Molecular characterization of Leishmania parasites isolated from sandflies species of a zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Musiyan south west Iran

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is vector borne parasitic disease, considered as public health problem especially in border of Iran and Iraq, Dehloran County (Musian district). The aim of this study was molecular identification of Leishmania parasites in sandfly as vectors of Leishmaniasis. Totally 280 female sandflies were trapped by sticky traps from 7 rural areas of Musiyan in September–November 2012. All sandflies were identified using morphological characters of the head and abdominal terminalia. DNA was extracted from female sandflies and Leishmania was identified using PCR and sequencing. All 280 trapped sandflies were identified as Phelobotumus Papatasi and Leishmania infections were detected in 3.2 % out of 280 female sandflies. All leishmania were identified as L. major and submitted in Gene bank as: LC014642.1, LC014641.1, LC014640.1 and LC014639.1. Frequency of Phlebotomus Papatasi and infection with L. major in studied regions showed that this vector is dominant in these areas.