- A researcher in North Khorasan University of Medical Sciencesedit
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Background & objectives: The heartworm Dirofilaria immitis is an important mosquito-borne zoonotic nematode of domestic and wild mammals throughout the world, causing cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis. This parasite has been reported from... more
Background & objectives: The heartworm Dirofilaria immitis is an important mosquito-borne zoonotic nematode of domestic and wild mammals throughout the world, causing cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis. This parasite has been reported from carnivores in some provinces of Iran. However, in the present study, the occurrence of this filarial nematode is reported for the first time in wild canids of the North Khorasan Province, located in northeast Iran, based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Methods: The carcasses of 45 golden jackals (Canis aureus), 16 foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 15 dogs (Canis familiaris), and one wolf (Canis lupus) were necropsied between 2013 and 2014. Results: By gross examination, adult filarial nematodes were found in the cardiovascular system of four jackals (8.9%). The morphological characteristics of the recovered heartworms were compatible with D. immitis. DNA sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene of all four isolates was identical, showing 100% homology with several sequences registered in GenBank from other countries. No adult D. immitis was found in any of the other animals examined. Interpretation & conclusion: D. immitis is circulating in wildlife of the study area, suggesting the relevance of developing control programmes to prevent transmission of the disease to humans and domestic animals.
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Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a prevalent tick-borne disease in different regions of Iran. This molecular and serologic study was performed to investigate the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in... more
Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a prevalent tick-borne disease in different regions of Iran. This molecular and serologic study was performed to investigate the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in collected ticks and in blood samples of some domestic animals in North Khorasan, Northeast of Iran. Methods: In this cross sectional study, 136 blood samples from domestic animals (sheep, goats, and cows) collected in the Northeast region in Iran were examined using IgG ELISA assay. Ticks (n = 1478) were collected from sheep, goats, and cows. Out of all collected ticks, 62 specimens were investigated for CCHF virus genome using RT-PCR technique. The data were descriptively presented by median and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: CCHFV infection rate was 8.1% in studied ticks. Two species of ticks, Hy. anatolicum (n=3; 15%, 95% CI 9.41-20.59) and Rh. sanguineus (n=2; 6.9%, 95%CI 4.33-8.58), were infected with CCHFV genome and were probable vectors of CCHF virus in the area. Infection rate was 15.4% for CCHFV in tested domestic animals. Serologic tests detected CCHFV specific IgG antibodies in 16.2% (95% CI 13.49-18.83) (99/16) and 19.2% (95% CI 13.26-25.20) (26/5) of sheep and goats, respectively. Conclusion: The present study showed that domestic animals and ticks were infected with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and that the disease was endemic in North Khorasan province, Iran. However, further surveillance and prevention programs are recommended.
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Ticks of the order Ixodida are among the most proficient ectoparasites worldwide. Haemaphysalis is the second largest genus within Ixodidae. Southeast Asia is thought to be the original center of development and dispersal of the genus.... more
Ticks of the order Ixodida are among the most proficient ectoparasites worldwide. Haemaphysalis is the second largest genus within Ixodidae. Southeast Asia is thought to be the original center of development and dispersal of the genus. Six species of Haemaphysalis, H. concinna, H. erinacei, H. inermis, H. parva, H. punctata and H. sulcata, have been recorded as occurring in Iran. The current paper deals with notes on taxonomy of H. erinacei and provides a provisional key for the identification of Haemaphysalis species that occur in Iran.
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Background: Leishmaniasis is a widespread problem, especially in the tropical and subtropical countries. Since understanding epidemiologic and geographical distribution of the diseases is necessary for prevention and control of... more
Background: Leishmaniasis is a widespread problem, especially in the tropical and subtropical countries. Since understanding epidemiologic and geographical distribution of the diseases is necessary for prevention and control of Leishmaniasis. This study was conducted for epidemiological survey of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in North Khorasan Province, using GIS during the years 2006-2013. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data of the Leishmaniasis patients between the years 2006 and 2013 collected from the different districts ofN. Khorasan Province. The gathered data was analyzed by using Spps16 statistical software and chi-square test. Results:Data concerning 2831 patients with CL were collected.The maximum outbreak of the disease occurred in 2011 and theminimum occurrence was reported to be in2008. The mean age of the study population was22/80 ± 18/08 and the maximum cases of infection were observed in age group of 16-30 years. 58/6 percent of the patients were male and 53/5 per...
