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Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis(CL)is prevalent in Sinai Peninsula (Egypt)and previous research has consistently documented the
etiological agent to be Leishmania major. The present work reports the first isolation of L. tropica from a Northern Sinai community bordering Palestine. Para site culturing, real time PCR, gene sequencing and RFLP analysis indicate CL cases in this
community were caused by either L. major or L. tropica. Two wild-caught rodents (Gerbillus pyramidum floweri) were infected with L. tropica. Phlebotomus papatasi sandflies were found harboring L. major, however only non-infected individuals of P.
sergenti, a vector for L. tropica, were caught. Patients with L.
tropica had not traveled from the region for over a year,suggesting these cases are autochthonous. The current scenario is consistent with an incursion of L. tropica from bordering
countries and raises concerns about further expansion of this parasite into Egypt.
The susceptibility of laboratory reared, and wild animals for L.
tropica originally isolated from the study area was investigated.
BALB/c mice and hamster were a good model for infection. In sequence of infection, wild rodents found to be susceptible to the same L. tropica isolate and developed Leishmania lesions
although species dependent difference.
The ability of the sandfly to acquire and develop L. major and L. tropica was reported in the laboratory reared P. papatasi and P.
sergenti. Data obtained confirmed vector- parasite interaction in
case of P. papatasi/ L. major and P. sergenti/ L. tropica.