Isoenzyme studies in characterization of leishmania isolated in Iran

ABSTRACT

Phenotypic characters of the Leishmania organisms are very similar. Isoenzyme electrophoresis has provided an effective and reliable tool for characterization of Leishmania. To determine the isoenzyme profiles of Leishmania organisms isolated in Iran. Leishmania organisms were recovered from patients suspected of cutaneous leishmaniasis [CL] from various parts of Iran and in a few cases from Afghanistan. Isoenzyme profiles of these isolates were compared with those of reference strains of L. tropica, L. major and L. infantum using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 11 enzyme systems. Seventy two isolates of Leishmania were recovered from 407 patients suspected of CL. The isoenzyme pattern of 42 and 23 isolates were compatible with L. major, and L. tropica, respectively, according to the WHO reference strains. There were also 9 and 14 different strains, respectively within the L. major and L. tropica isolates. For the first time in Iran L. infantum was identified as the causative agent of CL. It was found that isoenzyme systems used in this study are able to detect different strains within the Leishmania species. It was determined that L. tropica was the causative agent in most cases of lupoid form of CL