Blood culture in monophonic and biphasic media was negative, bone marrow aspiration and direct microscopic examination on Giemsa-stained smears revealed scant Leishmania amastigotes. To determine the species, following mass production in RPMI1640 (Gibco), all of the promastigotes were analysed by a random amplification of polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) technique and the results compared with standard species of L. infantum (MCAN/IR/96/ LON49), L. tropica (MHOM/IR/99/ YAZ1) and L. major (MRHO/IR/75/ ER) using 4 RAPD-PCR primers, including AB1-07 (5' GGT GAC GCA G), A4 (5' AAT CGG GCT G ), 327 (5' ATA CGG CGT C) and 329 (5' GCG AAC CTC C) in the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences 11,12. In HIV-negative patients with classic cutaneous leishmaniasis, bone marrow, blood smear and culture are usually negative but in leishmaniasis-associated HIV, bone marrow, blood smear and culture may be positive, and skin lesions may be present in unusual locations.