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.