Background: Iran is recognized as one of the important foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL). ZCL is endemic in several parts of Esfahan (e.g. Aran & Bidgol) where the prevalence of cutaneous leishmaniasis is at an alarming rate for the health autorities. This epidemiological study was coducted to identify the species of parasite among patients, reservoirs and vectors in different regions of Aran & Bidgol during 2007-8.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on parasites isolated from cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients reffering to Aran & Bidgol health centers and rodents or sandflies sampled from the district. Diagnosis of human contamination was verified using ulcer sampling and rodent smears obtained from the external margin of the ears and the dissection of the sandflies. Parasites were incubated in NNN medium. After the extraction of DNA from human, rodent and sandfly, the DNA was identified by RAPD-PCR. During a period of 4-12 weeks after the injection of the isolated Leishmania major parasites of human, rodent or sandfly, it made ulcers in the proximal end of the tail of BALB/c mice, but this was not the case for human Leishmania tropica isolates. After classification, the information related to patients, reservoirs and vectors was compared to standard species and markers using descriptive statistics, the frequency percent of reports and PCR bonds.

Results: RAPD-PCR showed that 71.4% of human isolates were Leishmania major and the remaining 28.6% Leishmania tropica among the collected rodents 17.8% were Rhombomys opimus infected with Leishmania major. 1.9% of the collected blood fed sandflies were identified as infected with L. major.

Conclusion: Molecular tests showed that the parasite of the human, reservoirs and vectors isolates was L. major and the nature of disease was rural type. Regarding the R. opimus role as a basic and important reservoir, the control of the rodent to decrease the disease is suggested.