Journal of cutaneous pathology
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis and species identification: analysis of 122 biopsies with varied parasite index.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in the Middle East and North Africa. Confirming the diagnosis histologically depends on amastigote identification, which varies significantly depending on the inoculum, strain type, host response and disease stage. Accurate histological diagnosis is mandatory for appropriate therapy. ⋯ In this study, we describe a rapid and optimized protocol from DNA extraction to leishmaniasis subspeciation. ITS1-PCR showed high sensitivity and specificity in confirming clinically suspected cases.