Characterization of Leishmania parasites isolated from provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Leishmania parasites isolated in the Islamic of Iran were studied by a random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). Of 82 isolates, 80 were from cutaneous lesions, 1 from a human throat lesion and 1 from a dog. Of these, 42 isolates were L. tropica, 36 were L. major and 2 were L. infantum. There were 2 unidentified isolates (from the throat lesion and a cutaneous lesion) and these demonstrated 52% and 48% similarity with L. tropica and L. infantum. Both L. tropica and L. major were isolated from four provinces indicating a recent change in the epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis. L. tropica was isolated from three provinces; L. major from one province. L. infantum was isolated from a human cutaneous lesion and from a dog in Bushehr province.