[A new enzymatic variant of Leishmania infantum Nicolle, 1908, agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in northern Algeria].

For the first time, the pathogenic agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the North of Algeria has been identified as Leishmania infantum s.1. The parasite was found to be a newly discovered enzymatic variant (zymodeme 24) differing by two electromorphs from a variant isolated in France (zymodeme 11) from the same type of lesion. Until now, the dermotropic zymodemes of Algeria and France have not been seen in cases of visceral leishmaniasis of the Mediterranean Basin.