Identification of Leishmania species in patients and reservoir rodents using PCR- RFLP in the central county of Qom province in 2010

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a health problem in many areas of Iran. Cutaneous leishmaniasisis reported mostly in the central county of Qom province، including Ghanavat and Qomrood villages. This study was done to identify parasite species in human and rodents in order to illustrate the epidemiologic picture of the disease and provide an appropriate control program in 2010 This cross-sectional study was done on microscopic smears of 45 human samples and rodents samples hunted around Ghanavat and Qomrood villages in the central county of Qom province in 2010. In total،15 human samples and one hunted rodent sample were positive. In this study،the DNA of the parasites were extracted from the slides and analyzed by Leishmania specific premiers using ITS1 PCR-amplification (Internal Transcribed Spacer1). PCR (PolymeraseChain Reaction) products were digested by Haelll enzyme. Overall، 15 human samples and one rodent sample from Merioneslibycus species were evaluated by PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism). After electrophoresis، it was demonstrated that the parasite was Leishmaniamajor in both human and rodent species. PCR-RFLP technique is an effective method to determine Leishmania parasite species in Geimsa stained slides from human and rodent reservoirs. One of the advantages of this technique is that it is possible to recognize the pathogen species of Leishmania parasite without gene sequencing. Besides، PCR-RFLP technique is a method of quite high sensitivity and specificity which can identify parasite species in addition to the diagnosis of leishmaniasis within 24 hours.