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. 2018 May;112(3):132-141.
doi: 10.1080/20477724.2018.1447836. Epub 2018 Mar 14.

Geographical distribution and molecular characterization for cutaneous leishmaniasis species by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of kDNA and ITS1 loci markers in south-eastern Iran

Maryam Ramezany  1 , Iraj Sharifi  2 , Zahra Babaei  2 , Pooya Ghasemi Nejad Almani  2 , Amireh Heshmatkhah  3 , Alireza Keyhani  2 , Mohammad Reza Aflatoonian  4 , Mohammad Ali Mohammadi  5 , Fatemeh Sharifi  6 , Mehdi Bamorovat  2
Affiliations

Geographical distribution and molecular characterization for cutaneous leishmaniasis species by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of kDNA and ITS1 loci markers in south-eastern Iran

Maryam Ramezany et al. Pathog Glob Health. 2018 May.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore geographic distribution and molecular characterization of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) species by amplifying two popular markers in kinetoplast DNA and internal transcribed spacer 1 loci by nested-PCR, and characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. Findings demonstrated that two species co-existed in the province: L. tropica (88.5%) and L. major (11.5%). All gender and age groups were equally infected, although males, 21-30 years old, exhibited a significantly higher infection. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of 34 randomly selected samples showed that L. tropica isolates exhibited some degree of heterogeneity. Both anthroponotic CL and zoonotic CL are present in south-eastern Iran with predominance of L. tropica species. Some level of heterogeneity was observed in L. tropica isolates which possibly reflects different colonies in the area. Implementation of diagnostic tools directly from clinical samples could be an important strategic approach for exploration of spatial distribution, molecular characterization and phylogenetic analyses.

Keywords: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Iran; geographical distribution; molecular characterization; phylogenetic analysis; sequencing.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Geographic distribution of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis by Leishmania tropica (formula imageformula image) and Leishmania major (formula imageformula image) in Kerman Province, south-eastern Iran. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerman_Province.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Anatomical location of lesions patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kerman Province, south-eastern Iran.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Number of skin lesion in patients with anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kerman Province, south-eastern Iran.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Agarose gel electrophoresis of Leishmania species as analyzed by nested-PCR. Lane 1, DNA size marker 100 bp; lane 2, negative control (distilled water); lane6, L. tropica (positive control 750 bp); lane 10, L. major (positive control 560 bp); lanes 3, 4, 5, 7 L. tropica and lanes 8, 9 L. major obtained from skin lesions of the patients in Kerman Province, south-eastern Iran.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Representative clinical presentations of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) cases in south-eastern Iran. A &B; Ulcerated plaque with lymphedema (ZCL), C; Lupoid (leishmaniasis recidivans), D; Multiple lesions, E; Plaque (ACL), F; Nodule (ACL).
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Geographical distribution of patients with anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kerman Province, South-eastern Iran.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Phylogenetic analysis by Maximum Likelihood method.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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