Molecular typing of Leishmania major parasite in the main vector of leishmaniasis in Khuzestan by targeting the ITS-rDNA gene

Background & Objective:Leishmania major is an underlying agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic focus of Khuzestan. In this study, we diagnose Leishmania parasites by targeting of ITS-rDNA gene because there is no molecular typing and characterization which has been carried out on P. papatasi as a main vector of L. major yetMaterials & Methods:Sandflies were caught using sticky traps and light traps. After dissecting, sandflies wereidentified. DNA was extracted and ITS-rDNA gene of Leishmania in sandflies amplified byPCR methods and by RFLP and sequencing then using molecular software Leishmania majorwas definitively approved.Results:Among 1500 sandflies, 198 female P. papatasi were selected as gravid, semi gravid and freshfed. DNA was extracted from all of them and the ITS-rDNA gene was amplified. About 8percent of sandflies was infected with Leishmania parasites. After RFLP and sequencing samples Leishmania major was identified in all cases.Conclusions:The sequences results obtained in this study compared with similar cases recorded in the GenBank and confirmed.

Molecular typing of Leishmania major parasite in the main vector of leishmaniasis in Khuzestan by targeting the ITS-rDNA gene Keywords:

Leishmania major , Sandfly , Khuzestan , ITS-rDNA , PCR-RFLP