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Purpose Pediculosis caused by human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer (Anoplura: Pediculidae) is a public health problem with a high prevalence, especially among children in school age. Different chemical pediculicides (insecticides) are used against lice but the repeated application of these pediculicides for the treatment of P. humanus capitis infestation in the past decades has resulted in the development of resistance. The plant essential oils have been used as alternative sources of lice treatment agents. Pediculicidal activity of the essential oils of three Origanum species (O. onites, O. majorana and O. minutiflorum) against P. humanus capitis adults was examined in this study. Methods Essential oils from aerial parts of three Origanum species were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus. P. humanus capitis specimens used were obtained from infested children by combing method at primary schools. Adult lice were exposed to three dilutions (1%, 0.5% and 0.1% w/v) of tested oils for 5 min using the adult immersion test. Results According to the results, all Origanum essential oils at 1% concentration have been shown to significantly decrease the rate of limb, bowel and abdomen movements, producing more than 90% mortality after 12 h. Conclusion Our results indicated that Origanum essential oils can be used for the development of new pediculicides against head louse.

Leishmaniasis is a protozoan parasitic disease transmitted to humans by infected female sand flies. Turkey has received more than three million immigrants from Syria because of the civil war and political instability. This study reported cases of two patients, who were from Syria and lived in Hatay, with cutaneous leishmaniasis and mucosal involvement. Two patients presented to the infectious diseases clinic with a complaint of facial lesions and were subsequently referred to the parasitology department laboratory. Smears were prepared from the lesions, stained with Giemsa and examined under a microscope. Moreover, aspirates taken from the patients' lesions were inoculated into the modified Novy-MacNeal-Nicolle medium. The diagnosis was made when amastigotes were detected in both smears. Proliferation of promastigotes was observed in one of the clinical specimens inoculated on the medium. By PZR-RFLP, Leishmania tropica were detected in the isolate. Both patients were treated with amphotericin B. One patient was treated again with a pentavalent antimony compound because of the recurrence of the lesion.Leishmaniasis, bir protozoon parazit olan Leishmania türlerinin sebep olduğu ve enfekte dişi kum sinekleri tarafından bulaştırılan bir hastalıklar grubudur. Türkiye, yakın sınır komşumuz olan Suriye’de meydana gelen iç savaş ve siyasi istikrarsızlık nedeniyle üç milyonu aşan sayıda göç almıştır. Bu çalışmada, Suriye’den göç ederek Hatay’da yaşayan, iki yurt dışı kaynaklı mukozal tutulumlu kutanöz leishmaniasis olgusu ve tedavileri sunulmaktadır. Enfeksiyon hastalıkları kliniğine yüzünde lezyon nedeniyle başvuran iki olgu, Parazitoloji Anabilim Dalı laboratuvarına yönlendirilmiştir. Olguların lezyonlarından yayma preparatlar hazırlanmış ve Giemsa ile boyanarak mikroskop altında incelenmiştir. Aynı zamanda olguların lezyonundan, aspirasyon sıvısı alınarak modifiye edilmiş Novy-MacNeal-Nicolle besiyerine inoküle edilmiştir. Üreme gözlenen örnekler, ITS-1 bölgesini hedefleyen LITSR ve L 5.8S primerleri kullanılarak PZR-RFLP yöntemi ile tiplendirilmiştir. Olguların lezyonlarından hazırlanan yayma preparatların ikisinde de amastigotlar görülerek tanı konmuştur. Besiyerine inoküle edilen klinik örneklerin, birinde promastigotların ürediği gözlenmiştir. PZR-RFLP ile izolat Leishmania tropica olarak tiplendirilmiştir. Olguların ikisi de amfoterisin B ile tedavi edilmiştir. Bir olgu lezyonun tekrar etmesi nedeniyle beş değerli Antimon bileşiği ile tekrar tedavi edilmiştir.

