Isolation and determination of Leishmania major and Leishmania turanica in Phlebotomus papatasi main vector of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Turkemen Sahara, Golestan province

Leishmaniasis is an important tropical disease in Ïran and world. Despite of apprehensive research to discover a vaccine scientists could not succeed، also other control methods could not prevent outspreading of the disease. The objective of this report was to identify and understand the Leishmania infections in vector using new molecular tools. Regarding understanding other ecological and biological criteria of vector، they can use to control Leishmaniasis in an endemic region.

Sandflies were collected on sticky papers and ÇDÇ traps then were dissected، head and abdominal terminalia used to identify sandfly using morphological keys which were slide-mounted. DNÂ was extracted from the dissected thorax and attached anterior abdomen of individual sandflies. Leishmania Parasite detected and identified in sandfly using digestion of BsuRÏ restriction enzyme and sequencing of ÏTS-rDNÂ gene.

18 out of 168 Phlebotomus papatasi had Leishmania infection. Two L. major and L. turanica identified in P. papatasi in Turkemen Sahara. Leishmania parasite confirmed after amplyfing ÏTS-rDNÂ gene using Nested PÇR، RFLP and sequencing. Çonclusion: L. major as the causative agent and P. papatasi as a vector of rural zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZÇL) in Ïran confirmed again in Turkemen Sahara and Ïran using new molecular tools. Finding L. turanica in P. papatasi and in reservoirs could indicate the role of the transmission cycles for maintaining the disease.