Hassan Soleimani - Researcher, Yazd Health Research Station, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Amir Ahmad Akhavan - Associate Professor, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Reza Yaghoobi-Ershadi - Professor, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ali Reza ZahraiRamazani - Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Yavar Rassi - Professor, Department of Medical Entomology, School of Public Health and Vector Control , Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Reza Jafari - Researcher, Esfahan Health Research Station, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Esfahan, Iran

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the neglected diseases that categorized in anthroponotic and zoonotic forms. Cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major (CLM) is the zoonosis form of the disease in Iran.Objectives: The present study was designed to determine the current status of cutaneous leishmaniasis (vector, reservoir host and human infection) in Amiran village, Ardestan county, Esfahan Province, Iran from 2014 to 2015.Materials and methods: Adult sand flies were collected by aspirator and sticky traps in the vicinity of rodent burrows and dissected in September 2014.They were also examined to parasite detection using Nested-PCR. To determine probable reservoir of the disease, rodents were collected using Sherman live traps. Active case detection was performed and the related forms were filled out for each household. Nested PCR and PCR-RLFP techniques were employed to determine Leishmania infection in human, reservoir host and sand fly samples.Results and Discussion: Totally 135 female sand flies (128 Phlebotomus papatasi and 7 Sergentomyia sintoni) were collected by aspirator and sticky traps in the vicinity of rodent burrows and dissected in September 2014; None of them were found to be infected with promastigotes. One hundred and four female sand flies (97 P. papatasi and 7 S. sintoni) examined to detect and identify Leishmania infection using Nested-PCR. Thirty three percent of collected P. papatasi were positive for Leishmania infection; 9.27 %, for L. major, 15.46 % for Leishmania turanica and 8.24 % for mixed infection of L. major and L. turnica. Thirty two rodents were caught and identified as Rhombomys opimus (87.5%) and Meriones libycus (12.5%). The rodents were examined by two diagnostic techniques, direct (microscopic) examination and nested-PCR. Microscopic examination showed 25 % and 35.71 % Leishmania infiction rate for M. libycus and R. opimus respectively. Nested-PCR showed Leishmania infection in 50 % of R. opimus including; 21.43 % L. major, 78.57 % mixed infection of L. major and L. turanica. Twenty five percent of collected M. libycus was infected by L. major solely. The active lesions and scars frequency were calculated at 26.17 and 411.21 per 1000 population respectively and almost all age groups were previously infected by Leishmania parasite. Molecular examination showed L. major infection in lesion samples of the patients.Conclusion: The results showed that CLM is endemic in the area; P. papatasi plays role as the main vector and R. opimus and M. libycus are the proven reservoir hosts of the disease in this rural area.