Characterization of Visceral leishmaniasis in Reservoir Host (dogs) and Determination of Agent by PCR in Boyer-Ahmad District, Iran

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is an endemic disease in some parts of Iran. Leishmania infantum is the agent of disease in studied areas. The aim of the present study was the characterization of visceral leishmaniasis in reservoir host (dogs) and determination of agent by molecular method in Boyer-Ahmad district, Iran In this study 15 infected dogs with symptoms of canine visceral leishmaniasis were selected from 5 VL endemic villages of Boyer-Ahmad district in 2010. All cases were tested by DAT for evaluation of anti leishmanial antibodies. After necropsy, parasitological study was conducted by use of impression smear of liver and spleen. Nested PCR was use to detect the parasite DNA in the liver and spleen tissues. From fifteen cases, fourteen dogs had antibody titer above of 1:320 while one of the cases was seronegative. Leishmania amastigotes was seen in 13 smears of liver and spleen (13 cases). The agent of disease in 14 dogs determined as Leishmania infantum by nested PCR. This study confirmed that Leishmania infantum is the causative agent of canine VL in Boyer-Ahmad and the diseases pattern is similar to the rest of country.