Qasem Asgari; Seyedeh-Zahra Zandavi; Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard; Amin Hosseinpour; Mohsen Kalantari; Aboozar Soltani
Abstract
Background: Leishmaniasis, as a neglected health issue, is spreading in most parts of the world. It is one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Iran. Bee venom has shown a wide range of medicinal properties. The present study aimed to survey the effect of venom and propolis of Apis mellifera ...
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Background: Leishmaniasis, as a neglected health issue, is spreading in most parts of the world. It is one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Iran. Bee venom has shown a wide range of medicinal properties. The present study aimed to survey the effect of venom and propolis of Apis mellifera on Leishmania major in different environments, including in vivo and in vitro.Methods: In this experimental study, bee venom was extracted using the modified Benton method, and propolis was prepared by the soxhletation method. The promastigotes of L. major were exposed to the different doses of the venom (0.03125-1 μg/ml) and propolis (2.5-80 μg/ml) and then evaluated by MTT assay and Flowcytometry after 24 hours. In vivo phases, 107 promastigotes of the L. major in stationary phase were intradermally inoculated into 48 mice based on the study design. After appearance of the wounds, the mice were topically treated with the lotion containing different doses (5 and 10 μg/ml) of the venom and propolis. The size of the ulcers was measured for four weeks.Results: The results showed that propolis and BV had no significant effects on the vitality of Leishmania promastigotes. However, they had a high mortality effect on macrophages. The highest mortality belonged to propolis (78.39 %). In vivo results showed significant differences between some treated and control groups in terms of the mean ulcer size.Conclusion: It seems that a combination of honeybee venom and propolis in a particular dosage can prevent the development of the ulcers caused by L. major. More studies are needed to evaluate the effects of their constituent compounds precisely.
Kourosh Azizi; Hedayat Dorzaban; Aboozar Soltani; Hamzeh Alipour; Seyed Aghil Jaberhashemi; Mostafa Salehi-Vaziri; Tahereh Mohammadi; Zahra Fereydouni; Azim 0000-0002-4167-5843 Paksa
Abstract
Background: Aedes mosquitoes transmit important arboviral diseases such as dengue to humans. This study was conducted to determine dengue virus infection in Aedes mosquitoes, emphasizing Aedes aegypti by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay from different regions in Southern Iran.Methods: ...
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Background: Aedes mosquitoes transmit important arboviral diseases such as dengue to humans. This study was conducted to determine dengue virus infection in Aedes mosquitoes, emphasizing Aedes aegypti by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay from different regions in Southern Iran.Methods: Aedes samples were collected by standard methods from different habitats of Hormozgan province, Southern Iran, in 2016-2017, and identified by morphological characteristics. In this study, TissueLyserII was used to homogenize the collected mosquitoes. In addition, the RT-PCR technique was used to identify dengue virus RNA.Results: Overall, 1351 larval and adult Aedes mosquitoes were collected from five sites in Hormozgan Province, including 452 adults and 899 larvae. Five species from Aedes genera were collected (Ae. aegypti, Ae. vittatus, Ae. caballus, Ae. caspius, Ae. vexans). The investigations of dengue virus infection in Aedes mosquitoes showed no dengue virus infection in this species.Conclusion: This study provides important information about Aedes mosquitoes. Vector control strategies must be emphasized and prioritized. Such actions prevent the establishment of Aedes mosquitoes and the spread of arboviral diseases in new areas. In addition, early detection of arboviruses in vectors and entomological monitoring can enhance the control measures for arbovirus diseases.
Aboozar Soltani; Fatemeh Borouji; Sanam Abdollahi; Arefe-sadat Pourtabatabaei
Abstract
Background: Rickettsialinfections occur worldwide. Rickettsia spp. are mandatory intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that can cause mild to severe disease. Objectives:Recently, with increasing international travel to high-risk areas, the risk of rickettsia transmission has increased. These infections ...
