Study of certain epidemiological aspects of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khatam County, Yazd Province, Iran

Zoonotic Cutaneous leishmaniasis [ZCL] is one of the most important parasitic diseases in Iran and common in rural districts of half of the 30 provinces of the country. In recent years, ZCL has become a serious and increasing public health problem in Yazd province. Following the epidemic of CL in Khatam county of Yazd province, this study was carried out to determine the animal reservoir hosts and human infection in 2005-2006. 300 households were examined in February 2006 and corresponding forms were completed for each household during a house-to-house visit. Rodents were caught by 20 live traps, biweekly from late August to late November 2006. The rodents were identified morphologically and 4 impression smears were prepared from the edge of their ear lobes. The causative agent of the disease was isolated from humans and rodents characterized by RAPD-PCR method. The rate of ulcers and scars of ZCL among the inhabitants was 4.8% and 9.8%, respectively. Leishmania major was also isolated from human indigenous cases in Khatam County. In the study, Meriones libycus, Tatera indica and Rhombomys opimus were recorded and all of them were infected with leishmaniasis. Leishmania major was isolated and identified from R. opimus, too. Regarding the results of the present study, ZCL is prevalent in Khatam. It seems that R. opimus is the main reservoir host of the disease and M.libycus and T.indica also maintain this ZCL focus

faunestic study of rodents in Yazd with emphasis on rural reservoirs of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Leishmanioses are important parasitic diseases presenting in three clinical forms; visceral, cutaneous and muco-cutaneous. Some rodents are the reservoir hosts of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. The disease prevails in many rural areas of Yazd Province. This was the first comprehensive study on the fauna of rodents in Yazd and was conducted to determine the fauna, distribution and abundance of rodents during 2004-2005. The Rodents were collected by 30 Sherman live traps weekly from different parts of Yazd Province. The rodents were identified morphologically in the laboratory. To determine the Leishmanial infection of rodents, two smears of each ear lobe were prepared, fixed and stained by Geimsa and observed under light microscope. A total of 106 rodents were collected and subsequently 6 species were identified as follows: Meriones libycus [52.8%], Rhombomys opimus [20.8%], Mus musculus [12.3%], Tatera indica [7.5%], Nesokia indica [5.7%] and Rattus rattus [0.9%]. Of these 6 species, 8.1% of Meriones libycus and 5.9% of Rhombomys opimus were infected with Leishmania parasites. In the present study, leishmanial infection of Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus was determined. These species are the main reservoir hosts of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. Control operations are recommended in the hypoendemic and mesoendemic foci of the disease