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زمينه و هدف: امروزه ميزان توليدات علمي نمايه شده در پايگاههاي اطلاعاتي معتبري نظير وب آو ساينس از معيارهاي مهم ارزيابي و رتبهبندي علمي كشورها، پژوهشگران، موسسات و دانشگاهها در جهان است. لذا، هدف اين پژوهش بررسي وضعيت مقالات زئونوز... more
زمينه و هدف: امروزه ميزان توليدات علمي نمايه شده در پايگاههاي اطلاعاتي معتبري نظير وب آو ساينس از معيارهاي مهم ارزيابي و رتبهبندي علمي كشورها، پژوهشگران، موسسات و دانشگاهها در جهان است. لذا، هدف اين پژوهش بررسي وضعيت مقالات زئونوز ايران در اين پايگاه اطلاعاتي است. مواد و روش کار: در اين پژوهش از روشهاي پژوهش علمسنجي و پيمايشي استفاده شده است. تمامي مقالات حوزه زئونوز در سالهاي 2012- 1971 كه در پايگاه اطلاعاتي وب آو ساینس نمايه شدهاند و حداقل يکي از نويسندگان آن ايراني باشد، مورد بررسي قرار گرفته است. يافتهها: در مجموع، 3807 عنوان مقاله در حوزه زئونوز از پژوهشگران ايراني در پايگاه اطلاعاتي وب آو ساينس نمايه شده است. تعداد مقالات زئونوز ايران در سالهاي 2004 به بعد با 3246 مقاله (26/85 درصد) بوده است. 3110 عنوان از مدارك در قالب مقاله و 3774 مقاله به زبان انگليسي بوده است. ميانگين رشد سالانه تعداد مقالات در سالهاي مورد بررسي 94/38 درصد است. بيشترين تعداد مقالات مربوط به سال 2011 با 691 مقاله و حوزه موضوعي "بهداشت عمومي و بهداشت محيط" با 459 مقاله ميباشد. مهدي محبع...
Dog can represent as an important source of zoonotic disease and important health problem for human. They can carry dangerous parasitic diseases such as hydatidosis, toxocariasis and Coenurus cerebralis to humans and animals. This study... more
Dog can represent as an important source of zoonotic disease and important health problem for human. They can carry dangerous parasitic diseases such as hydatidosis, toxocariasis and Coenurus cerebralis to humans and animals. This study was performed in order to determine the prevalence and intensity of zoonotic parasites among stray dogs from Bojnurd, the capital city of North Khorasan province in North West of Iran. During a program performing by Bojnurd municipal on the slow killing of stray dogs, 32 dogs from Jun 2013 till March 2015 were selected. At necropsy their alimentary canals were removed and to identify the species of helminthes, the nematodes were cleared in lactophenol and cestodes were stained using carmine acid. Intestinal protozoan parasites were detected with parasitological methods. 28 (87.5%) of 32 stray dogs infected at least with one helminth. Seven species of cestodes were isolated from examined dogs and three species of nematode were detected. Giardia sp. an...
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Visceral leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease, is the third most common opportunistic disease in immunosuppressed patients, such as those affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome.... more
Visceral leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease, is the third most common opportunistic disease in immunosuppressed patients, such as those affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Although the reports have been characterized as Leishmania/HIV coinfections, the occurrence of a mixed infection by two Leishmania species in HIV-positive patients is rare. Here, we present an atypical case of disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) in a 26-year-old HIV-positive man. The diagnosis of DCL was established using skin biopsy and histopathology examinations and confirmed by molecular techniques. This is the first case of a Leishmania/HIV coinfection due to a mixed infection of Leishmania infantum/Leishmania major in Iran.
