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Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic in many parts of Iran including Mashhad, center of Khorasan-Razavi province. Objectives: The main aim of our study was to prepare leishmaniasis map of Khorasan. In the present study, the situation of CL in Torghabeh -Shandiz, a district located in southwest of Mashhad, has been investigated by molecular methods. Patients and Methods:The study population included 164 people who had at least one skin lesion suspected to CL and referred to the health centers of the district. DNA extraction was performed by scraping the smears and using kit . DNA replication pattern of Leishmania produced bands for L. major / 615 bp and for L. tropica/744 bp using the selected primers. Results: Of 164 samples obtained from the skin lesions of the patients referred to the Torghabe -Shandiz health centers, Leishmania DNA was isolated from 136 smears by PCR method. All of the positive samples were recognized to be L. tropica. Conclusions: Torghabeh -Shandiz district with a rural texture is endemic for Anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL). Further studies are recommended to discover the vectors and probable reservoirs in these areas.

Background: About 90% of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases are reported from 7 countries including Iran. In this study, the cutaneous leishmaniasis species causing CL in Gonabad, Bardaskan, Kashmar cities in central Khorasan (Iran) were identified by kDNA-PCR. Methods:During the study, 93 suspected patients with CL, who were referred to the dermatology research center in these cities, were evaluated based on age, clinical forms, and place of residence. Direct microscopy was employed for parasitological diagnosis and PCR from skin ulcers performed using specific kDNA primers. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software.Results: Among 93 individuals with skin ulcers suspected to CL, the results of 81 direct smears were positive. PCR bands were observed in 84 examined samples, of which 68 (81%) samples were identified for Leishmania tropica and 16 (19%) samples for L. major. 12 patients were from Bardaskan with 10 cases of L. tropica, 23 patients from Gonabad with 20 cases of L. tropica, and 49 patients from Kashmar with 38 cases of L. tropica. Most of the lesions were located on hands (37%), the most clinical feature was papule (75%), and most of patients were 21 -30 years old. Conclusions:Previous epidemiologic studies have indicated that anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is the only dominant CL in the center and south of Khorasan. However, this study introduced new foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in these areas. Kashmar city was introduced as a new focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Toxoplasma gondii was responsible for 20% of the patients of uveitis that presented to the largest ophthalmology center in the northeast of Iran. There is a high incidence of patients of ocular toxoplasmosis in the northeast of Iran, and it is a significant cause of uveitis and visual impairment in this area.