Abstract: 　AIM: To analyse the kDNA of the pathogens of leishmaniasis in China. METHODS: Based on leishmaniasis specific primers 13A, 13B and a set of oligonucleotide primers Ⅰ and Ⅱ with Leishmania donovani (L.d.) Sichuan isolate specificity, PCR were conducted to amplity minicircle kDNA fragments (297 bp and 120 bp) in the pathogens of leishmaniasis from different epidemiologic foci in China. The products were analyzed by single strand conformation polymorphism technology (SSCP). RESULTS: PCR amplified 297 bp product occurred in L.d. isolates from hill and desert foci, but no product was found in L.d. isolates from plain foci in China. SSCP of these 297 bp kDNA fragments showed that there was no difference in the mobility of ssDNA between isolates from hill foci, but there was apparent difference in the mobility of ssDNA between L.d. isolates from hill and desert foci. PCR amplified 120 bp products occurred in L.d. Sichuan isolate, L.d. Wenchuan isolate, L.d. Gansu isolate from hill foci and L.d. Shandong isolate and L.d. Jiangsu isolate from plain foci. SSCP of the 120 bp products showed that no difference in the mobility of ssDNA was found between two isolates from plain foci. There was also no difference in the mobility of ssDNA between L.d. Wenchuan isolate and L.d. Gansu isolates from hill foci. But there was apparent difference in the mobility of ssDNA between L.infantum and L.d. isolates from different foci. CONCLUSION: Heterogeneity does exist between the kDNA of L.d. isolates from different foci of leishmaniasis of China.\;

Key words: Leishmania, kDNA, PCR-SSCP