Crithidia parasites isolated from lesions of immunocompetent patients with suspected cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran

Leishmania major has been considered as the main etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. However, there are recent reports about existence of Crithidia spp in cutaneous lesions in southern Iran. Therefore, this study was designed to decipher some morphological, biological, and molecular aspects of this phenomenon. Clinical isolates were obtained from patients with cutaneous ulcers and molecular analyses revealed that Crithidia parasites can be found in lesions attributed to Leishmania major. The genomes of two of these Crithidia strains, as well as of one co-infecting L. major, were sequenced by MiSeq.

硕大利什曼原虫（Leishmania major）曾被认为是伊朗皮肤利什曼病的主要病原体。然而近期有研究报道称，伊朗南部的皮肤病灶中存在锥虫体属（Crithidia）物种。为此本研究旨在阐明该现象的形态学、生物学及分子生物学特征。本研究从皮肤溃疡患者体内获取临床分离株，经分子分析发现，在被归因于硕大利什曼原虫的病灶中可检出锥虫体属寄生虫。研究人员通过MiSeq测序平台，对两株此类锥虫体属菌株以及一株共感染的硕大利什曼原虫的基因组完成了测序。