title: Molecular epidemiological study of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the focus of bushehr city, southwestern iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) represents the most frequent vector borne parasitoses in Iran. The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiological features of CL including human infection and the reservoir host in the city of Bushehr, Bushehr Province, Iran during 2010-2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies on human infection was carried out on 2962 school children aged 7-14 years old from 60 primary schools and among 400 households with a total population of 1568 in four infected districts of the city in December 2010. Serosity materials from patients on glass slides were collected for molecular identification of causative agent. Rodents were caught by Sherman traps and examined for identification of the parasite.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of scars and ulcers among the inhabitants were 5.86% and 0.12% respectively. Molecular study indicated the presence of two coexisting species: Leishmania major and L. tropica among patients. The scar rate was 1.24% but no ulcers were seen among the students. Nineteen rodents were caught and identified as Tatera indica (47.4%) and Rattus norvegicus (52.6%). Specimens from 7 T. indica and 9 R. norvegicus were examined by two techniques, microscopic examination and nested-PCR. Out of 7 T. indica, 14.3% were infected with L. major and 42.9% with L. turanica by nested-PCR. Out of 9 R. norvegicus 22.2% were infected with L. turanica and 11.1% with L. gerbilli.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on this survey L. major and L. tropica are the causative agents of the disease among patients and T. indica plays a predominant role in the dissemination of L. major in the city.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Yaghoobi-Ershadi
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farideh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shahbazi
authors.affiliation: Deputy of Health Services, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Darvishi
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Ahmad
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Akhavan
authors.affiliation: Esfahan Health Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Esfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Deputy of Health Services, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khajeian
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Yavar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rassi
authors.affiliation: Yazd Health Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soleimani
authors.affiliation: Communicable Diseases Management Center, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shirzadi
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hanafi-Bojd
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Darabi
authors.affiliation: Esfahan Health Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Esfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Arandian
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanei-Dehkordi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heidari
keywords: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis; L. major; L. tropica; Molecular Epidemiology; Tatera indica