title: Population genetics of Leishmania (Leishmania) major DNA isolated from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Pakistan based on multilocus microsatellite typing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a major and fast increasing public health problem, both among the local Pakistani populations and the Afghan refugees in camps. Leishmania (Leishmania) major is one of the etiological agents responsible for CL in Pakistan. Genetic variability and population structure have been investigated for 66 DNA samples of L. (L.) major isolated from skin biopsy of CL patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT), employing 10 independent genetic markers specific to L. (L.) major, was used to investigate the genetic polymorphisms and population structures of Pakistani L. (L.) major DNA isolated from CL human cases. Their microsatellite profiles were compared to those of 130 previously typed strains of L. (L.) major from various geographical localities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the markers were polymorphic and fifty-one MLMT profiles were recognized among the 66 L. (L.) major DNA samples. The data displayed significant microsatellite polymorphisms with rare allelic heterozygosities. A Bayesian model-based approach and phylogenetic analysis inferred two L. (L.) major populations in Pakistan. Thirty-four samples belonged to one population and the remaining 32 L. (L.) major samples grouped together into another population. The two Pakistani L. (L.) major populations formed separate clusters, which differ genetically from the populations of L. (L.) major from Central Asia, Iran, Middle East and Africa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The considerable genetic variability of L. (L.) major might be related to the existence of different species of sand fly and/or rodent reservoir host in Sindh province, Pakistan. A comprehensive study of the epidemiology of CL including the situation or spreading of reservoirs and sand fly vectors in these foci is, therefore, warranted.
authors.forename: Mohammad Zahangir
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: Abdul Manan
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bhutto
authors.forename: Farooq Rahman
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Soomro
authors.forename: Javed Hussain
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baloch
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Hirotomo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schönian
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uezato
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashiguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan. kenkata@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katakura
mesh_terms: D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000235:genetics*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan