Comparison between Microscopic Identification and Nested PCR for Detection of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis at Wasit Province

Abstract

Cutaneous leishmaniosis in Iraq has 2 forms, zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), which is mainly
caused by Leishmania major, and anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL), which is mainly caused
by Leishmania tropica . Twenty skin samples were taken from suspected patients with CL and checked for
Leishmania amastigote, during the period from October 2019 to February 2020 in Al-Karamah teaching
hospital of Kut city, Iraq. The highest infection 100% using Giemsa- smeared and 75% using Nested PCR
methods. Totally 20 patients aged from (1- <40) years old were included in current study.The prevalence
of CL were in males 9(45) and 11(55) in females and high prevalence in age groups (>20) years old. The
current study 12(60%) were brought on Leishmania major and 4(20%) Leishmania tropica using Nested
PCR method . In present study the direct smear could be considered a good test for testing the cutaneous
Leishmaniasis but Nested PCR assay was more touchy than parasitological technique in diagnosis of
Leishmania species in skin lesions. L.major is the main species responsible of cutaneous leishmaniasis in
areas of Wasit Province.