Mansonia uniformis (Diptera: Culicidae), a genus and species new to southwestern Asia, with a review of its medical and veterinary importance.

Seven genera and more than 98 species of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are found in southwestern Asia (Harbach 1988). The most recent checklist of Iranian mosquitoes includes 69 species representing either seven or 11 genera depending on the classification used for aedines (Azari-Hamidian et al. 2019). Orthopodomyia pulcripalpis (Rondani) was the most recent genus and species to be added to the Iranian mosquito fauna (Azari-Hamidian et al. 2017).

Ecology of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in a new focus of leishmaniasis in northern Iran.

Leishmaniasis is an important infectious disease in Iran. Rudbar County of Guilan Province is introduced as a new focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The present study is going to investigate the sand flies fauna in the province and their seasonality and ecology in Rudbar County. To study the sand flies fauna, the sampling was carried out in ten localities of Guilan Province using light traps, sticky traps and manual aspirators during 2016. For the determination of seasonality, the sampling was carried out every two weeks in the fixed site of Pareh Village of Rudbar County during April-October 2016. Sand Flies were removed from sticky traps, rinsed in acetone and then conserved in 80% ethanol as well as the samples of light traps and hand catch. In total, 4430 specimens of sand flies of the genera Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia were collected and identified including Ph. kandelakii, Ph. neglectus, Ph. perfiliewi, Ph. sergenti, Ph. tobbi and Se. dentata. Sergentomyia dentata was found for the first time in Guilan Province. The most prevalent species were Ph. tobbi (55.87%), Ph. perfiliewi (36.03%) and Ph. kandelakii (6. 97%). The seasonality of sand flies started in late May and ended in middle October in the fixed site. The peak of activity of Ph. kandelakii was in late June; however that was in late August for Ph. perfiliewi and Ph. tobbi. The monthly abundance of total sand flies was positively correlated with saturation deficit (P = 0.043). The abundance of Ph. perfiliewi was positively correlated with maximum temperature (P = 0.016), relative humidity (P = 0.006), rainfall (P = 0.007), saturation deficit (P = 0.003) and negatively with minimum temperature (P = 0.005). The abundance of Ph. tobbi was positively correlated with saturation deficit (P = 0.041) and negatively with minimum temperature (P = 0.043). The presence of suspected vectors of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, Ph. kandelakii, Ph. neglectus, Ph. perfiliewi, Ph. sergenti and Ph. tobbi, is noteworthy. Finding the exact vectors of leishmaniasis using specific tests in the province is suggested.

An Inventory of the Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Rudbar County, a New Focus of Leishmaniasis in Northern Iran, with a Taxonomic Note on the Subgenus Larroussius.

BACKGROUND: Different forms of leishmaniasis are significant infectious diseases in Iran. While, Rudbar County of Guilan Province has been introduced as a new cutaneous leishmaniasis focus, there are few published data about the phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of the province. METHODS: To study the phlebotomine fauna of Rudbar County, the sampling was performed in 12 collection sites by light traps, sticky traps and manual aspirators throughout August-December 2015. Sand flies were removed from the sticky traps, rinsed in acetone and stored in 80% ethanol along with the collections of light traps and hand catches. RESULTS: In total, 2186 sand flies were collected and ten species representing two genera were morphologically identified: Phlebotomus (Adlerius) halepensis (0.27%), Ph. (Larroussius) kandeladii (0.10%), Ph. (Lar.) neglectus (0.91%), Ph. (Lar.) perfiliewi (53.88%), Ph. (Lar.) tobbi (43.45%), Ph. (Paraphlebotomus) sergenti (0.82%), Ph. (Phlebotomus) papatasi (0.10%), Sergentomyia (Parrotomyia) baghdadis (0.27%), Se. (Sintonius) clydei (0.05%) and Se. (Sin.) tiberiadis (0.10%). The species Ph. halepensis, Ph. neglectus, Ph. perfiliewi, Se. baghdadis, Se. clydei and Se. tiberiadis were reported for the first time in Guilan Province. This study also verified the presence of Ph. neglectus (Ph. major krimensis as a synonym and morphotype) in Iran. Moreover, the taxonomy of the subgenus Larroussius of the province was discussed. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of suspected or proven cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis vectors is noteworthy. The study of ecology of sand flies and detecting the exact vectors of leishmaniasis and phlebotomine fever by molecular specific tests in Guilan Province are recommended.

A detailed review of the mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Iran and their medical and veterinary importance.

