title: ITS2-rDNA Sequence Variation ofPhlebotomus sergentis.l. (Dip: Psychodidae) Populations in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Phlebotomus sergentis.l. is considered the most likely vector ofLeishmania tropicain Iran. Although two morphotypes-P. sergenti sergenti(A) andP. sergenti similis(B)-have been formally described, further morphological and a molecular analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtDNA-COI) gene revealed inconsistencies and suggests that the variation between the morphotypes is intraspecific and the morphotypes might be identical species.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the sequence of the ITS2-rDNA of Iranian specimens ofP. sergentis.l., comprisingP. cf sergenti,P. cf similis, and intermediate morphotypes, together with available data in Genbank.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sequence analysis showed 5.2% variation amongP. sergentis.l. morphotypes. Almost half of the variation was due to the number of an AT microsatellite repeats in the center of the spacer. Nine haplotypes were found in the species constructing three main lineages corresponding to the origin of the colonies located in southwest (SW), northeast (NE), and northwest-center-southeast (NCS). Lineages NCS and NE included both typicalP. cf sergentiandP. cf similisand intermediate morphotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phylogenetic sequence analysis revealed that, except for one Iranian sample, which was close to the European samples, other Iranian haplotypes were associated with the northeastern Mediterranean populations including Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, and Pakistan. Similar to the sequences of mtDNA COI gene, ITS2 sequences could not resolveP. sergentifromP. similisand did not support the possible existence of sibling species or subspecies withinP. sergentis.l..
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahideh
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moin-Vaziri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oshaghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Yaghoobi-Ershadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Pupak
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Derakhshandeh-Peykar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mohtarami
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Zahraei-Ramezani
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Aboulhassan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nadim
keywords: ITS2-rDNA; Iran; Leishmania tropica; P. similis; Phlebotomus sergenti