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.

Keywords:

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