Objective Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) and Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) are the species causing cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) in Turkey. There was a wave of immigration due civil war in Syria in 2011. Migration from Syria, where CL is endemic, to other countries is thought to affect the number of CL cases and species diversity. The aim of the study was to typify the samples of CL positive, pre-migration and post-migration Turkish patients and importe (Syrian) patients whose smears were found in the archive and to reveal the difference of CL species before and after migration in Hatay. Methods Smears of a total of 150 patients (50 Turkish patients before migration, 50 Turkish patients after migration and 50 Syrian patients) which had been prepared with dermal scraping, stained with Giemsa and determined as CL positive by microscope examination were included in the study. DNA isolation of selected preparations was performed and GZ-PZR analysis with ITS-1probe was performed for species determination. Results L. infantum/donovani was detected in 40 (80%), L. tropica in 8 (16%), and L. major in 2 (4%) of the samples belonging to pre-immigration Turkish patients. L. infantum/donovani was detected in 28 (56%), L. major in 3 (6%) and L. tropica in 19 (%38) of the samples belonging to post-immigration Turkish patients. L. infantum/donovani was detected in 2 (4%), L. major in 1 (2%) and L. tropica in 47 (94%) of the samples belonging to Syrian patients. Conclusions It was observed that in local cases in Hatay before immigration, L. infantum/donovani was the common species that caused CL and that after immigration L. tropica began to raise and that L. major was more encountered than before. It was concluded that Syrians coming to Hatay may have caused diversity in the Leishmania species which were the causative agents of CL, and that further research was needed on the subject.

Objective Meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime®) and Sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam®) are used for the treatment of cutaneous leismaniasis in Turkey. There is a reported resistance to these drugs in recent years. The aim of the present study was to compare the in vitro sensitivities of resistant Leishmania isolates against Amphotericin B, Miltefosine, Meglumine Antimoniate, Paromomycin and Sodium Stibogluconate. Methods Five Leishmania isolates of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis, who showed no clinical recovery despite two consecutive meglumine antimoniate treatments, which were stored in the Parasite Bank in Manisa Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty were selected. They were genotyped with Real-Time PCR using specific primers and probes to ITS1 region. Drug resistance levels of each Leishmania isolate were analysed for Amphotericin B, Miltefosine, Meglumine Antimoniate, Paromomycin, and Sodium Stibogluconate at concentrations of 500, 250, 125, 50, 25 μg/mL with XTT method and hemocytometer. Results It was observed that the resistant Leishmania tropica isolates showed no resistance to Amphotericin B, and were sensitive to Miltefosine, Sodium Stibogluconate, Paromomycin and Meglumin Antimonate, respectively. In addition, Leishmania tropica (MHOM/AZ/1974/SAF-K27) isolate of the control group could stay viable in none of the drug concentrations of five agents in the study. Conclusion It was determined that none of the selected resistant L. tropica isolates showed resistance to Amphotericin B and that was also shown statistically (p

Objective This study aims to determine the optimum liquid medium for the reproduction of Trypanosoma cruzi strains and provide cryopreservation. Methods The reproduction density of T. cruzi strain was evaluated in the following five different commercial liquid culture media: RPMI 1640, Medium 199 (M199), Schneider's Insect Medium (SIM), Nutrient Broth (NB), Brain Heart Infusion Broth (BHIB). Cultures were monitored on every other day for a period of 24 days. Cryopreservation of T. cruzi was also performed and viability was tested after six months. Results Epimastigotes of T. cruzi were not found to be produced in NB and BHIB media. Significant difference was not observed among the reproduction potential of RPMI-1640, M199, and SIM after evaluating the data for the first 10 days. Between days 12 and 24, RPMI-1640 was found to be the best reproduction medium. From the 18th day onwards, parasites transformed amastigotes. On the 24th day, the highest level of amastigote amount was observed, and reproduction was determined to have stopped. As a result of cryopreservation, it was determined that the survival of T.cruzi continued after six months.. Conclusion Thus, the selection of RPMI-1640 medium, followed by M199 and SIM media would be appropriate when studying T. cruzi epimastigotes. Studies using epimastigotes should be planned for up to 18 days and for those using amastigotes, it would be appropriate to plan the studies after the 18th day. Moreover, T. cruzi can be cryopreserved with 15% DMSO and stored for a long time in liquid nitrogen.

