Leishmania mini-exon Gene for Molecular Diagnosis and Genotypic of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Background and objective: In Middle Eastern countries, cutaneous leishmaniasis is still a community health concern. This study aimed to identify the Leishmania species in the local area by an accrued method using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of the mini-exon gene. Material and methods: Fourteen Gimsa-stained slides were collected for leishmaniasis from the private laboratory. These slides were prepared for patients with clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis. Genomic DNA was extracted using a modified Motazedian protocol. PCR technique was used to amplify all samples using specific primers for the mini-exon gene. Results: All fourteen samples were positive for leishmaniasis by PCR amplification. Sanger sequencing has been achieved for the positive samples to identify the species. Seven samples out of 14 were identified as L. infantum, while the remaining seven samples were identified as L. major. The miniexon gene DNA data for Leishmania species (L. major and L. infantum) were submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The sequences are given in GenBank accession numbers OP611207 (L. major) and OP611208 (L. infantum). Conclusions: Molecular techniques such as PCR and sequencing enhance the accurate diagnosis and management of leishmaniasis.