چكيده لاتين :
Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is a
polymorphic disease which may show various clinical manifestations.
Although genetic variability of the parasite is suggested
to be one of the factors influencing clinical manifestations
in leishmaniasis, no data exist regarding genetic polymorphism
of Leishmania major. Therefore, determination of
genetic variation within the species of L. major isolated from
different cases of ZCL in Isfahan, Iran and its relation to clinical
manifestation of the disease is investigated.
Methods: The internal transcribed spacers (ITS) in -the ribosomal
operon of 9 isolates of L. major from three clinically
different forms of ZCL were amplified by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR), followed by the digestion of the PCR product
with two restriction enzymes. The profiles were visualized in
agarose gel under UV light.
Results: The PCR product obtained for all isolates was about
1060 bp in size. Restriction analysis of ITS with both enzymes
showed identical fragment patterns in samples isolated from
clinically similar forms of ZCL, but highly diverse fragment
patterns in those isolated from clinically different forms.
Conclusion: L. major causing ZCL in Isfahan is genetically a
highly polymorphic species and a correlation may exist between
genetic heterogeneity of the parasite and the clinical
manifestation of the disease in human.
