The goal of this study was to know the identity of Leishmania species responsible of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Fars Province, southern Iran.
Five counties of Shiraz, Firouz Abad, Ghir-Karzin, ...Farashband and Larestan were prospected. Forty-four patients exhibiting cutaneous lesions were selected. Samples collected on skin lesions were examined both microscopically (after Giemsa staining) and molecularly (after PCR-RFLP).
On the 44 examined patients, 39 exhibit Leishmania sp. by microscopical examination, all confirmed by PCR. For five patients with negative microscopical examination, PCR was positive for three of them. Among these 42 positive samples, 3 (7%) were infected by L. tropica and 39 (93%) by L. major.
Leishmania major is the most prevalent species in prospected area and L. tropica occurs in Shiraz and Ghir-Karzin counties.
Rodentolepis nana (syn. Hymenolepis nana) is a cyclophyllidean zoonotic enteric parasite with worldwide distribution. In humans, it is more prevalent in children, especially in temperate zones. A ...morphologically similar species of R. nana occurs in different rodents, including gerbils. In the present study molecular characterization of five isolates of R. nana from Rhombomys opimus in the Golestan Province (n= 2) and Razavi Khorasan Province (n= 3), both in north-eastern Iran, were analysed. After DNA extraction, the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of the R. nana isolates was amplified and sequenced, and genetic variation was analysed. Accordingly, two isolates from the Razavi Khorasan Province showed ITS2 signatures that differed from the isolates from the Golestan Province. The third isolate from Razavi Khorasan did not reveal these specific signatures, but exhibited sparse nucleotide polymorphisms in the ITS2 sequence. The ITS gene is conserved, and variation in this fragment could be an interesting subject for further inspection of existing variation in the genome of R. nana, among different domestic and wildlife host species and from different areas.
Intervention of Olyset® nets in a malarious area in Iran revealed a significant reduction on vector density, human blood index, and annual parasite incidence. After one year of usage still they have ...mortality and residual effect as assessed by WHO methods. Display omitted
► Seven Anopheles species were collected including 3 main vectors. ► Olyset nets had a major impact on malaria vectors and disease burden. ► A significant reduction in the indoor-resting density of mosquitoes was observed. ► Two most abundant species were A. dthali and A. culicifacies. ► The average permethrin content was reached to 68.31% at the end of intervention.
Long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) have been advocated as an effective tool for prevention and control of malaria. Olyset net was the first LLINs which became commercially available and obtained WHO approval. According to the national strategic plan on evaluation of Olyset net, a field trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of these nets against malaria vectors in an endemic area in the southeast of Iran.
Fourteen villages with similar topographical and epidemiological situations were selected and randomly assigned to two clusters of the study: Olyset net and untreated net. Distribution of nets was carried out to cover 100% of the population in Olyset net and untreated net cluster.
Anopheline mosquitoes were collected monthly using different WHO standard methods in both areas to determine their abundance, feeding pattern and resting behaviour. Human blood index was determined using ELISA test. Additionally, Olyset nets were evaluated for their biological activity using WHO cone bioassay test by susceptible colony of Anopheles stephensi (Beech strain) and then for insecticide residues by employing high performance thin layer chromatography. Malaria incidence was measured by passive and active case detection from all study population.
In total 2115 adult anopheline mosquitoes were collected and identified using morphological characters. They comprised of seven species: Anopheles dthali (Liston), A. culicifacies (Giles), A. stephensi (Liston), A. superpictus (Grassi), A.fluviatilis (James), A. moghulensis (Christophers) and A. turkhudi (Liston). A. dthali, A. culicifacies and A. stephensi were most prevalent species in both areas.
In the Olyset net study area, there was a significant reduction of 41.1%, 54.4%, 59.39% and 64.1% in the indoor-resting density of A. culicifacies, A. stephensi, A. dthali and A. superpictus, respectively, with an overall reduction of 39.3% in total mosquitoes in comparison with untreated net area. A significant reduction was also observed in human blood index of vector species in the Olyset net villages. Bioefficacy test results of Olyset nets showed that the median knockdown time was 1.48 and 3.25min, while the average mortality rate was 100% and 72.3%±7.07 in baseline and after 1 year of intervention, respectively. The average permethrin content reached to 68.31% (683.1mg/m2) of the initial insecticide dose of 937±21.69mg/m2 (nearly 1000mg/m2) at the end of intervention.
Malaria incidence was reduced by 96.6% and 64.8% in the village with Olyset nets and in the villages with untreated nets, respectively. During intervention period, there was a reduction of 93.2% in malaria incidence in Olyset net area as compared to the untreated area.
This study indicated that Olyset nets have a major impact on malaria vectors and disease burden; therefore it could be recommended as an effective personal protection tool for malaria control in malarious areas.
We report four disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis(DCL) cases referred to leishmaniasis laboratory at the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences with multiple nodular, ...ulcerative and crusted lesions extended on the face, trunk, and extremities. None of the patients had any complication and historical involvement in their immunological system conditions that suggest as the criteria for DCL. Direct smears of ulcers were positive for Leishmania parasite. The parasite was isolated from the active lesions and identified as Leishmania major (L. major) using PCR-RFLP assay and sequencing analysis.
Toxoplasma gondii
is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects humans and animals.