Leishmaniasis, seen in tropical and subtropical regions, is an infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania species. There are three main forms of leishmaniasis: cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has become an increasing problem as the number of travels around the world increases and people go to work in endemic areas. Turkey has received great numbers of immigrants in recent years, from its neighboring countries like Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and the Syrian Arab Republic because of the political instabilities in these countries as well as the job opportunities caused by large-scale development projects undertaken by Turkey. In this report, imported CL cases detected in five truck drivers transporting from Hatay to Turkmenistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Georgia, Uzbekistan and Azarbaijan countries were presented. The patients admitted to Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Medicine Dermatology Policlinic, with wound complaints on their bodies were directed to the Department of Parasitology to obtain smear samples from their wounds. The age range of the patients were 38 to 43 years. Patients with wound trail for a period ranging from one month to one year had a number of lesions varying between 2-7 and in all cases, a smear preparation was prepared from the lesions for diagnostic purposes. Clinical material obtained from five patients with pre-diagnosis of CL was firstly examined with Giemsa stain. Samples taken from the patients were inoculated into modified NNN (Novy-MacNeal-Nicolle) medium for the evaluation of the presence of the promastigotes. Promastigotes obtained from the inoculated medium were also genotyped using the ITS1 region. In all of the slides prepared from the clinical material taken from the patients amastigotes were determined. The growth of promastigotes were observed in only three of the clinical specimen inoculated media. The genotyped three species were Leishmania tropica, Leishmania infantum/donovani and Leishmania major. In this study, the importance of support for the diagnosis of different microbiological methods used in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis infection which occurred during the outbreaks of the disease has been put forward. In addition, it was aimed to draw attention to the importance of imported CL cases in our country diagnosed in five truck drivers making transportation from Hatay to Turkmenistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Objective The Wolrd Health Organization (WHO) encourages all countries to investigate antimalarial drug substances derived from herbal sources with the slogan "Hunt of the Next Artemisinin" due to the emergence of resistant strains of Plasmodium species to artemisinin. In the broad and simple sense, it was planned to help guide the young researchers set in-vitro and in-vivo models of malaria in order to be used in drug research and active ingredient studies. Methods In-vitro study, young Plasmodium berghei trophozoites were removed from the liquid nitrogen tank and resuspended in appropriate conditions, followed by incubation with chloroquine and tetracycline at concentrations of 0.1, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 6.4, 12.8 μg/mL for 24 hours at +37°C in a shaking incubator. In-vivo studies, Tetracycline group (TG) and Chloroquine group (KG) were administered 50 mg/kg of tetracycline and chloroquine by intragastric lavage and untreated control group (TACG) were administered the same amount of saline via the same route. The suppression of parasitemia in mice was followed for 24 days. Results In our in-vitro study it was observed that 0.8 μg/mL of chloroquine and 1.6 μg/mL of tetracycline was enough to suppress parasitemia. In our in-vivo drug study, all of the mice in the TG group died at day 24, and all of the mice in the TAKG group died at day 12, with no parasitemia observed in the mice in the KG group. Conclusion Our study suggests that if tetracycline therapy is administered when the induction of chloroquine therapy is delayed, the exacerbation of the parasitemia may be prevented and when chloroquine is obtained chloroquine therapy can be commenced thus preventing the loss of the patient.

Acanthamoeba species are free-living amoebae isolated from many ecological areas such as swimming pools, dams, lakes, soil, and air filters. These amoebae are usually causing granulomatous amebic encephalitis and amebic keratitis in immunosuppressive individuals. In this study, the reproductive potential and morphological changes determined of Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoite and cyst forms exposed to three different active substances derived from benzothiazole. Furthermore, the cytotoxic potential of these active substances determined by XTT analysis. In the study, axenic cultures prepared for Acanthamoeba castellanii cyst and trophozoite forms and parasite exposed to different concentrations of active substances. Cell counts of parasite cultures were performed at the 30 minutes, 1st, 6th, 12th, 24th, and 48th hour periods. As a result of the study, the reproductive potential suppressive effects of all three substances on Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites and cysts were determined. The most effective of these substances was 2-Amino-6(trifluoromethoxy)-benzothiazole. In the first three concentrations of this substance (0.1%, 0.05%, 0.025%), no determined trophozoite and cysts at the end of twenty four. Due to its strong ameobicidal effect, it is thought that 2-Amino-6(trifluoromethoxy)-benzothiazole may be a new therapeutic agent in diseases caused by acanthamoeba parasites by supporting this study with animal experiments.