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Background: Rickettsialinfections occur worldwide. Rickettsia spp. are mandatory intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that can cause mild to severe disease. Objectives:Recently, with increasing international travel to high-risk areas, the risk of rickettsia transmission has increased. These infections are also important because of their possible use as bioterrorism agents. In this study, we investigated arthropod-borne rickettsial diseases. Methods: This systematic review study was performed based on PRISMA guidelines. All Persian and English language articles published until the end of 2019 were extracted during the search in the scientific databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Medlib, Irandoc, Magiran, and SID. Results: A total of 62 studies related to the field of arthropod-borne rickettsial diseases between 1940 and 2020 were included in the systematic review. Rickettsiae are related to arthropods which will act as vectors and reservoirs within the bacteria life cycle. To date, ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), lice (Phtiraptera), and fleas (Siphonaptera) have been identified as the main suitable vectors of rickettsiae. Recently, mosquitoes have been suggested as potential vectors for R. felis. Conclusion: One of the most important rickettsial diseases in Iran has been typhus. Historically, typhus has been one of the main health problems with a financial effect in Iran; be that as it may, there are constrained data on the prevalence of typhus within the past centuries. In Iran, there were both epidemic and endemic typhus. Health care officials and physicians should always consider the potential risk of typhus outbreaks under certain conditions. Natural disasters, famines, and overcrowded camps increase the risk of transmission of these infectious diseases
Leila Izadpanah; Hamzeh Alipoor; Marzieh Shahriari-Namadi; Kourosh Azizi; Mohsen Kalantari; Abouzar Soltani; Masoumeh Bagheri
Abstract
Background: Sandflies are the vectors of at least eight different diseases, the most important of which is cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). CL is a major public health problem in Iran, with annual cases increasing to more than 20,000 in 2019. Fars Province has the second-highest number of cases with more ...
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Background: Sandflies are the vectors of at least eight different diseases, the most important of which is cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). CL is a major public health problem in Iran, with annual cases increasing to more than 20,000 in 2019. Fars Province has the second-highest number of cases with more than 3000 cases in 2019 in Iran. This study aimed to survey the fauna and different species of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Fars Province, southwest Iran. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Sandflies were collected in urban and rural regions using the sticky-traps method, and then they were cleared and fixed in puris medium and identified using the pictorial key. Results: A total of 1071 of sandflies were collected. The dominant species consisted of 5 species of Phlebotomus (Ph. papatasi 55.4%, Ph. alexandri 17.4%, Ph.sergenti 5.6%, Ph. caucasicus 1.4%, Ph. ansari 0.46% and 6 species of Sergentomyia (Ser. sintoni 10.8%, Ser. antennata 5.4%, Ser. tiberiadis 1.4%, Ser. tobbi 1%, Ser. baghdadis 0.5%, and Ser. halepensis 0.09%. Conclusion: This investigation showed that Ph. papatasi was the most prevalent species playing a crucial role in the transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Fars Province. Species of Ph. papatasi and Ph. sergenti are the main vectors of CL in Iran. The healthcare system must take steps to control cutaneous leishmaniasis, raise awareness of the disease, and apply effective ways to prevent it.
Kourosh Azizi; Aboozar Soltani; Shokat Ali Amiri; Mohammad Reza Fakoor Ziba; Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard
Abstract
Background: The application of insecticides against vector mosquito larvae is a crucial step to control human malaria. Insecticide resistance is a major impediment to vector control strategies. The main aim of this study was to conduct laboratory and semi-field evaluations on lethal and residual effects ...
