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

Narges  Marvi-Moghadam; Mehdi  Mohebali; Yavar  Rassi; Ali Reza  Zahraei-Ramazani; Mohammad Ali  Oshaghi; Reza  Jafari; Mahboubeh  Fatemi; Mohammad Hossein  Arandian; Hamid  Abdoli; Nilufar  Shareghi; Maryam  Ghanei; Nilufar  Jalali-Zand; Arshad  Veysi; Javad  Ramazanpoor; Kurosh  Aminian; Ali  Salehi; Ali  Khamesipour; Amir Ahmad  Akhavan

doi:10.18502/jad.v18i3.18576

Narges Marvi-Moghadam Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mehdi Mohebali Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Yavar Rassi Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ali Reza Zahraei-Ramazani Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Ali Oshaghi Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Reza Jafari Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahboubeh Fatemi Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Hossein Arandian Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hamid Abdoli Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Nilufar Shareghi Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Maryam Ghanei Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Nilufar Jalali-Zand Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Arshad Veysi Zoonoses Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Javad Ramazanpoor Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Kurosh Aminian Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Ali Salehi Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Ali Khamesipour Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Amir Ahmad Akhavan Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jad.v18i3.18576

Keywords: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Immune response; Rhombomys opimus; Salivary gland antigens; Phlebotomus papatasi

Abstract

Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is an endemic disease in Varzaneh City where Leishmania major is the causative agent and the great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus, 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: Leishmania infection in patients and R. opimus was studied using direct parasitological and molecular methods during 2019–2021. Nested-PCR and DNA sequencing were used for Leishmania parasite identification. Inter and intra-species variations in the Leishmania parasites were investigated using BLAST and MEGA7 software.

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

Conclusion: The identical sequences of L. major in both human patients and rodents indicate that the great gerbils are the main reservoirs of L. major in Varzaneh City. The presence of L. turanica 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.