MIF-173G > C Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iraq

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease transmitted by biting of the sandfly; it is a severe health problem in many regions of the world. The disease is endemic in Iraq and other countries. In Iraq, there are two main species of the genus Leishmania causing the infection: L. tropica and L. major. Previous studies suggested that a genetic makeup of host also had an essential role in the outcome of the disease. The present study investigated the association between CL and functionally active polymorphisms in the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF gene). Samples of peripheral blood were collected from 60 patients with CL and 32 apparently healthy controls. MIF-173G > C polymorphism was detected in patients and control groups by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. There was no statistically significant difference in the MIF-173G > C polymorphism between the CL patients and the healthy controls (P = 0.234), as well as no association between MIF-173G > C polymorphisms and CL; the frequency of allele C showed a trend towards lower frequency in patients as compared to that observed in the control group (P = 0.512).