HYBRIDIZATION

LEISHMANIASIS, ONE OF THE MOST WIDESPREAD AND AND DEBILITATING PROTOZAL DISEASES OF MAN, IS PREVALENT IN SOUTH AND CHENTRAL AMERICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST. THE SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE, EXTENT OF DRUG THERAPY, AND THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF FOLLOW-UP HEALTH CARE IS SPECIES DEPENDENT. CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC METHODS FOR IDENTIFYTING THE DOZEN OR SO SPECIES OF LEISHMANIA IN CUTANEOUS LESIONS OR ASPIRATES ARE LABORIOUS AND TIME CONSUMING. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO PRODUCE BIOTIN-LABEL-ED DNA PROBES THAT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN L. DONDOVANI AND L. TROPICA IN ANNEALING REACTIONS. THESE PROBES CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE THE SPECIES OF AMASTIGOTES PRESENT IN CUTANEOUS LESIONS, AND THEREBY IN-DICATE THE PROBABILTY OF A SIMPLE CUTANEOUS INFECTION L. TROPICA VERSES A POSSIBLE FATAL INVOLVEMENT OF THE VISCERA L. DONDOVANI. AFTER PHASE I IS COMPLETED PHASE II WILL INCLUDE FURTHER TESTING OF THEPROBES AGAINST ADDITIONAL ISOLATES OF LEISHMANIA AND PREPARING NEW PROBES FOR SEVERAL OTHER LEISHMANIA SPECIES.