Molecular characterization of sandflies and Leishmania detection in main vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Abarkouh district of Yazd province, Iran

Abstract

In the current survey, the only infections detected are of L. major in females of P. papatasi (30 out of 190). The rates of infection of P. papatasi by L. major are not significantly different in compare with other locations in Iran with no diversity of parasite strains. Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis may have emerged only recently in Abarkouh district, and the reason may well be the instability of the transmission cycles there.