Amaç: Bu çalışma, Türkiye’den elde edilen Leishmania spp. izolatlarının kanlı agar ve çikolata agardaki koloni oluşumlarının izlenmesi ve farklılıklarının karşılaştırılması, tek bir hücreden oluşan koloni elde edilerek gerektiğinde genetik çalışmalarda kullanılması amacıyla planlanmıştır. Yöntem: Çalışmamızda kullanılan kanlı agar ve çikolata agarın gerekli ön hazırlık aşamaları yapıldıktan sonra steril petri kaplarına dökülmesi ile besiyerleri hazırlanmıştır. Kullanılan Leishmania spp. izolatları üniversitemiz bünyesinde bulunan Parazit Bankası’ndan sağlanmıştır. Leishmania spp izolatlarının, ITS1 ve hsp70 bölgesine özgü primer ve problar kullanılarak genotiplendirilmesi yapılmıştır. Türlere göre ayrılan izolatların NNN besiyerinde kültürü yapılmış ve üreyen promastigotlar RPMI 1640 sıvı besiyerlerine aktarılarak logaritmik faza girmeleri beklenmiştir. Logaritmik faza giren promastigotların çikolata agar ve kanlı agara ekimleri yapılmış ve 25°C’lik etüve kaldırılarak gün aşırı takip edilmiştir. Bulgular: Etüvden çıkarılarak incelenen plaklarda inkübasyonun 7. gününde çikolata agarda herhangi bir koloni oluşumu gözlenmezken, kanlı agarda Leishmania tropica, Leishmania infantum ve Leishmania donovani de koloni büyüklüklerinin ortalama 0.9 mm olduğu, Leishmania major’de ise ortalama 0.8 mm olduğu saptanmıştır. Plaklara yapılan ekimin 28. gününde ise çikolata agarda L. tropica, L. major, L. infantum ve L. donovani’deki ortalama koloni büyüklükleri sırasıyla 1.0 mm, 0.9 mm, 1.0 mm ve 0.8 mm olarak gözlemlenirken, kanlı agardaki koloni büyüklükleri sırasıyla 3.1 mm, 3.1 mm, 3.3 mm ve 3.0 mm olduğu belirlenmiştir. Sonuç: Plaklara yapılan ekimlerin takibi sonucunda tüm suşların 7., 14., 21. ve 28. günlerdeki koloni oluşumlarının kanlı agarda daha hızlı olduğu saptanmıştır. Kanlı agarın Leishmania spp. ile ilgili yapılması planlanan genetik çalışmalar ve diğer çalışmalarda kullanılmasının uygun olabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır., Objective: This study was planned with the aim of comparing the reproduction differences of Leishmania isolates, obtained from Turkey, on chocolate and blood agars, colony growth views on agar plates and to attain colonies from single cell to utilize for genetic studies. Method: After preparation of blood agar and chocolate agar used in our study, the media were prepared by pouring into sterile petri dishes. The Leishmania isolates, used, were obtained from the ParasiteBank, located within our university. Genotyping was done by using primers and probes specific to ITS1 and hsp70. The isolates, separated according to species, were cultured in NNN medium and promastigotes were transferred to RPMI-1640 and were expected to enter into logarithmic-phase. Promastigotes entering logarithmic-phase were inoculated on chocolate and blood agar. Plates were transferred to 25°C and were controlled every other day. Results: No growth was observed on chocolate agar on 7th day of incubation on plates, while colony size of Leishmania tropica, Leishmania infantum and Leishmania donovani were found to have an average of 0.9 mm and mean colony size of Leishmania major was 0.8 mm on blood agar, On 28th day of cultivation, average colony size of L. tropica, L. major, L. infantum and L. donovani on chocolate agar was observed as 1.0 mm, 0.9 mm, 1.0 mm and 0.8 mm, respectively, while colony size on blood agar was determined as 3.1 mm, 3.1 mm, 3.3 mm and 3.0 mm, respectively. Conclusion: On 7,14,21,28th days, colony size of all the strains were found to be better and their growth were faster on blood agar. It has been concluded that blood agar may be suitable for reproduction of Leishmania for genetic and other studies planned.

