Mosquito surveillance and the first record of morphological and molecular-based identification of invasive species Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), southern Iran.

Ae. aegypti is an important vector for transmission of some dangerous arboviral diseases, including Dengue Fever. The present study was conducted (from August 2017 to January 2020) to survey the fauna of Culicine mosquitoes, emphasizing the existence of this invasive species in oriental parts of the country located near the Persian Gulf. Different sampling methods were used to collect all life stages of the mosquito. After morphological identification, a molecular study based on Cytochrome Oxidase (COI) gene-specific primers was performed. Then, the COI gene was sequenced via the Sanger method. A total of 4843 adults and 11,873 larvae were collected (8 species of Culex, one species of Culiseta, and 5 species of Aedes). Fifty-five Ae. aegypti specimens (8 adults and 47 larvae) were identified. Based on the biology and ecological requirements of Ae. aegypti, the possibility of the permanent establishment of this species in the tropical climate of the region is very likely. Considering the detection of this invasive vector mosquito species in Iran and the high incidence of some arboviral diseases in the neighboring countries, and continuous movements of the settlers of these areas, potential outbreaks of arboviral diseases can be predicted. Planning and implementing an immediate surveillance and control program of the vector mosquito is vital to prevent the permanent establishment of this invasive vector mosquito species in southern Iran.

Seroprevalence of viral hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses in the Hormozgan province southern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Viral hepatitis is a global public health problem affecting millions of people worldwide, causing thousands of deaths due to acute and persistent infection, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Providing updated serologic data can improve both surveillance and disease control programs. This study is aimed to determine the seroprevalence of markers for viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D and E) and the epidemiology of such infections in the general population of southern Iran's Hormozgan province. METHODS: Between 2016 and 2017, a total of 562 individuals with ages ranging from 1 to 86 years, who visited governmental public laboratories for routine check-ups, were tested for the presence of serological markers to hepatitis virus types A to E using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: The overall anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibody seroprevalence was 93.2% (524/562). The prevalence of anti-hepatitis E virus (HEV) antibodies was 15.8% (89/562) among which 1.6% (9/562) of the seropositive individuals also had evidence of recent exposure to the virus (IgM positivity). Two and a half percent (14/562) were positive for hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigen, whereas 11.6% (65/562) tested positive for anti-hepatitis B core (HBc) antibodies. Among anti-HBc positive patients, 11% (7/65) had HBs Ag and 5% (3/65) were positive for anti-hepatitis D virus (HDV) antibodies. The prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies was 0.7% (4/562). The seroprevalence of anti-HAV, HEV IgG, anti-HBc antibodies, and HBs Ag increased with age. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms a high seroprevalence of HAV infection among the examined population and reveals high levels of endemicity for HEV in the region. Planned vaccination policies against HAV should be considered in all parts of Iran. In addition, improvements on public sanitation and hygiene management of drinking water sources for the studied area are recommended.

The Fauna, Diversity, and Bionomics of Culicinae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Hormozgan Province, Southern Iran.

Hormozgan Province is one of the important foci of malaria in Iran. In addition to malaria pathogens, mosquitoes also transmit the pathogens that cause dirofilariasis and West Nile fever in the province. Also, the threat of emerging aedine-borne viruses that cause infections, such as Chikungunya, dengue, and Zika, is noticeable. There is little information about the fauna and bionomics of Culicinae in the province. The present investigation aimed to study the fauna, diversity, and bionomics of culicines. The study was conducted from September 2016 to April 2017 in four counties of Bandar Abbas, Bandar Khamir, Bashagard, and Jask. In total, 3,236 larvae and 1,901 adults including 16 culicine species were collected. The larvae of Culiseta longiareolata (Macquart) (25.65%), Culex pipiens Linnaeus (16.62%), and Cx. quinquefasciatus Say (16.16%) were most abundant and Cx. hortensis Ficalbi (0.09%) was least abundant. Among adults, Cx. laticinctus Edwards (33.19%), Cx. quinquefasciatus (31.09%), and Cx. pipiens (11.99%) were the most prevalent species and Cs. longiareolata (0.47%), Aedes caballus (Theobald) (0.90%), and Cx. bitaeniorhynchus Giles (0.90%) were the least prevalent species. The pairwise similarities of fauna of the counties and different collecting methods and diversity indices were investigated. More ecological data, especially on host preference, seasonality, and larval habitat characteristics, are needed as a basic knowledge for any intervention measures using integrated vector management.

Widespread circulation of West Nile virus, but not Zika virus in southern Iran.

West Nile virus (WNV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) are mosquito-borne viral infections. Over the past few decades, WNV has been associated with several outbreaks involving high numbers of neuroinvasive diseases among humans. The recent re-emergence of ZIKV has been associated with congenital malformation and also with Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. The geographic range of arthropod-borne viruses has been rapidly increasing in recent years. The objectives of this study were to determine the presence of IgG specific antibodies and the genome of WNV and ZIKV in human samples, as well as WNV and ZIKV genomes in wild-caught mosquitoes in urban and rural areas of the Hormozgan province, in southern Iran. A total of 494 serum samples were tested for the presence of WNV and ZIKV IgG antibodies using ELISA assays. One hundred and two (20.6%) samples were reactive for WNV IgG antibodies. All serum samples were negative for ZIKV IgG antibodies. Using the multivariable logistic analysis, age (45+ vs. 1-25; OR = 3.4, 95% C.I.: 1.8-6.3), occupation (mostly outdoor vs. mostly indoor; OR = 2.4, 95% C.I.: 1.1-5.2), and skin type(type I/II vs. type III/IV and type V/VI; OR = 4.3, 95% C.I.: 1.7-10.8 and OR = 2.7, 95% C.I.: 1.3-5.5 respectively, skin types based on Fitzpatrick scale) showed significant association with WNV seroreactivity. We collected 2,015 mosquitoes in 136 pools belonging to 5 genera and 14 species. Three pools of Culex pipiens complex were positive for WNV RNA using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rtRT-PCR). ZIKV RNA was not detected in any of the pools. All WNV ELISA reactive serum samples were negative for WNV RNA. In conclusion, we provided evidence of the establishment of WNV in southern Iran and no proof of ZIKV in serum samples or in mosquito vectors. The establishment of an organized arbovirus surveillance system and active case finding strategies seems to be necessary.