species identification and molecular typing of leishmania spp. using targeting hsp70 gene in suspected patients of cutaneous leishmaniasis from sistan and baluchestan province, southeast iran

background: leishmaniasis is a sand fly-borne disease caused by the protozoan parasites belonging to the genus leishmania . because of the preventing and controlling methods, clinical course, prognosis and choice of treatment are differing from species; differentiation of species is critical. the present study was aimed to detect the parasite species using the pcr-rflp method. methods: a total of 130 giemsa-stained slides from suspected cutaneous leishmaniasis (cl) patients were examined under a light microscope at×1000. dna from each slide was extracted pcr method was undertaken with hsp70 genes and the pcr products were digested with a restriction enzyme haeiii (bsur1). the study was conducted in the laboratory of zahedan university of medical sciences in the sistan and baluchestan province, southeastern iran in 2015. results: from 130 suspected samples, 59 (45.3%) were positive by the microscopic examination, meanwhile 64 (49.2%) were positive by pcr-rflp, leishmania species were recognized, and l. tropica was introduced as predominant species in current study . conclusion: pcr-rflp is a valuable technique for distinguish of leishmania species. furthermore, anthroponotic cl is the dominant cause of cl in sistan and baluchestan province.