Molecular Identification of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Vectors in Alborz Province, North of Iran

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne disease widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of North South America, Europe, Asia, Africa. Considering the increasing number CL cases recent years fact that no study has been conducted to identify fauna vectors Alborz province, this was carried out sand flies region. Sand were collected from August October 2021 plain mountainous indoor outdoor region using sticky paper traps detected morphologically. DNA extracted midguts female flies. In study, 1157 identified. The caught places 367 (31.72%) 790 (68.28%), respectively. Overall, six species genus Phlebotomus (Raynal, 1937), including papatasi (P. papatasi, 695 [60.07%]; Scopoli, 1786), P. kandelakii (13 [1.12%]; Shchurenkova, 1926), sergenti (232 [20.05%]; Parrot, 1917), major (14 [1.21%]; Annandale, 1910), caucasicus (4 [0.35%]; Marzinowsky, alexandri (18 [1.56%]; Alexandri Sinton, 1920), four Sergentomyia (Artemiev, 1978), tiberiadis (109 [9.42%]; Adler, Theodor & Lourie, 1930), baghdadis (53 [4.58%]), sintoni Sintoni Pringle, 1933), clydei (5 [0.43%]). spp. dominant places, with prevalence (60.07%). Leishmania (L. major) gene identified five samples This suggests potential vector area. Moreover, L. confirmed as aetiological agent province. identification parasite very important for treatment operational planning vectors.