Phylogenetic analysis of sandflies populations using cytochrome b (mtCytb) gene and identification of Leishmania DNA within infected sanflies, from the city of Najaf, Iraq

Authors

  • Sundus Nsaif Al-Huchaimi Faculty of Medicine, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq.
  • Rana Talib Al-Nafakh Faculty of Medicine, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq.
  • Zaytoon AbdulridaIghewish Al-Khafaji Faculty of Medicine, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq.
  • Noor Amad Faculty of Medicine, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq.
  • Thikra A. Mahmood Faculty of Medicine, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq.
  • Sumaya Bedri Faculty of Medicine, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq.
  • Yahya Bustan Faculty of Medicine, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq.

Keywords:

Leishmania, vector, Sequence

Abstract

Objectives: Sandflies are a major public health concern in various parts of the world. The aim of this study was to identify the species and strain of sandflies, using molecular methods.

Methods: Sandflies were collected from January to October 2017, in 16 rural areas in the  province of Najaf AL-Ashraf, Iraq. PCR technique was performed for detection of mitochondrial cytochrome b (mtCytb) gene in Phlebotomus papatasi (P. papatasi), Phlebotomus sergenti (P. sergenti), and Sergentomyia sintoni (S. sintoni). DNA sequencing method was performed for confirmatory identification  of P. papatasi,  P. sergenti and S. sintoni from local isolates based on  mtCytb, using phylogenetic tree analysis (MEGA.6) and  NCBI--BLAST multiple sequence alignment tool.

Results: Morphological identification of sandflies shows that all specimens were categorized into two genera with 3 species, Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia. Leishmania DNA was detected in 16 pools, all were infected with L. major, 8 of them infected with L. tropica. Sequencing and phylogenetic inference analysis confirmed that the local P. papatasi isolates  were demonstrated to be closely related to the NCBI, P. papatasi reference sequence (AF161214.1), the local P. sergenti isolates showed high similarity with the NCBI, P. sergenti sequence (AF161216.1), and  the local S. sintoni isolates showed high homology with the NCBI, S. sintoni sequence (EU159507.1).

Conclusions:

P. papatasi, P. sergenti and S. sintoni were the genotypes that has a high prevalence in the city of Najaf. No previous data were found in this regard. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the molecular epidemiology of this parasite.

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Published

2018-09-26

How to Cite

Al-Huchaimi, S. N., Al-Nafakh, R. T., Al-Khafaji, Z. A., Amad, N., Mahmood, T. A., Bedri, S., & Bustan, Y. (2018). Phylogenetic analysis of sandflies populations using cytochrome b (mtCytb) gene and identification of Leishmania DNA within infected sanflies, from the city of Najaf, Iraq. Journal of Contemporary Medical Sciences, 4(3). Retrieved from https://jocms.org/index.php/jcms/article/view/455

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2018): Summer 2018

Section

Articles