Molecular detection of DNA in wild-caught sand flies, and spp. in northern Iran.

Leishmaniasis is currently considered a major health problem in Iran, posing an increasing threat to society's development in various dimensions. This study aimed to detect infection in wild-caught sand flies in Sari City, northern Iran. Sand flies were collected using sticky traps, and DNA was identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the ITS2-rDNA region, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. A total of 138 female sand flies were tested, among which, only 1 specimen of (11.11 %) and . (14.28 %), 4 specimens of (7.27 %) and (8.33 %), and 2 specimens of (50 %) were naturally infected with (.) . This was observed in the ITS2 nested-PCR amplification assays where a ∼ 245 bp PCR band was produced. Also, RFLP analysis by revealed the fragments of 55 and 70 and 120 bp for infected sand flies which are characteristic of . (.) . Most of the sand flies were unfed, collected during warm season, found indoor. This study reperesents the first molecular detection of . (.) in wild-caught sand flies, specifically in in this region, as well as and in Iran and even the world.