Cutaneous leishmaniasis: iso-enzyme characterisation of Leishmania tropica.

In order to identify and characterise the organisms responsible for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, parasites were isolated from active lesions, grown in-vitro cultures and identified by iso-enzyme characterisation. Thirteen isolates from different patients were typed as L. tropica. Seven of these isolates were from Afghan refugees encamped in the suburbs of Islamabad, 3 were from patients in Multan, 1 was from a patient from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 1 was from Besham (Swat, NWFP). The study confirms the presence of anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishamaniasis caused by L. Tropica in Pakistan.