Comparison of Diagnostic Methods in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iraq

Abstract

Sixty-four specimens collected passively from patients with cutaneous ulcers suggestive of leishmaniasis attending hospital and health centres in all parts of Iraq for diagnosis were included in the study. The present study was conducted from June to December 2012 in Al-Karamah Teaching Hospital in Wasit Province, Iraq. Dermal scrapings were analysed both by parasitological (examination of Giemsa-stained smears and in vitro cultivation) methods and by a genusspecific PCR detection. Microscopy revealed amastigotes in 38 samples (59.4%) and in vitro cultivation gave positive results in 19 cases (29.7%), whereas PCR detected Leishmania in 44 samples (68.75 %). There are two forms of Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Iraq are caused by two species of Leishmania. Of 44 well-documented cases in our study ; 28 (63.6 %) were caused byLeishmania major and 16 (36.4 %) by Leishmania tropica.

Molecular Characterization of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Isolated from Human in Erbil Province- Kurdistan Region/ Iraq

“…The present results are in agreed with other studies performed in Iraq (Al-Samarai andAl-Obaidi, 2009 andKhalaf et al, 2016), who also reported that the predominant part of the body was arms (57% and 52.94%, respectively). On the other hand, the result disagree with those of Rahi et al (2013) increased, the lower rates in older ages may be due to better protection from flies or to a higher immune status (Arroub et al, 2012;Rahi et al, 2013;Bsrat et al, 2015;Al-Obaidi et al, 2016 andKahime et al, 2016). While the present result disagree with those of Al-Samarai and Al-Obaidi (2009) and Khalaf et al (2016) in Iraq and Talari et al (2006) in Iran, who reported higher rate of CL infection ( 57%, 52.94% and 38%, respectively) in patients aged 10-20 years.…”

“…While the present result disagree with those of Al-Samarai and Al-Obaidi (2009) and Khalaf et al (2016) in Iraq and Talari et al (2006) in Iran, who reported higher rate of CL infection ( 57%, 52.94% and 38%, respectively) in patients aged 10-20 years. The higher rate (68.97%) in rural inhabitants as compared to urban (31.07%) one, may be due to agricultural activities and the long duration of work expose them to insects bites (Rahi et al, 2013). (Rahi et al, 2013 andKhalaf et al, 2016).Therefore, it is necessary to apply a sensitive and specific method such as, the molecular approach which led to more precise diagnosis and differentiation between different…”

“…The higher rate (68.97%) in rural inhabitants as compared to urban (31.07%) one, may be due to agricultural activities and the long duration of work expose them to insects bites (Rahi et al, 2013). (Rahi et al, 2013 andKhalaf et al, 2016).Therefore, it is necessary to apply a sensitive and specific method such as, the molecular approach which led to more precise diagnosis and differentiation between different…”

Systematic review and meta-analysis of human visceral leishmaniasis in Iran

“…The infection rate in our bordering countries was as follows: in Pakistan (0.03 cases/10 000 population) (60) and in Saudi Arabia (0.01 cases/10 000 population) (61), which is less than the infection rate in Iran. Two other studies have reported the infection rate of 1.62% and 47.21% in suspected patients who were positive for visceral leishmaniasis, in Turkey (62) and Iraq (63), respectively.…”

Overview on Epidemiology of Leishmaniasis in Iraq

“…Leishmania are sand fly-vector parasites that appear as intracellular amastigotes multiplies inside the phagolysosomes of mammalian and as extracellular flagellated promastigotes either in the culture or in the gut of the sand fly (Rahi et al, 2013). Leishmaniasis is a complex disease caused by protozoan intracellular parasites, belonging to the genus Leishmania, order Kinetoplastida, family Trypanosomatidae.…”