Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases 2322-1984 7 2 2013 12 15 173 184 EN Hasan Bakhshi Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mohammad Ali Oshaghi Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mohammad Reza Abai Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Yavar Rassi Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Amir Ahmad Akhavan Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mehdi Mohebali Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Homa Hajaran Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Fatemeh Mohtarami Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Hossein Mirzajani Sarakhs Health Center, Sarakhs, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. Naseh Maleki-Ravasan Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2015 10 16 Background: Great gerbils, Rhombomys opimus, are the main reservoir host of zoonootic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Iran and neighboring countries. Based on morphological traits two subspecies R. opimus sodalis and R. opimus sargadensis have reported in the country. However, variation in infection rate and signs to Leishmania parasites, phenotype, size, and sexual polymorphisms demand more details to elucidate clearly the role of great gerbils in ZCL epidemiology. Methods: PCR-RFLP and PCR-direct sequencing were used to analyze mitochondrial DNA cytochrome B (mtDNA- cytB) gene structure of R. opimus collected from Golestan and Khorasan-e-Razavi Provinces in 2011 that are neighbor to Turkmenistan Country where ZCL is endemic in both sides of the borderline. Results: All of the specimens (n= 61) were morphologically or genetically similar to the typical R. opimus sodalis. However, there were 9 (1.5%) DNA substitutions throughout the 583 bp of the Cyt b gene of the samples sequenced comprising six DNA haplotypes. Maximum likelihood or neighbor joining phylogenetic trees inferred from the sequences could resolve the populations according to their subspecies as well as geographical origins. Discussion: The DNA polymorphisms in the great gerbils may correspond to the signs and infection rate in the animal.  However, further  studies are  needed  to  match  these  six  haplotypes  with  different  signs  and  parasite sustaining following infection with L. major in the great gerbils. https://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/view/227 https://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/download/227/204