T. gondii
surface antigen 1 (SAG1) is an appropriate antigen with high specificity and sensitivity ...for the detection of
T. gondii
infection in humans and animal hosts. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of
T. gondii
infection using SAG1 antigen (P30) in ownership dogs in Meshkin-Shahr district in the northwestern Iran. The sera samples were collected from 171 domestic dogs and tested using indirect ELISA (SAG1 antigen). The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 13. From a total of 171 dogs, 82 (48 %) of them were sero-positive. No statistical significant difference was seen between
T. gondii
infection and gender (
P
= 0.995). The highest sero-prevalence of rate was observed in >5 years animals; but no statistical significant difference was seen between
T. gondii
infection and age (
P
= 0.589). Our findings indicate that
Toxoplasma
seropositivity rate is high in ownership dogs in northwest of Iran. This is probably due to high exposure to contaminated food, soil, or water sources with sporulated
Toxoplasma
oocysts.
The aim of the study was to determine the helminthic species occurring in great gerbil Rhombomys opimus collected from Maraveh Tappeh, Golestan Province, northeast Iran.
During 2010-2011, a total of ...77 R. opimus were captured from rural areas of Maraveh Tappeh, Golestan Province, using Sherman live traps and examined for infectivity with any larva or adult stages of helminthic parasites.
Overall, 63 R. opimus (81.8%) were found infected with different helminthic species. The rate of infectivity with each species was as follows: Trichuris rhombomidis 31.2%, Trichuris muris 32.5%, Trichuris spp. 10.4%, Syphacia muris 2.6%, Dipetalonema viteae (Acanthocheilonema viteae) 37.7%, Skrjabinotaenia lobata 15.6%, Hymenolepis (=Rodentolepis) nana fraterna 5.2%, and Taenia endothoracicus larva 1.3%.
R. opimus is host for several species of cestodes and nematodes in the study area. The high rate of infectivity with D. viteae indicates the susceptibility of these gerbils to this filarial nematode. Synchronous infections occurred up to four species of helminthes in one host.
Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) is an endemic disease in some areas of Iran. A cross- sectional study was conducted for sero-epidemiological survey of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Baft district ...from Kerman Province, southeast of Iran.
Blood samples were collected from children up to 12 years old and 10% of adult population from Baft villages with a multi-stage randomized cluster sampling. In addition, blood samples were collected from 30 domestic dogs from the same areas. All the collected blood samples were tested by direct agglutination test (DAT) for the detection of anti-Leishmania antibodies in both human and dog using the cut-off value of ≥1:3200 and ≥1:320, respectively. Parasitological, molecular, and pathological were performed on infected dogs. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to compare sero-prevalence values.
From 1476 collected human serum samples, 23 (1.55%) showed anti-Leishmania antibodies at titers of 1:800 and 1:1600 whereas 14 (0.95%) showed anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies at titers of ≥1:3200. No statistically significant difference was found between male (1.18%) and female (0.69%) sero-prevalence (P=0.330). Children of 5-8 years showed the highest sero-prevalence rate (3.22%). Seven out of 30 domestic dogs (23%) showed anti-Leishmania antibodies at titers ≥1:320. Leishmania infantum was identified in five infected dogs by nested - PCR assay.
It seems that visceral leishmaniasis is being endemic in southern villages of Baft district, southeast of Iran.
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.
A 5-month old puppy with muco-cutaneous lesions in the chin, around lips and eyes was examined physically and microscopically for leishmaniasis. Muco-cutaneous lesions containing a large number of ...amastigotes of Leishmania spp. were observed. Amastigotes were also detected in liver and spleen of the puppy. The animal was positive with Dipstick rK39 kit and high level of anti-Leishmania antibodies was detected by direct agglutination test (DAT). DNA, Using PCR-RFLP technique extracted from cultured Leishmania promastigotes and L. tropica was identified. This is the first report of concurrent mucosal and visceral involvement of L. tropica in a puppy from Iran.
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•Great gerbils are the main reservoir of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) due to Leishmania major.•We designed specific primers to amplify IL-4 promoter gene of great gerbil ...populations.•We determined five SNPs assembly six haplotypes among the gerbil populations.•The SNPs may relate to the outcome phenotypes following infection with L. major in the great gerbils.•These data may lead to develop novel control strategy against ZCL.
Great gerbils (Rhombomys opimus) are the most common gerbils in center to northeast of Iran as well as central Asia and serve as reservoirs for the zoonotic agents, including Leishmania major, the principal etiologic agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL). The outcome of L. major infection in gerbils is not uniform. Among several immune-related factors including cytokine genes, the polymorphism in interleukin 4 (IL-4) promoter gene showed a great impact on outcome and pathological symptoms of L. major infection at least in mouse model. In this study gerbils’ IL-4 promoter gene polymorphism is assessed. Specific primers were designed to develop a PCR-based assay to amplify IL-4 promoter gene to possibly define IL-4 promoter gene polymorphism in great gerbil populations with a range of Leishmania infection and symptoms collected from different foci of the central, north and northeast regions of Iran. The results showed that the designed primers amplify 689bp of the promoter gene. Sequence analysis of the promoter gene revealed five polymorphic sites assembly six haplotypes among the gerbil populations. Further studies are needed to assess whether or not the five polymorphisms cause different outcome phenotypes following infection with L. major in great gerbils. The data might be used to characterize the immune responses of R. opimus against L. major infection.
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