Jalal Mohammadi; Mohsen Kalantari; Zahra Nasiri; Davood Mehrabani; Hamzeh Alipour; Mohammad Djafar Moemenbellah-Fard; Kourosh Azizi
Abstract
Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is still widespread in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The vector of the disease is a sandfly, when infected with Leishmania parasite, can transmit the parasite from humans to other vertebrates. As knowledge about causative agents, vectors, and reservoirs ...
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Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is still widespread in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The vector of the disease is a sandfly, when infected with Leishmania parasite, can transmit the parasite from humans to other vertebrates. As knowledge about causative agents, vectors, and reservoirs of VL in Iran is necessary to control the disease, the present review study has focused on the disease elimination status from a health perspective in the country. Methods: In a recent review, various databases, such as Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Google Scholar, MEDLIB, Irandoc, Magiran, and SID were searched using the keywords “visceral leishmaniasis”, “VL”, “kala-azar”, “causative agent”, “parasite”, “vector”, “reservoir”, and “Iran”, and the retrieved data were extracted and reviewed independently during 2001-2019. Results: 475 published studies were recorded about VL in Iran from 2001 to 2021. 68 articles were later excluded from the study due to duplication after the initial review. Leishmania infantum and L. tropica were the causative agents, and dogs and humans were the reservoirs. The most common vectors were Phlebotomus major, P. kandelakii, P. keshishiani, P. alexandri, P. perfiliewi, and P. tobbi in different country regions. Conclusion: The prospect of eliminating VL in Iran is inadequate. Based on the findings, L. infantum and L. tropica were the causative agents, and humans and the Caninae subfamily were the VL reservoirs in the country. These findings can be added to the literature when health policymakers target preventive measures for VL 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.