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are the most significant arthropods of medical importance because of the burden of diseases, such as malaria, encephalitis and filariasis, which are caused by pathogens and parasites they transmit to humans. In 2007, the most recently published checklist of Iranian mosquitoes included 64 species representing seven genera. Public databases were searched to the end of August 2018 for publications concerning the diseases in Iran caused by mosquito-borne pathogens. Pertinent information was extracted and analyzed, and the checklist of Iranian mosquitoes was updated. Six arboviral diseases, two bacterial diseases, four helminthic diseases and two protozoal diseases occur in Iran. The agents of these diseases are biologically or mechanically known or assumed to be transmitted by mosquitoes. The updated checklist of Iranian mosquitoes includes 69 species representing seven or 11 genera depending on the generic classification of aedines. There is no published information about the role of mosquitoes in the transmission of the causal agents of avian malaria, avian pox, bovine ephemeral fever, dengue fever, Rift Valley fever, Sindbis fever, Deraiophoronema evansi infection, lymphatic filariasis, anthrax and tularemia in Iran. There is just one imported case of lymphatic filariasis, which is not endemic in the country. It seems arthropods do not play an important role in the epidemiology of anthrax and ixodid ticks are the main vectors of the tularemia bacterium. In view of the recent finding of only a few adults and larvae of Aedes albopictus in southeastern Iran and the absence of Ae. aegypti, it is not possible to infer the indigenous transmission of the dengue fever virus in Iran. Considering the importance of mosquito-borne diseases in the country, it is necessary to improve vector and vector-borne disease surveillance in order to apply the best integrated vector management interventions as a part of the One Health concept.

Ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 2 sequence analysis and phylogenetic comparison of seven cockroach species in northwestern Iran.

OBJECTIVES: The current study was conducted to identify cockroach species (Blattodea) of northwestern Iran in public places using morphological characteristics and ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (rDNA-ITS2). Sequences were analyzed with Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) searches, Neighbor-Joining methods based on and Tamura-Nei phylogenetic analyses. In addition, eight cockroach rDNA-ITS2 sequences from China, India, Iran and the United States obtained from GenBank were compared to those obtained in this study. RESULTS: Specimens collected in Iran were identified as Periplaneta americana (L.), Shelfordella lateralis (Walker), Blatta orientalis (L.) (Blattodea: Blattidae), Blattella germanica (L.), Supella longipalpa (F.) (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), Polyphaga aegyptiaca (L.), and Polyphaga saussurei (Dohrn) (Blattodea: Corydiidae). rDNA-ITS2 nucleotide sequence analysis showed 100% similarity between P. aegyptiaca and P. saussurei species collected from Iran despite morphological differences. However, ITS2 sequence of P. americana submitted from China showed 30.49-31.71% difference to P. americana sequences from Iran and the United States. The results highlight the importance of morphological identification of cockroach species before conducting molecular techniques.

Seasonal Activity of Adult Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a Focus of Dirofilariasis and West Nile Infection in Northern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Mosquito-borne arboviruses such as West Nile, dengue, Rift Valley fever, and Sindbis viruses and the nematode Dirofilaria are reported in Iran, but there is little information on the seasonal activity of their vectors in the country. We aimed to determine the seasonal activity of adult mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a focus of dirofilariasis and West Nile infection in Guilan Province, northern Iran. METHODS: Collections were carried out using light traps in seven counties at least two times from random sites and every two weeks from a fixed site (Pareh Village, Rudbar County) during Aug-Dec 2015 and Apr-Oct 2016. RESULTS: Overall, 16327 adult mosquitoes comprising 18 species representing seven genera were identified. The most prevalent species were Cx. theileri (23.59%), Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (20.75%), Cx. pipiens (19.37%), Ae. vexans (18.18%), An. pseudopictus (10.92%) and An. maculipennis s.l. (5.48%). Aedes pulcritarsis and Cx. perexiguus were found for the first time in Guilan Province. The active season of adult mosquitoes extended from early May to early Oct in the fixed site. There was no significant regression between the abundance of adult mosquitoes and the meteorological data during active season in the fixed site (P> 0.05, R2= 0.31). CONCLUSION: Though no significant regression between the abundance of mosquitoes and the meteorological data was observed during active season, temperature and rice fields had a great influence in starting and ending active season in the region.

Clinical application of ultrasound for preparation of (99m)Tc-sestamibi complex.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this investigation is the clinical application of ultrasound irradiation technique as an alternative method to reconstitute sestamibi kits in comparison of water boiling bath method. METHODS: The 740-3700 MBq (20-100 mCi) (99m)Tc-MIBI (sestamibi) complex samples were prepared due to ultrasound irradiation technique or boiled water bath method as a standard method. Twenty patients (8 men and 12 women; age range 30-72, median 52.45 years) have been referred to Golestan hospital for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). The subjects have been divided randomly into group A (3 men, 7 women, age range 36-67, median 51.7 years) and group B (5 men, 5 women, age range 30-72, median 50.3 years), respectively. The (99m)Tc-MIBI radiopharmaceuticals have been prepared by Ultrasound irradiation technique administrated to group A and (99m)Tc-MIBI complex samples due to the boiled water bath technique administrated to the other group. For all patients, the 2-day stress/rest MPI protocol was performed. RESULTS: The radio-HPLC and TLC studies have indicated that the (99m)Tc-MIBI complex samples with good yields could be prepared successfully due to new developed technique. The scintigraphy imaging studies have demonstrated that the (99m)Tc-sestamibi prepared due to the above-mentioned modalities shows very identical biodistribution in the heart, thyroid, lung, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, stomach, large intestine and bladder of the subjects. Any unexpected accumulation of radiotracer samples have not been observed in our approach. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasound irradiation technique is convenient and sufficient method to prepare (99m)Tc-sestamibi. It can be recommended as an alternative method to reconstitute sestamibi kits particularly in emergency situations to reduce potentially medical risk by avoiding any delay in acute therapy for myocardial infarction.