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Although many studies had been conducted on various aspects of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in domestic dogs in the endemic areas of Iran, investigations on CVL in wild canines are rare. This is a cross-sectional study was... more
Although many studies had been conducted on various aspects of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in domestic dogs in the endemic areas of Iran, investigations on CVL in wild canines are rare. This is a cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2012 to 2013 in northeast of Iran where human VL is endemic. Wild canines were trapped around the areas where human VL cases had been previously identified. Wild canines were collected and examined both clinically and serologically using direct agglutination test (DAT). Microscopically examinations were performed in all the seropositive wild canines for the presence of the amastigote form of Leishmania spp. Some Leishmania sp. which had been isolated from the spleens of wild canines, were examined analyzed by conventional PCR and sequencing techniques using α-tubulin and GAPDH genes. Altogether, 84 wild canines including foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n=21), Jackals (Canis aureus, n=60) and wolves (Canis lupus, n=3) were collected. Four foxes...
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Following the epidemic of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khatam County, Yazd Province, this study was carried out to determine vector, and animal reservoir host(s) and investigate the human infection during 2005-2006. Four rural districts... more
Following the epidemic of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khatam County, Yazd Province, this study was carried out to determine vector, and animal reservoir host(s) and investigate the human infection during 2005-2006. Four rural districts where the disease had higher prevalence were selected. Sticky paper traps were used to collect sand flies during April to November, biweekly. Meanwhile rodents were captured using Sherman traps from August to November. Households and primary schools were visited and examined for human infection in February 2006. The parasite was detected by RAPD-PCR method. The rate of ulcers and scars among the inhabitants was 4.8% and 9.8%, respectively. Three rodent species were captured during the study:Meriones libycus, Rhombomys opimus, andTatera indica. Six sand fly species were also collected and identified; among themPhlebotomus papatasihad the highest frequency.Leishmania majorwas detected as the agent of the disease in the area. It was detected fromR. opimus...
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SUMMARYEchinococcus species are important parasites of wildlife, domestic animals and people worldwide; however, little is known about the prevalence, intensity and genetic diversity of Echinococcus tapeworms in Canadian wildlife.... more
SUMMARYEchinococcus species are important parasites of wildlife, domestic animals and people worldwide; however, little is known about the prevalence, intensity and genetic diversity of Echinococcus tapeworms in Canadian wildlife. Echinococcus tapeworms were harvested from the intestines of 42% of 93 wolves (Canis lupus) from five sampling regions in the Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and visually identified to genus level by microscopic examination. Genetic characterization was successful for tapeworms from 30 wolves, and identified both Echinococcus canadensis and Echinococcus multilocularis in all sampling locations. Mixed infections of E. canadensis/E. multilocularis, as well as the G8/G10 genotypes of E. canadensis were observed. These findings suggest that wolves may be an important definitive host for both parasite species in western Canada. This represents the first report of wolves naturally infected with E. multilocularis in North America, and of wolves ...
Research Interests: Parasitology, Geography, Medical Microbiology, Biology, Medicine, and 15 moreAnimals, Manitoba, Coinfection, Prevalence, Genotype, Echinococcosis, Genetic variation, Cestoda, Northwest Territories, Base Sequence, Saskatchewan, Echinococcus, Echinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis, and Molecular Sequence Data
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Insects with over 30,000 aquatic species are known as very successful arthropods in freshwater habitats. Some of them are applied as biological indicators for water quality control, as well as the main food supply for fishes and... more
Insects with over 30,000 aquatic species are known as very successful arthropods in freshwater habitats. Some of them are applied as biological indicators for water quality control, as well as the main food supply for fishes and amphibians. The faunistic studies are the basic step in entomological researches; the current study was carried out emphasizing on the fauna of aquatic insects in Karaj River, northern Iran. A field study was carried out in six various sampling site of Karaj River during spring 2013. The aquatic insects were collected using several methods such as D-frame nets, dipping and direct search on river floor stones. Specimens were collected and preserved in Ethanol and identified by standard identification keys. Totally, 211 samples were collected belonging to three orders; Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera. Seven genuses (Perla, Isoperla, Hydropsyche, Cheumatopsyche, Baetis, Heptagenia and Maccafferium) from five families (Perlidae, Perlodidae, Hydropsychi...
