Molecular detection of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in ticks collected from infested livestock populations in a New Endemic Area, South of Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral zoonotic disease with potentially fatal systemic effects on man. We aimed to determine the presence of CCHF virus among collected ticks from domestic livestock from October 2012 to September 2013. METHODS: A total of 1245 hard and soft ticks were collected from naturally infested ruminants in Marvdasht County, Fars Province, south of Iran. Nine tick species and one unidentified species in four disparate genera were detected. A total of 200 ticks were randomly selected and analysed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the presence of CCHF virus genome. RESULTS: The viral genome was detected in 4.5% (9 samples) of the studied tick population. The infected ticks belonged to the species of Hyalomma marginatum' Hyalomma anatolicum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The viruses detected in these three tick species were clustered in the same lineage as Matin and SR3 strains in Pakistan and some other Iranian strains. These results indicate that the ticks were wildly infected with a genetically closely related CCHF virus in the region. CONCLUSION: Regular controls and monitoring of livestock to reduce the dispersion of ticks and providing information to those involved in high-risk occupations are urgently required.

An epidemiological and clinical study on scorpionism in hospitalized children in khuzestan, iran.

BACKGROUND: Scorpion sting is a public health problem in Khuzestan, South-West Iran. The aims of the current study were to monitor the hospitalized children, due to scorpion sting, and releasing more clinical and epidemiologic data related to scorpionism in this Province. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the data of scorpion sting victims, among the hospitalized children in Abuzar Children Hospital of Ahvaz Jundi Shapur University of Medical Sciences, was analyzed from the points of epidemiological and clinical aspects in 2006. RESULTS: The scorpion species of 18 files out of 57 were recognized accurately, using Farzanpay's keyof Iranian scorpions, as Androctonus crassicauda (Scorpionida: Buthidae) and Hemiscorpious lepturus (Scorpionida: Hemiscorpiidae). CONCLUSION: The most scorpionism emergencies among the children in the Khuzestan should be paid to those species. However, H. lepturus sting emergencies are in the top of attention among the children.