DNA was isolated from 92 Giemsa-stained smears of lesions from suspected cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis and used for PCR-based diagnosis of Leishmania infection. Each smear had been examined under a light microscope at x 1,000 and scored for amastigote numbers. Although the smears had been stored for up to 4 years, all the microscopy-positive slides were also positive by PCR and four of the 14 smears that were negative by microscopy (although of lesions that were clinically consistent with leishmaniasis) were also PCR-positive. PCR-based investigations therefore appear to offer an effective method to confirm suspected cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis using (even archived) samples that have been collected, from humans (and reservoir hosts) in the field, by simple methods.

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Leishmania parasites isolated in the Islamic Republic of Iran were studied by a random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction [RAPD-PCR]. Of 82 isolates, 80 were from cutaneous lesions, 1 from a human throat lesion and 1 from a dog. Of these, 42 isolates were L. tropica, 36 were L. major and 2 were L. infantum. There were 2 unidentified isolates [from the throat lesion and a cutaneous lesion] and these demonstrated 52% and 48% similarity with L. tropica and L. infantum. Both L. tropica and L. major were isolated from four provinces indicating a recent change in the epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis. L. tropica was isolated from three provinces; L. major from one province. L. infantum was isolated from a human cutaneous lesion and from a dog in Bushehr province.