Research Interests: Malaria, Rivers, Iran, Anopheles, Animals, and 3 moreSeasons, Biological Pest Control, and Insect Vectors
ABSTRACT: Black flies are blood-feeding insects that are distributed worldwide. Few studies, however, have reported the distribution and extent of medical and veterinary problems caused by these flies in Iran. This study aimed to identify... more
ABSTRACT: Black flies are blood-feeding insects that are distributed worldwide. Few studies, however, have reported the distribution and extent of medical and veterinary problems caused by these flies in Iran. This study aimed to identify the species of simuliids, based primarily on morphological characters, determine their spatial distributions, and identify their breeding sites in six provinces (Tehran, Mazandaran, Isfahan, Lorestan, Hormozgan and Khorasan-e-Shomali) of Iran from spring, 2010 to summer, 2012. A total of 914 larvae and 13 pupae were collected from sixteen areas in the above-mentioned provinces. Twelve taxa were found: Simulium alajense Rubtsov 1940, S. au reum Fries 1824 group, S. bezzii (Corti 1914), S. brevitarse (Rubtsov 1976), S. crassicaulum (Rub sov 1955), S. dahestanicum (Rubtsov 1962), S. ornatum Meigen 1804 group, S. paraequinum Puri 1933/pseudequinum Seguy 1921, S. paucicuspis Rubtsov 1947, S. transcaspicum Enderlein 1921, S. turgaicum Rubtsov 1940, and S...
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The present study was performed to assess the infection of rodent reservoirs and their fleas to plaque agent (Yersinia pestis) in Kurdistan and North Khorasan respectively as active endemic and inactive non-endemic foci in the country.... more
The present study was performed to assess the infection of rodent reservoirs and their fleas to plaque agent (Yersinia pestis) in Kurdistan and North Khorasan respectively as active endemic and inactive non-endemic foci in the country. Live traps were used to collect rodents in spring and summer 2015. Totally, 109 rodents were trapped. Rodents of genus Apodemus witherbyi (40.5%) were the most abundant species in Kurdistan whereas Meriones persicus was the only species found in North Khorasan. Meriones spp constituted 12% of the trapped rodents in Kurdistan. 105 fleas were collected, of which 53(50.5%) were Xenopsylla buxtoni. The results of assays of rodent and flea specimens were negative for plague agent. Since rodents of Meriones spp and Apodemus spp and fleas of Xenopsylla spp in turn are the known reservoirs and vectors for plague in Iran, there is a real potential for the reemerging of plague disease in the studied areas.
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Background: Rodents are an important source of zoonotic diseases for human. The aim of this study was to determine the infectivity of rodents with intestinal helminths in North Khorasan Province, Iran. Methods: One hundred and thirteen... more
Background: Rodents are an important source of zoonotic diseases for human. The aim of this study was to determine the infectivity of rodents with intestinal helminths in North Khorasan Province, Iran. Methods: One hundred and thirteen rodents were collected using different collection methods such as kill and live traps, digging of their burrow, filling of their hiding places with water and hand net during 2011–2013. Their alimentary canals were removed in the laboratory and helminths were determined in the department of parasitology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Results: Thirteen species of helminths parasites were found in 13 species of rodents, including Aspiculuris tetraptera, Hymenolepis diminuta, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Protospirura Seurat, Rictolaria ratti, Skrjabinitaenia lobata, Streptopharagus kuntzi, Syphacia obvelata, Taenia taeniaeformis, Trichuris muris, Cysticercus fasciolaris, Acanthocephal. spp and Trichuris spp. Some of them were reported for the fi...
