Fakhar M, Rahmati B, Gohardehi S, Mohebali M, Akhoundi B, Sharif M, Ali Mahdavi S
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Iran J Parasitol. 2011 Dec;6(4):51-9.
New cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been reported recently in some parts of Mazandaran Province, north of Iran where the first human case of VL was reported in 1949. This study aimed to determine the present status of Leishmaniainfantum infection among humans and domestic dogs using serological and molecular methods in central parts of Mazandaran Province.
In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were randomly collected from 402 humans and forty-nine domestic dogs throughout 2009 and 2010 in the central part of Mazandaran Province including Semeskadeh and Kiakola districts where recent cases of human visceral leishmaniasis had been reported there. All the collected samples were tested by direct agglutination test (DAT) for the detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies as well as convenience PCR assay on whole blood samples for detection of leishmanial infection and identification of Leishmania species.
None of 402 collected human (402) and dog (49) blood samples showed anti Leishmaniainfantum antibodies at titers 1:3200 and 1:320 as cut-off values of DAT, respectively but only 2 of domestic dogs (4.1%) were found PCR-positive corresponding to L.infantum.
This study confirms the circulation of L. infantum at least among domestic dogs and highlights the sporadic pattern of VL in the studied areas. Further investigations regarding to sand flies fauna and wild canines as reservoir hosts of the disease, are recommended.
伊朗北部马赞德兰省部分地区最近报告了内脏利什曼病（VL）的新病例，该省于1949年报告了首例人类VL病例。本研究旨在采用血清学和分子方法确定马赞德兰省中部地区人类和家犬中婴儿利什曼原虫感染的现状。
在这项横断面研究中，2009年至2010年期间，在马赞德兰省中部包括塞梅斯卡德和基亚科拉地区（近期报告了人类内脏利什曼病病例）随机采集了402份人类血液样本和49份家犬血液样本。所有采集的样本均通过直接凝集试验（DAT）检测抗婴儿利什曼原虫抗体，并通过全血样本的简便PCR检测利什曼原虫感染及鉴定利什曼原虫种类。
402份采集的人类血液样本和49份家犬血液样本中，分别以DAT滴度1:3200和1:320为临界值，均未显示抗婴儿利什曼原虫抗体，但仅2只家犬（4.1%）PCR检测呈婴儿利什曼原虫阳性。
本研究证实了婴儿利什曼原虫至少在家犬中的传播，并突出了研究地区VL的散发模式。建议对作为该疾病储存宿主的白蛉动物群和野生犬科动物进行进一步调查。
