Molecular Tracking of Leishmania Major in an Archived Rattus Norvegicus Spleen Sample in Iran: A Case Report Publisher



M Allahmoradi MAHYA ; F Najafi FAEZEH ; M Koosha MONA ; E Kazemirad ELHAM ; A Latifi ALIREZA ; Sr Naddaf Saied REZA ; H Mirjalali HAMED ; M Mohebali MEHDI ; H Hajjaran HOMA ; D Otranto DOMENICO
Source: Iranian Journal of Parasitology Published:2024

Abstract

Rodents are the primary reservoir hosts for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) caused by Leishmania major. Knowing reservoir hosts is crucial for leishmaniasis sur-veillance and control programs in endemic areas. In this study, we examined an archived spleen of Rattus norvegicus obtained during a pest control program in 2000 in Tehran, the capital of Iran. The sample was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing to determine the presence of Trypanosomatidae based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 gene. Amplification and sequencing of the dis-criminative region of the ITS1 gene followed by BLAST analysis showed the highest similarity with L. major isolates. Also, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that our sample was grouped with L. major isolates retrieved from the GenBank database. This finding might support the claim that R. norvegicus acts as a potential reservoir host for L. major. Further studies, including a survey on more rodent samples as well as stud-ying sandflies in the area, might uncover the possible presence of such pathobiolog-ical conditions in ZCL transmission in urban and suburban settings. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.