g Esfahan Health Training and Research Center, Institute Public of Health Researches, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract: | Many rodent species act as reservoir hosts of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic areas. In the present study a simple and reliable assay based on nested PCR was developed for the detection and identification of Leishmania parasites from rodent skin samples. We designed Leishmania-specific primers that successfully amplified ITS regions of Leishmania major, Leishmania gerbilli and Leishmania turanica using nested PCR. Out of 95 field collected Rhombomys opimus, 21 were positive by microscopic examination and 48 by nested PCR. The percentage of gerbils infected with L. major, L. gerbilli and L. turanica was 3.2%, 1.1% and 27.4%, respectively. In 15.8% of the rodents, we found mixed natural infections by L. major and L. turanica, 1.1% by L. major and L. gerbilli, and 2.1% by the three species. We concluded that this method is simple and reliable for detecting and identifying Leishmania species circulating in rodent populations. |
| Keywords: | Leishmania major Leishmania gerbilli Leishmania turanica Rodent Rhombomys opimus Cutaneous leishmaniasis Nested PCR Iran |
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