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Background: The application of insecticides against vector mosquito larvae is a crucial step to control human malaria. Insecticide resistance is a major impediment to vector control strategies. The main aim of this study was to conduct laboratory and semi-field evaluations on lethal and residual effects of temephos and pyriproxyfen insecticides against malaria mosquito larvae, Anopheles stephensi. Methods: Both susceptibility test and residual bioassay were performed to assess the lethal concentrations of each insecticide on 50% (LC50) of the IV instars larval populations and their activity periods according to standard protocols of WHO. Nine and eleven different concentrations with two sets of control in each case were applied for temephos and pyriproxyfen, respectively. Data were analyzed using probit analysis and SPSS software. Results: The LC50 and LC90 for temephos and pyriproxyfen under laboratory conditions were 0.4 and 0.63, and 1.69 × 10-4 and 4.036 × 10-4 ppm, respectively. Although the field strain of An. stephensi larvae was completely susceptible to pyriproxyfen, there was noticeable resistance (8% mortality at the diagnostic dose) to temephos in Nikshahr County, Southeast Iran. This is the first report of resistance to temephos for this malaria main vector in Iran. Depending on the applied variable doses, the residual effects of temephos and pyriproxyfen under semi-field conditions lasted maximally for 3 and 10 weeks, respectively. Conclusion: The high lethal and residual effects of pyriproxyfen on mosquito larvae confer an unprecedented opportunity in vector control operations leading to elimination of malaria in Iran.
Jalal Mohammadi; Hossein Faramarzi; Aboozar Soltani
Abstract
The class Diplopoda (the millipedes) is the most abundant and diverse group within the Myriapoda, comprising 15 orders and numerous families. They range in length from very tiny (∼5 mm in Polyxenida) to the longest terrestrial invertebrates (some Spirostreptida being up to 35 cm long) in tropical ...
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The class Diplopoda (the millipedes) is the most abundant and diverse group within the Myriapoda, comprising 15 orders and numerous families. They range in length from very tiny (∼5 mm in Polyxenida) to the longest terrestrial invertebrates (some Spirostreptida being up to 35 cm long) in tropical and subtropical regions. On the 29th September 2018, the residents of Dare Mal (a village of Marvdasht city) were faced with a massive infestation of an unknown larva. Arthropods were transferred to the Entomology Laboratory of Shiraz Health School. The unknown arthropods were identified as millipede larvae belonging to the Polyxenidae family (Polyxenus spp.) Millipede larvae are not of medical importance, but they cause panic among the residents and make them evacuate their homes. The source of their infestation was a leftover farmyard watering near the village. The number of larvae declined sharply and their activity decreased after conducting the control program. This program included physical control as well as spraying of the infested areas with permethrin and diazinon. Activity of larvae abruptly decreased and eventually they were removed from all infested homes.
Ehsan Saki; Abouzar Soltani; Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard; Mohsen Kalantari; Hedayat Dorzaban; Kourosh Azizi
Volume 6, Issue 1 , January 2018, , Pages 2-7
Abstract
Background: Fipronil systemic insecticide and integrated vector management (IVM) leading to control and/or reduction of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) cases were evaluated in the studied endemic foci of Fars province, southern Iran, during 2016 to 2017. Methods: Based on available data on disease ...
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Background: Fipronil systemic insecticide and integrated vector management (IVM) leading to control and/or reduction of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) cases were evaluated in the studied endemic foci of Fars province, southern Iran, during 2016 to 2017. Methods: Based on available data on disease circumstances collected from Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, incidence of disease, and demographics of the natives, five villages were randomly selected among those with high and medium CL infection in Kharameh area. All villagers were checked by physical examination and the incidence rates of ZCL cases were recorded. IVM interventions were implemented. Indeed, these procedures consisted of fipronil systemic insecticide poison baits, indoor residual spraying (IRS), outdoor spraying of the patients’ houses, and the thermal fogging (three times) during peak periods of sand flies’ activities. Results: After interventions, the incidence rates of ZCL decreased by 2.55% in Mehrabad village, in which all IVM methods were implemented. Similarly, the incidence of disease was reduced by 4.89% in Sofla and Moezabad villages, using exclusively fipronil poison baits. Besides, these incidence rates declined by 1.15% in two control villages of Soltan-Shahr and Abshor, where examination of the rodent reservoir hosts was performed. Conclusion: Fipronil and IVM methods were advantageous in reducing the incidence rates of leishmaniasis, but it seems that the use of fipronil systemic insecticide as a poison bait against reservoir rodent was significantly more effective (P-Value=0.01).