Leyşmanyazis, enfekte dişi tatarcıkların ısırmasıyla insanlara bulaşan paraziter bir hastalıktır. Kutanöz leyşmanyazisin (KL) tanısında dermal kazıntıdan alınan örneklerde, mikroskopta parazitin gösterilmesi altın standart bir yöntem olarak yerini korumaktadır. Ancak bir yıl ve daha uzun süreli lezyonu bulunan kronik olgularda amastigot sayısı çok az sayıda olduğundan saptamak zordur. Hastaların öncelikle vücutlarında çıkan bu lezyonları dikkate almamaları, sağlık kurumlarına başvurmamaları veya geç başvurmaları, yanlış tedavi almaları gibi birçok nedenden ötürü tanı ve tedavi gecikmektedir. Ayrıca, lezyonlar üzerine sekonder enfeksiyon eklenerek prognoz kötüleşmekte ve yaralar kronikleşmektedir. Bu nedenle, kronik KL şüpheli olgularda mikroskop ile inceleme yöntemine ek olarak moleküler yöntemlerden faydalanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, mikroskop incelemesi sonucunda Leishmania amastigotları görülmeyen ancak klinik olarak KL açısından değerlendirilmesi rapor edilmiş şüpheli kronik KL Türkiye başlangıçlı olgulara ait dermal kazıntı preparatları seçilerek polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu (PCR) yöntemi kullanılarak leyşmanyazis tanısında moleküler yöntemin tanı değerinin ortaya konması amaçlanmıştır. Hatay Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Parazitoloji Laboratuvarına farklı polikliniklerden gelen KL şüphesi ile başvurmuş ve mikroskop incelemesi sonucunda endemik bölgelerden geldikleri kaydedilmiş (Hassa, Altınözü, Yayladağı gibi), klinik olarak kronik KL açısından değerlendirilmesi rapor edilmiş Türk hastaya ait dermal kazıntı preparatları (n= 50) çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Örneklerden DNA izolasyonu yapılarak tüm Leishmania türlerine özgü kinetoplastit DNA (kDNA) bölgesini hedefleyen 13A, 13B primerleri kullanılmıştır. PCR ile pozitif bulunan örnekler internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) bölgesini hedefleyen LITSR ve L5.8S primerleri kullanılarak “polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP)” yöntemi ile tür tayini yapılmıştır. Toplam 50 adet dermal kazıntı örneğinden 17 (%34)’si kDNA bölgesini hedefleyen 13A, 13B primerleri ile pozitif olarak bulunmuştur. Pozitif bulunan örnekler ITS-1 bölgesini hedefleyen LITSR ve L5.8S primerleri ile de pozitif olarak saptanmıştır. ITS-1 gen bölgesiyle yapılan PCR sonucunda elde edilen ürünler BsuRI (HaeIII) enzimi kullanılarak kesilmiştir. PCR-RFLP analizi sonucunda 17 örneğin 11’i Leishmania tropica, biri Leishmania major ve beşi Leishmania infantum/donovani olarak tanımlanmıştır. Kronik KL; sarkoidoz, tüberküloz, malign tümörler gibi deri hastalıklarıyla karışabilmektedir. Özellikle, kronik KL olguları doğru tanı konulamaması, mikroskop deneyiminin yeterli olmaması, parazit sayısının az olması nedeniyle görülememesi gibi pek çok sebepten gözden kaçabilmektedir. Bu nedenle kronik KL şüphesi olan ancak mikroskop inceleme yöntemi ile parazit saptanamayan örneklerde moleküler yöntem olan PCR’nin kullanılmasının gerektiği sonucuna varılmıştır, Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to humans by the bites of infected female phlebotomine sandflies. In the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), in the smear samples, the demonstration of the parasite by microscope remains a gold standard method. However, it becomes difficult to diagnose the parasite since the number of amastigotes in chronic cases with a lesion of one year or longer is very low. Due to many factor such as patients primarily do not to take any notice these lesions in their bodies, do not apply to health institutions or late applied, receive wrong treatment; the diagnosis and treatment are delayed. In addition, it is been worse prognosis by add secondary infection to lesions and wounds become chronic. For this reason, molecular methods are used in addition to microscopic examination in chronic suspected CL cases. It was aimed to reveal of the molecular diagnostic value in chronic suspected CL cases by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the smear belonging to Turkish patients that reported to be evaluated clinically because it can not be seen Leishmania amastigotes in microscopic examination. Smear of 50 Turkish patients who were clinically reported of the evaluation of chronic CL were selected. These samples were smears belonging to suspected CL patients that applied Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Medicine, Parasitology laboratory from different polyclinics and were decided to be evaluated clinically