title: Emergence of a new focus of visceral leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum in Golestan Province, north-eastern of Iran.
abstract: Over the last decade, a few cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been reported in some districts of the province of Golestan, in north-eastern Iran. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Leishmania infantum infection among humans and domestic dogs by using direct agglutination test (DAT) and PCR assays in the eastern zone of the province. Between 2011 and 2012, blood samples were randomly collected from 450 humans and 50 domestic dogs, in the eastern zone of Golestan Province including 7 villages from Marave-tappeh district where new cases of human VL had been recorded there. Each of these samples was tested for anti-Leishmania antibodies, in DAT, and for L. infantum kinetoplast DNA on whole blood, in PCR-based assays. A total of 450 human samples, 6 (1.33 %) were found seropositive and 13 (2.8 %) was found PCR-positive. Of the 50 dog samples, 16 (32 %) were found seropositive and 15 (30 %) were PCR-positive. All PCR-positive dogs were found seropositive except one as well as 6 (46.2 %) PCR-positive humans were also found seropositive. Moreover, the species of L. infantum was detected in all PCR-positive samples. The high prevalence of VL in the study areas offer it has emerged as an endemic focus in the province. Further investigations on the vectors, reservoirs and human population are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 48175-1665, Sari, Iran ; Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran ; Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Km 18, Khazar-Abad Road, P.O. Box 48175-1665, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fakhar
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 48175-1665, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asadi Kia
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 48175-1665, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Sh
authors.initials: Sh
authors.lastname: Gohardehi
authors.affiliation: Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.affiliation: Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohebali
authors.affiliation: Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akhoundi
authors.affiliation: Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pagheh
authors.affiliation: Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dadimoghadam
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Ward, Taleghani Hospital, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheraghali
keywords: Emergence; Endemic focus; Iran; Leishmania infantum; Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis