Typical features of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Ilam province, Iran.

Since Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a problematic parasitic infection in the west of Iran, this study was carried out to clarify the epidemiological aspects of Cl. Our database includes all Cl cases with detailed information during 2014-2018 in Ilam province, west of Iran. Patients referred to health and clinical centers in our study areas then health providers and laboratory technicians took smears to detect leishmania parasites under light microscope. SPSS24 software used for analyzing data by the Chi square test. Mehran and Dehloran districts were alone accounted for 50% of all reported cases. ≥ 36 age group was dominant cases also housekeepers were at the top of categories in case of occupation. Hand and leg entangled with this infection more than other organs. Moreover, most cases observed in the winter season, and lesions were 1-3 cm in size. Apart from decreasing Cl cases in our study location compared to 2014, building debris around the urban area should be cleaned up concerning standards of hygiene in each phase to keep rodents away. Additionally, citizens at the land border of Iran-Iraq should protect themselves from sand fly biting at least by insect repellent at peak travel times.

In vitro efficacy of ethanolic extract of Artemisia absinthium (Asteraceae) against Leishmania major L. using cell sensitivity and flow cytometry assays.

Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected human diseases with an estimated global burden ranking second in mortality and fourth in morbidity among the tropical infections. Chemotherapy involving the use of drugs like glucantime is the mainstay treatment in endemic areas of Iran. Drug resistance is increasingly prevalent, so search for alternative therapy is gathering pace. Medicinal herbs, like wormwood Artemisia, have chemical compounds effective against a number of pathogens. In this study, the efficacy of ethanol extract from Artemisia absinthium (Asteraceae) against Leishmania major L. was investigated in vitro. The outcome of different effective doses (1-40 mg/ml) of ethanol extracts from this medicinal herb, A. absinthium, on a standard Iranian parasite strain of L. major was examined. The L. major promastigote cell sensitivity and mortality or viability effects due to the addition of herbal extract were measured using the MTT assay and the flow cytometry technique, respectively. There was complete agreement between the two assays. The lethal concentration (LC50) was measured as 101 mg/ml. Some contrasting relationships between the medicinal herb concentrations and the viability of parasites were observed; so that there was an increased multiplication of the parasite at low concentrations of the drug, but an anti-parasitic apoptotic effect was seen at high concentrations of A. absinthium. It was concluded that there might be one or more chemical constituents within the herbal extract of wormwood which at high concentration controlled cell division and affected the relevant activity within the only one giant mitochondrion in this flagellate parasite. At low doses, however, it showed the opposite effect of leading to mitotic cell divisions.