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Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Leishmania species. The identification of parasite species and the type of disease is beneficial for treatment and preventive modalities. Leishmania tropica and L. major have been... more
Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Leishmania species. The identification of parasite species and the type of disease is beneficial for treatment and preventive modalities. Leishmania tropica and L. major have been reported as the main etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Iran. The incidence of zoonotic CL has increased and different in distinct loci of Iran. Hence, we perused the Leishmania species and its genetic traits in the North East of Iran. The investigation was conducted on 200 positive smears prepared from patients’ lesions suffering from CL referred to the health care centers of northeastern provinces in Iran from 2013 to 2019. The obtained positive microscopy samples were divided to score the ranges from + 1 to + 6, of them 40 smears exhibited low-parasitemia. Leishmania species analyzed using PCR–RFLP, genetic diversity indices evaluation, phylogenetic analysis, and sequencing comparison with other species in the GeneBank based on ITS1 gene. The isolated L. major strains were similar to other Iranian isolates in this region. Pairwise fixation index (FST) index was statistically significant in different L. major populations and showed the genetic differences in pairwise population of different geographical locations of Iran. The current study confirmed an old pattern endemicity of zoonotic CL in North-east of Iran. Therefore, in order to assess the hybrid formation, more epidemiological, ecological, and gene polymorphism studies are needed to understand the pathogenic role of Leishmania species in Iran.
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Background: Ticks are considered as the main vectors for the transmission of various pathogens such as relapsing fever and CCHF to humans. This study was investigated the biodiversity indices and medically importance of ticks in North... more
Background: Ticks are considered as the main vectors for the transmission of various pathogens such as relapsing fever and CCHF to humans. This study was investigated the biodiversity indices and medically importance of ticks in North Khorasan Province, Northeast of Iran during 2015–2019. Methods: Specimens were captured from infested ruminants including cows, sheep, and goats. Additionally, tick collections also were performed on non-domesticated creatures such as turtles, rodents, and hedgehogs. Specimens were identified using valid identification keys. Species diversity, species richness and evenness indices have been calculated to estimate species biodiversity of ticks. Results: A total of 1478 adult ticks were collected. The specimens were from two families: Ixodidae (90.05%) and Argasidae (9.95%), 6 genera and 17 species including: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (55.9%), Rhipicephalus bursa (13.4%), Hyalomma marginatum (9.5%), Hyalomma anatolicum (9.5%), Hyalomma asiaticum (0.2%),...
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There have been some investigations carried out about necrophagous flies and their biodiversity indices in Iran. In the present study, the species composition of flies, their richness, and biodiversity were investigated in central Iran.... more
There have been some investigations carried out about necrophagous flies and their biodiversity indices in Iran. In the present study, the species composition of flies, their richness, and biodiversity were investigated in central Iran. In a cross-sectional study, specimens were collected monthly in three different climate areas of Qom Province. Species diversity, species richness, and species evenness were calculated to estimate the species biodiversity of flies. In total, 7,291 flies were collected and identified using valid identification keys that classified flies into four families and 15 different species. The largest collection of flies was obtained in the mountainous areas comprising 36.2% of specimens. Moreover, five forensically important species of fly were collected in this region with the potential to cause human and animal myiasis: Calliphora vicina, Lucilia sericata, Musca domestica, Wohlfahrtia nuba, and Chrysomya albiceps. There were slight differences in species ri...
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Background: Scorpions pose one of the most important public health and medical problems in tropical and subtropi-cal regions of the world, especially in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the fauna and spatial... more
Background: Scorpions pose one of the most important public health and medical problems in tropical and subtropi-cal regions of the world, especially in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the fauna and spatial distribution of scorpions. Methods: In this descriptive study, scorpions were captured using ultra-violet (UV) light, pitfall traps and digging methods in North Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran in 2017. After being encoded, the collected scorpions were stored in plastic containers of 70% ethanol and then transferred to the medical entomology lab of Tehran University of Medical Sciences for species identification based on morphological keys. In addition, Arc GIS 9.3 software was utilized for mapping spatial distribution of scorpions. Results: Overall, 143 scorpions were captured and identified. All of collected scorpions belonged only to Buthidae family. They were also classified into four genera (Androctonus, Mesobuthus, Odontobuthus, Orthochirus...
