spp Infection in Patients and Great Gerbils () in a High-Risk Focus of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Central Iran: A Microscopic and Molecular Survey.

BACKGROUND

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is an endemic disease in Varzaneh City where is the causative agent and the great gerbil, , is the main reservoir host of the disease. Despite control efforts, ZCL outbreaks recur every few years. This study was conducted to revive information on the parasite/s species circulating between humans and the reservoirs in the region.

METHODS

infection in patients and was studied using direct parasitological and molecular methods during 2019-2021. Nested-PCR and DNA sequencing were used for parasite identification. Inter and intra-species variations in the parasites were investigated using BLAST and MEGA7 software.

RESULTS

All suspected patients (N=34) and 14 out of 36 great gerbils tested positive for parasites via direct parasitological method. Nested-PCR method revealed all the patients were infected with (94.1%) and mixed infection of and (5.9%), and great gerbil specimens were infected with either (44.4%), (5.6%), or (5.6%) and also with mixed infection of and (30.5%), and (8.3%) and mix of all the three species (5.6%).

CONCLUSION

The identical sequences of in both human patients and rodents indicate that the great gerbils are the main reservoirs of in Varzaneh City. The presence of in patients would be of interest to carry out further studies to determine the role of this species in the persistence, signs, and treatment of ZCL in humans.