as a result of microscopic examination because they came from endemic regions (such as Hassa, Altınözü, Yayladağı). DNA was isolated from selected samples and PCR was performed using 13A, 13B primers targeting the kinetoplastid DNA (kDNA) region. The samples found positive by PCR were typed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis using LITSR and L5.8S primers targeting internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) region. Of the 50 smear samples, 17 (34%) were determined positive with 13A, 13B primers targeting the kinetoplastid DNA (kDNA) region. Positive samples were also found to be positive with LITSR and L5.8S primers targeting ITS-1 region. The PCR products obtained from PCR with ITS-1 gene region were digested with the restriction endonucleases BsuRI (HaeIII). As a result of PCR-RFLP analysis, it was determined that 11 of Leishmania tropica, one of Leishmania major and five of Leishmania infantum/donovani out of 17 samples. Chronic CL can be confused with skin diseases such as sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, malignant tumors. In particular, chronic CL cases can be escaped the attention for many reasons such as failure to diagnose correctly, insufficient microscope experience, fail to see due to low number of parasites. For this reason, it was concluded that PCR, which is a molecular method, should be used in chronic suspected CL samples which are negative for the parasite by microscopic examination.

Objective Two pentavalent antimonials, meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime®, France) and sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam®, England), are used to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Turkey. The present study, serving as a guidebook for young researchers, aims to provide basis for conducting drug resistance tests and active ingredient scanning in in vitro and in vivo models. Methods A CL isolate kept in liquid nitrogen was initially thawed and genotyped by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using ITS1 prob. In vitro and in vivo tests were conducted to determine drug resistance against meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Hemocytometry and XTT (sodium 3,39-[1-(phenylaminocarbonyl)-3,4-tetrazolium]-bis (4-methoxy-6-nitro) benzenesulfonic acid hydrate) methods were used to investigate in vitro drug resistance. CL mouse models were used to analyze in vivo drug resistance. Results The isolate was determined as Leishmania tropica by genotyping by PCR on the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) gene region. In in vitro drug resistance tests, sodium stibogluconate was observed to be more effective than meglumine antimoniate, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two (p > 0.05). It was observed that the footpad lesions of the animals started to shrink afterward the 5th week of infection following treatment with these agents, and parasitologic recovery was observed at the end of 3 months. Conclusions With an aim to be used as a guidebook for young researchers, active ingredient scanning and drug resistance tests in both in vitro and in vivo models were presented in the current study.

OBJECTIVE It was aimed to assess the success of the cryopreservation process which is carried out in order to preserve the genetic material and the virulence of the Leishmania species that are an important health problem in our region. METHODS Leishmania tropica, L. infantum, L. major, and L. donovani strains in Novy-MacNeal-Nicolle (NNN) medium in MCBU were used. Promastigotes cultured in the NNN medium were transferred to RPMI 1640 medium; promastigotes in the logarithmic phase were washed three times with PBS, and 15% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was added. Leishmania species were transferred to 12 separate tubes. The tubes were stored at -86°C for one night by placing them in Coolcell boxes. The tubes were transferred into a liquid nitrogen tank. One cryotube per Leishmania strain is thawed monthly and cultured in NNN medium. RESULTS For the duration of study it was observed that each Leishmania isolate preserved 60-65% of their viability and entered the logarithmic phase on the 7th day following the inoculation in the NNN medium. Abnormalities in the structures and movements of the promastigotes were not observed in microscopic examinations. CONCLUSION The following conclusions were made: cryopreservation is important for studies planned related to leishmaniasis and cryopreservation with DMSO is successful.