Leishmania tropica: another etiological agent of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Iran

Background: Dogs have been previously reported to be reservoirs of Leishmania infantum as the etiological agent of human visceral leishmaniasis in Iran. We report a case of canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by L. tropica from the north- west of Iran where human visceral leishmaniasis is endemic. Methods: The canine VL was initially screened by dipstick rK39 and direct agglutination test, then the dog was dissected and obtained samples were examined by para-sitological (direct exam, cultivation) and molecular techniques (RAPD-PCR and RFLP-PCR). Results: Leishmania para-sites were found in spleen and liver of the dog. The serological tests for the detection of specific anti-leishmania antibod-ies showed positive results. Conclusion: L. tropica as another agent of canine VL was determined