Isoenzyme characterization of Iranian Leishmania Isolates from cutaneous leishmaniasis

During the period from 1996 to 1997, 45 isolates of Leishmania were recovered frompatients suspected of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and one from a gerbil. These specimens werereceived from various parts of Iran. Isoenzyme profiles of these isolates were compared with those ofreference strains of L.tropica, L.major and L.infantum using cellulose acetate electrophoresis (CAE) and10 enzyme systems (MDH,ME, NH1, NH2, PGM, GPI, 6PGD, GOT, SOD and G6PD). The isolateobtained from the gerbil was characterized as L.major. From the patients with CL, 27 isolates werecharacterized as L.tropica, 10 as L.major and 8 remained undetermined.