Identification of leishmania species by DNA sequencing

Diagnosis of Leishmania species which has Laishmaniasis effect is very important for determination of clinic features of disease, pursuing the course of disease and apply proper therapy to patients. In the classical information about epidemiology, it is known that Laishmaniasis causes Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) and Leishmania major (L. major) causes Cutaneous Laishmaniasis, Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) and Leishmania donovani (L. donovani) causes Visceral Laishmaniasis.In the recent years, molecular methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have been developed in the determination of genotypes and pathogenicity of Leishmania species. As a result of these studies L. tropica was isolated in VL cases without KL story, L. infantum species were isolated in KL cases without VL story. This situation reveals the probability that classical information reported in literature may be wrong, L. infantum and L. tropica may cause Laishmaniasis in both forms.In this study, L. tropica (49%), L. infantum (36%), L. major (15%) from Cutaneous Laishmaniasis; L. infantum (56%), L. donovani (31%) and L. tropica (13%) species in Visceral Laishmaniasis were isolated. It was seen that L. infantum and L. major from Cutaneous Leishmaniasis were haplotype, L. tropica from Cutaneous Leishmaniasis was heterotype. It was found that L. infantum, L. donovani and L. tropica from Visseral Leishmaniasis were haplotype. The L. infantum?s nucleotide series has similarity with nucleotide series of L. infantum isolated from cases with Visceral Laishmaniasis. This situation makes us think that L. infantum species isolated from Cutaneous Laishmaniasis cases may cause Visceral Laishmaniasis. In the study L. tropica species were determined in Visceral Laishmaniasis cases which have no Cutaneous Laishmaniasis story.As a result of the study, it was determined that L. infantum which is known as the factor of Visceral Laishmaniasis can be observed in Cutaneous Laishmaniasis and that L. tropica which is known as the factor of Cutaneous Laishmaniasis can be observed in Visceral Laishmaniasis.Kew Words: Leishmania, Leishmaniasis, DNA Sequencing