Molecular epidemiological study of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the focus of bushehr city, southwestern iran.
Yaghoobi-Ershadi، Mohammad Reza نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , Shahbazi، Farideh نويسنده School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Shahbazi, Farideh , Darvishi، Mohammad نويسنده Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecological Research Institute, Bandar Abbas, IR Iran , , Akhavan، Amir Ahmad نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Akhavan, Amir Ahmad , Jafari، Reza نويسنده Department of Ophthalmology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran Jafari, Reza , Khajeian، Mohammad نويسنده Deputy of Health Services, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran. Khajeian, Mohammad , Rassi، Yavar Rassi نويسنده Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. , , Soleimani، Hassan نويسنده , , Shirzadi، Mohammad Reza نويسنده , , Hanafi-Bojd ، Ahmad Ali نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , Darabi، Hossein نويسنده The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran. Darabi, Hossein , Arandian ، Mohammad Hossein نويسنده Esfahan Health Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Esfahan, Iran , , Sanei-Dehkordi، Alireza نويسنده Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Sanei-Dehkordi, Alireza , Heidari، Mansour نويسنده Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Heidari, Mansour
Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) represents the most frequent vector borne parasitoses in Iran. The ob-jective of this study was to determine the epidemiological features of CL including human infection and the reservoir host in the city of Bushehr, Bushehr Province, Iran during 2010–2011.
Methods: Studies on human infection was carried out on 2962 school children aged 7–14 years old from 60 primary schools and among 400 households with a total population of 1568 in four infected districts of the city in December 2010. Serosity materials from patients on glass slides were collected for molecular identification of causative agent. Rodents were caught by Sherman traps and examined for identification of the parasite.
Results: Prevalence of scars and ulcers among the inhabitants were 5.86% and 0.12% respectively. Molecular study indicated the presence of two coexisting species: Leishmania major and L. tropica among patients. The scar rate was 1.24% but no ulcers were seen among the students. Nineteen rodents were caught and identified as Tatera indica (47.4%) and Rattus norvegicus (52.6%). Specimens from 7 T. indica and 9 R. norvegicus were examined by two techniques, microscopic examination and nested-PCR. Out of 7 T. indica, 14.3% were infected with L. major and 42.9% with L. turanica by nested-PCR. Out of 9 R. norvegicus 22.2% were infected with L. turanica and 11.1% with L. gerbilli.
Conclusion: Based on this survey L. major and L. tropica are the causative agents of the disease among patients and T. indica plays a predominant role in the dissemination of L. major in the city.