Background: Phlebotominae sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are the vectors of leishmaniasis. There are different methods for sand fly collection with different performance. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effect of... more
Background: Phlebotominae sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are the vectors of leishmaniasis. There are different methods for sand fly collection with different performance. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effect of different traps for collection of Phlebotominae sand flies in three endemic leishmaniasis foci in North Khorasan Prov-ince, northeast of Iran. Methods: Sand flies were collected using seven different traps from three villages, three times each twenty days during peak periods of seasonal activity in 2016. Results: A total of 7253 sand flies were collected. The specimens belonged to19 species. Phlebotomus sergenti was the most predominant species in the study area. Light trap baited with Carbon dioxide (CLT) and sticky paper trap (SPT) caught 22.6% and 22.3% of sand flies respectively. Animal baited trap (ABT) and white Shannon trap (WST) caught significantly fewer sand flies than the other traps. The sex ratio was different by phlebotominae sand fly ...
Background: The impact of environmental factors and host on Hyalomma spp. community structure and abundance in the main Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) foci of Iran is largely unknown. Methods: Biotic and abiotic factors,... more
Background: The impact of environmental factors and host on Hyalomma spp. community structure and abundance in the main Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) foci of Iran is largely unknown. Methods: Biotic and abiotic factors, including host, temperature, humidity, altitude, Köppen-Geiger climate types, season, and precipitation on Hyalomma spp. community structure and abundances in 11 provinces of Iran were investigated. Additionally, the possible infection of ticks with CCHF virus was evaluated using reverse transcription PCR technique. Results: Species analyses demonstrated the presence of Hyalomma anatolicum, H. marginatum, H. dromedarii, H. asiaticum, H. detritum and H. schulzei in the study area. Hyalomma anatolicum was the dominant species in the southern and northern parts, whereas H. dromedarii was distributed mostly in central parts of the country. The highest tick infestation was recognized in hot season. Spatial variation in tick relative density was observed betw...
Rodents are one of the most important hosts for some zoonotic diseases and also act as a reservoir of some ectoparasites and endoparasites. They cause damage to the farms and inflict public health. The aim of this study was to investigate... more
Rodents are one of the most important hosts for some zoonotic diseases and also act as a reservoir of some ectoparasites and endoparasites. They cause damage to the farms and inflict public health. The aim of this study was to investigate the faunal composition of rodent in North Khorasan Province, Northeast of Iran. The sampling was carried out between 2011 to 2013. The specimens were collected using different methods including rodent death and live traps, digging of their burrow, and hand net from 75 different sample sites. The total number of 396 specimens belonging to 22 species and six families were identified. The results illustrated the high numbers and densities of (17.68%), (15.15%), (7.32%) and (6.82%), as the most important reservoirs for different zoonotic diseases. Moreover, significant number of other rodent species including (15.66%), (13.89%), (0.25%), (1.01%), (0.25%), (0.51%), (2.27%), (0.76%), (0.25%), (4.29%), (4.29%), (1.26%), (0.25%), (3.54%), (3.54%), (0.25%),...
Sand flies of Phlebotomus papatasi and P. sergenti are the main vectors of cutaneous leishmanisis (CL) in the old world. We aimed to screen Iranian P. papatasi and P. sergenti for their natural infections with Wolbachia and to determine... more
Sand flies of Phlebotomus papatasi and P. sergenti are the main vectors of cutaneous leishmanisis (CL) in the old world. We aimed to screen Iranian P. papatasi and P. sergenti for their natural infections with Wolbachia and to determine their phylogenetic association with other species. Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene was PCR amplified from DNA extracted from Phlebotomus species, sequenced, and were analysed in combination with wsp sequences related to Phelebtominae and other insects. All Wolbachia-infecting Iranian sand flies of P. papatasi and P. sergenti were classified in the Supergroup A., Wolbachia isolated from P. sergenti were clustered in a new subgroup within Supergroup A so-called wSreg. The Wolbachia strains identified from the P. papatasi clustered mainly in the subgroup wPap and partly in wSerg. Multiple Wholbachia infection within a single population of P.papatasi warrants investigation on existence and intensity of cytoplasmic incompatibility between the wPap an...
