Using of the PCR method for Identification of Leishmania tropica in Syria


Abstract in English

Leishmaniasis spreads in eighty-eight countries, including the Syrian Arab Republic. This disease is caused by a protozoic parasite of the genus Leishmania. Twenty-two species of leishmania were reported to be pathogenic for human. The disease is presented in three clinical forms: cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. A set of methods for diagnosis and identifying the type of parasite have been developed in order to give appropriate treatment. These methods include isoenzyme analysis, serological and immunological methods and DNA hybridization. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using genomic or kinetoplastid DNA; provides an excellent tool for diagnosis and characterization of leishmania species. In this work, the two types of DNA were extracted in one step from cultured isolates taken from patients. We have used kinetoplastid DNA and specific primers to determine parasite species by PCR. These primers amplify species specific fragment. In this study, we have determined that the causative species of the cutaneous leishmaniasis in all patients was L.tropica.

References used

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