Detection of Leishmania DNA in paraffin embedded specimens of chronic lupoid leishmaniasis using polymerase chain reaction

Abstract

Background: Chronic lupoid leishmaniasis (CLL) is a chronicform of cutaneous leishmaniasis that is usually resistant to antileishmania agents and leishmania is not seen in the histologicsections. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detectleishmania DNA in CLL specimens.Method: This descriptive cross sectional study was done on20 paraffin embedded specimens of CLL cases referred to thedermatology clinic of Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran.Patients' information including age, sex, duration and location ofthe lesion was obtained and then skin specimens were reviewedhistopathologically and assessed for leishmania DNA using PCR.Result: Eleven male and 9 female patients with a mean age of17.95 years were included in our study. The