Detection and identification of Leishmania parasites sandflies using kDNA, rDNa and CPB loci

Molecular epidemiology of Visceral Leishmaniasis [VL] is currently used widely for different objectives such as vector incrimination studies. In this study three different loci including kinetoplast DNA [kDNA], ribosomal DNA [rDNA], cystein protease B [CPB[ of Leishmania parasite genome were used for detection and identification of natural infection of sand flies of Germi district of Ardebil province, the most important VL or Kala-azar foci in Iran. The results showed that the three loci of kDNA, rDNA and CPBs are respectively more appropriate for leptomonad infection/initial screening, identification of the L.donovani complex, and discrimination of the species complex. It was also verified that both members of the complex, L.donovani and L.infantum, are present in the study area and are transmitted to the hosts by Phlebotomus perfiliewi transcaucasicus sandflies. This is the first report on natural infection of sand flies to L.donovani in the country and since the ecology and biology of L.donovani differs extensively from L.infantum, it is necessary to perform further studies to highlight the role of L.donovani in epidemiology of VL in the region and country

Natural infection of sand files Sergentomyia dentata in Ardebil to Lizard Leishmania

An entomological survey was carried out for Leishmania vector incrimination of sand flies in northwestern Iran. Among other specimens, 358 sand flies belong to the Sergentomyia Genus were tested for leptomonad infection using semi-nested PCR method as well as sequence analysis of ITS-rDNA fragment. Results of semi-nested PCR against kietoplast DNA showed reptile leptomonad infection in two specimens of S.dentata. The ITS2 sequence analysis of the specimens revealed 76% identity with those of Leishmania [sauroleishmania] adleri of Genbank. However, further studies need to clarify the species identity of the leptomonads. Interestingly, blood meal analysis of the sand flies determined an S.sintoni specimen with mammalian hemoglobin. This reptile related sauroleishmania parasites lacks the Lipophosphoglican [LQG] necessary for entrance to human phagocytes cells, and hence are not human pathogen. However, the GlycoInositoPhosphLipid[GIPL] molecules of this parasite reacts with sera of kala-azar patients and may cause false positive scores in sero-epidemiological surveys for kala-azar. Sauroleishmania can be transmitted to human infected bite of some Sergentomyia subgenera that show intermediate characteristics of Phlebtomus Genus. They are able to feed on human blood. This is the first report on presence of L. [sauroleishmania] adleri as well as ingestion of mammalian hemoglobin Sergentomyia sand flies in Iran