title: Characterization of Leishmania infection in rodents from endemic areas of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
abstract: Between 1991-2000, Leishmania species were isolated and characterized by isoenzyme and molecular analysis from rodents caught in various parts of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In areas endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis, parasites were observed by direct microscopy in smears from 18.6% of 566 specimens. L. major was isolated from 4 species: Rhombomys opimus, Meriones libycus, Tatera indica and Mer. hurrianae. L. turanica was isolated from R. opimus for the first time in this country. In endemic areas of visceral leishmaniasis, parasites were observed in liver and spleen from 13.7% of 504 rodents. Two species were positive on culture; promastigotes isolated from Mer. persicus were characterized as L. donovani zymodeme LON50 and from Mesocricetus auratus as L. infantum LON49.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohebali
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Javadian
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Yaghoobi-Ershadi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Akhavan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hajjaran
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abaei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004199:Disease Vectors; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan