Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ethiopia is primarily caused by Leishmania aethiopica and rarelyrnby L. tropica and L. major. There is no rapid differential diagnostic method for these species.rnThe intracellular survival mechanism of Leishmania parasites is not well understood althoughrnone of the mechanisms may be production of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidoxins.rnPeroxidoxin genes have been isolated from various Leishmania species but not fromrnL. aethiopica. Our objective was to identify and characterize peroxidoxin genes fromrnL. aethiopica.rnIn this study, we identified two peroxidoxin genes (pxnl and Pxn2) from L. aethiopica byrnPCR. Sequence analysis of the two genes showed that there is a high nucleotide sequencernhomology between L. aetlziopica and other Leishmania species. Southern blot hybridizationrnanalysis showed peroxidoxins of L. aetlziopica genes exist as multigene family. RT-PCRrndemonstrated that pxnl is predominantly expressed in amastigotes and stationary phasernpromastigotes, suggesting its importance for infectivity and intracellular survival. Pxn2 isrnconstitutively expressed in the different stages of the parasite. Northern blot analysis andrnRT-PCR showed that the overall expression of all peroxidoxin genes in L. aethiopica isrnhigher in the amastigotes than in the promastigotes, suggesting that peroxidoxins arernimpoliant for intracellular survival. Peroxidoxin genes appear to be important virulencernfactors and thus may be potential targets for drug development against leishmaniasis.Therngenes can be explored further as potential candidate vaccines and molecular diagnostic tools.rnWe suggest that further research be conducted on peroxidoxins to evaluate their potential asrndiagnostics, vaccine candidates and drug targets.rnKey words: Intracellular survival, L. aethiopica, peroxidoxin genes