Prevalence of Echinococcus spp. infection using coproantigen ELISA among canids of Moghan plain, Iran

Echinococcosis is one of the most important helminthic zoonotic diseases in Iran. Intestinal Scraping Technique [IST], the traditional method for diagnosis of the infection in definitive hosts, has many disadvantages including low susceptibility and being expensive, hazardous and laborious. Detection of coproantigens in fecal samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [CA-ELISA] is known as a useful tool for intravital mass-screening of definitive host populations. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of Echinococcus spp. infection among canids in Moghan plain, the only area in Iran known to be endemic for E. multilocularis. One hundred thirty eight fecal samples were collected from red foxes and domestic dogs in three counties of Moghan plain namely Pars Abad, Bileh Savar and Germi. The samples were examined using an ELISA, designed for the detection of Echinococcus-specific coproantigen and the formalin-ether concentration method as well. Totally, out of 138 fecal samples, 27 [21.6%] turned positive for Echinococcus. Coproantigen was detected in 16.7% and 27.1% of red foxes and domestic dogs, respectively. Formalin-ether concentration method revealed that 43 [31.2%] of samples harbored at least one parasitic helminth, but Taenia eggs were detected only in 3 fecal samples. Since coproantigen presence reflects current intestinal infection with adult worms, CA-ELISA can be regarded as one of the most useful immunological tools for diagnosis of Echinococcus infection. Besides, the high susceptibility, low cost and rapidity

study on leishmania infection rate among phlebotomus spp. collected from Abardejh district, Iran

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a prevalent tropical parasitic disease in the Old World. The causative agents are Leishmanial parasites, which cause various forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The infection is commonly limited in immuno-competent individuals, but it can progress to a chronic and ulcerative disease in immunocompromised patients. The reservoirs are dogs and rodents and the vectors are different species of sandflies. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence rate of Leishmania infection among Phlebotomus mosquitoes collected from Abardejh district, Iran. Abardejh is located next to Varamin city in southeast of Tehran having a tropical ecosystem at its eastern border. Tamarisk trees and rodents have provided a suitable condition for sandfly activity. The sandflies were collected by funnel trap from rodent burrows and transferred to the Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran. The sampling was carried out during spring and summer [2002] with ten-day intervals. The collected sandflies were identified using discriminative morphologic features before parasitological culture on NNN medium. Analyses of the data revealed a high prevalence rate of infection among the sandflies in this region [P<0.01]. The maximum activities of Phlebotomus were in the months of June and July. Three species of sanflies were found in rodent burrow: P. papatasi, P. sergenti, and P. caucasicus. The results of blood-fed Phlebotomus culture showed that 22.07% of blood-fed females of P. papatasi and 8% of blood-fed females of P. sergenti were infected with leptomonads [P<0.05]. This could be an important issue because human and agricultural environments are located closely to this district. Therefore, use of insecticides and environmental sanitation seems to be required to prevent the transmission of infection from sandflies to human

Efficacy of two insecticides: Methyl carbamate and aluminium phosphide on leishmaniasis vectors in Varamin, Iran

Leishmaniosis is a prevalent tropical parasitic disease, which is caused by Leishmania protozoa. The infection can be limited in immune-competent individuals; however, in immune-compromised individuals it could proceed to chronic and ulcerative disease. The reservoirs are carnivores, and rodents and its vectors are Phlebotomus and Lutzumia. The prevalence of different spices of Phlebotomus populations and the effects of insecticides on them are investigated in Abardejhe district located in southeast of Tehran, Iran. Tablets of aluminum phosphide [3 g] and residual formulation of methyl carbamate at concentrations of 1 and 2 g/m 2 were used in rodents' burrows. Phlebotomus population was highly sensitive to both insecticides used here, and their population significantly decreased by 80% within two months after pplication of insecticides. The effects of methyl carbamate at concentrations used lasted two months longer than that of aluminum phosphide. Control and prevention of Leishmania infection depends on the habitat and behavior of vectors and reservoirs. Periodic insecticide spraying, using residual compound inside and outside residential areas, as well as breading places of sandflies, specially rodent's burrows, are shown to be very effective