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The heartworm Dirofilaria immitis is an important mosquito-borne zoonotic nematode of domestic and wild mammals throughout the world, causing cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis. This parasite has been reported from carnivores in some... more
The heartworm Dirofilaria immitis is an important mosquito-borne zoonotic nematode of domestic and wild mammals throughout the world, causing cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis. This parasite has been reported from carnivores in some provinces of Iran. However, in the present study, the occurrence of this filarial nematode is reported for the first time in wild canids of the North Khorasan Province, located in northeast Iran, based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The carcasses of 45 golden jackals (Canis aureus), 16 foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 15 dogs (Canis familiaris), and one wolf (Canis lupus) were necropsied between 2013 and 2014. By gross examination, adult filarial nematodes were found in the cardiovascular system of four jackals (8.9%). The morphological characteristics of the recovered heartworms were compatible with D. immitis. DNA sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene of all four isolates was identical, showing 100% homology with several sequ...
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Ticks of the order Ixodida are among the most proficient ectoparasites worldwide. Haemaphysalis is the second largest genus within Ixodidae. Southeast Asia is thought to be the original center of development and dispersal of the genus.... more
Ticks of the order Ixodida are among the most proficient ectoparasites worldwide. Haemaphysalis is the second largest genus within Ixodidae. Southeast Asia is thought to be the original center of development and dispersal of the genus. Six species of Haemaphysalis, H. concinna, H. erinacei, H. inermis, H. parva, H. punctata and H. sulcata, have been recorded as occurring in Iran. The current paper deals with notes on taxonomy of H. erinacei and provides a provisional key for the identification of Haemaphysalis species that occur in Iran.
Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) transmit several important zoonotic diseases to humans and leishmaniasis is one of them. Two types of leishmaniasis, viz. visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are... more
Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) transmit several important zoonotic diseases to humans and leishmaniasis is one of them. Two types of leishmaniasis, viz. visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are endemic in Iran. The main vector of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is Phlebotomus sergenti. The aim of the present study was to determine the susceptibility status of wild strain of P. sergenti to different imagicides of DDT, bendiocarb and permethrin at the median lethal time, LT50 level. Sandflies were collected from selected village in North Khorasan Province, northeast of Iran from indoors using CDC light-traps. Susceptibility test was carried out against DDT (4%), bendiocarb (0.1%) and permethrin (0.75%) for all the females according to WHO method, and mortality was calculated. Species identification was carried out using the morphological keys. Data were analysed using probit regression analysis to determine the LT50 and LT90 values. I...
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We aimed to determine the species composition, richness and diversity indices of the Phlebotomine sand flies at different topographic condition in visceral (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) foci in the northeast of Iran. This... more
We aimed to determine the species composition, richness and diversity indices of the Phlebotomine sand flies at different topographic condition in visceral (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) foci in the northeast of Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2016 in North Khorasan Province. The sampling was focused on rural regions, where human cases of VL and/or CL were diagnosed and reported during last 5 years. Sand flies were collected three times each twenty days during peak periods of seasonal activity. Seven collection methods were used. Some Alpha and Beta diversity indices were calculated. Overall, 7253 sand flies were collected and identified. They were from 19 species of Phlebotominae sand-flies. and were the most prevalent (84.9%) species in the study area. Species richness (S) was very different in three areas and were18, 8, and 4 respectively but Evenness (E) were 0.357, 0.345, and 0.380, so evenness was almost equal in the study areas. Shannon Index (H) ...
Abstract Background & objectives: Nowadays, scientific publications indexed in prestigious databases such as ISI Web of Science (WOS) is one of the important criteria for evaluating and ranking the countries, scientists, research... more
Abstract Background & objectives: Nowadays, scientific publications indexed in prestigious databases such as ISI Web of Science (WOS) is one of the important criteria for evaluating and ranking the countries, scientists, research institutes and universities around the world. So, check the status of quantitative scientometric indices of Iranian articles and documents on zoonoses in WOS is the main aim of this research. Material & Methods: Scientometric and survey methods have been used. All articles indexed in the ISI Web of Science database during 1971-2012 on zoonoses that at least one of the authors were Iranian, have been analyzed. Results: In total, from 1971 to the end in 2012, 3807 articles in the field of zoonoses from Iranian researchers in the WOS database are indexed. The average annual growth of articles is 38.94. Most papers (85.26%) have been published during 2004- 2012. The most documents are original articles (3110 articles) and in English language (3774 articles). Ma...