PCR-Based Diagnosis of Leishmania Species in Chronic Granulomatous Dermatitis in Mashhad, Iran

  • Yalda Nahidi Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
  • Naser Tayyebi Meibodi Department of Pathology, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
  • Kiarash Ghazvini Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
  • Halime Sadat Arabi Moghadam Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
  • Saeed Akhlaghi Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
  • Farnaz Torabian Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Keywords: Leishmania; Granuloma; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Iran

Abstract

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a chronic granulomatous dermatitis (CGD). Approximately, 90% of CL patients are from seven countries including Iran. We explain polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic technique for chronic granulomatosis dermatoses including CL in Mashhad, Iran.

Methods: This study enrolled 64 patients within 2009-2013 with chronic granulomatosis dermatitis referred to dermatology and pathology departments of Imam Reza Hospital, affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS), Mashhad, Iran. We gathered demographic data from archived folders. Histological light microscopic evaluation and parasitological tests were done on selected specimens. We used PCR diagnostic test on specimens. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 15.

Results: Generally, 7 out of 64 specimens had Leishmania DNA and other samples had no Leishmania DNA. The mean age of patients was 46 ± 18.77 years; disease duration was 7 ± 6.73 months ranging from 1-24 months. Most of the lesions were located on face and upper limb. Totally, 5 out of 7 samples were Leishmania major and 2 out of 7 samples were L. tropica. Tuberculoid granuloma was present in L. tropica samples and 3 of L. major samples. Other light microscopic changes were as follow: 42 suppurative granuloma, and epidermal changes including atrophy, pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, and parakeratosis with dermal changes including, plasma cell, involvement of papillary and reticular dermis, and distribution of granuloma to hypodermis.

Conclusion: Our results addressed PCR-based diagnosis of chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis, which is resulted from L. major and L. tropica.

Published
2022-12-11
Section
Articles