Inbred progeny of tall fescue infected with Epichloë fungal endophyte have a high defence compound content and no depression in seed set.

Substantial evidence is available on the capacity of particular strains of Epichloë fungal endophyte to remove the barriers of self-pollination in host grasses. We hypothesized that this might open up new methods to obtain inbred lines for specific turf hybrids and genetic studies. In the present study, we evaluated the first generation of self-pollination derived plants of endophyte infected clones (EIS1 ) from putative genotypes 75B+ and 75C+ and those from the first generation of self-pollination in six commercial tall fescue clones plus their hybrids with 75B- and 75C- for growth, seed yield and polyphenolic content as an index for biosynthesis of defence compounds under field conditions. The results showed that EIS1 had high hyphal density within leaf sheaths and higher growth and seed-related traits in at least one genotype. There were higher amounts of flavonoid and phenolic compounds (up to twofold) in both genotypes than in their hybrid counterparts and endophyte-free progeny. Selected genotypes within EIS1 contained significantly more chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid and rutin than the best non-infected genotypes. We conclude that phenotypic selection of individuals from the S1 population is feasible for improving fitness and stress resistance in novel inbred lines of tall fescue for development of new turf cultivars with the desired ecophysiological traits.

New perspectives on Nephridiacanthus major (Acanthocephala: Oligacanthorhynchidae) collected from hedgehogs in Iran.

We describe morphological features not previously reported for this old acanthocephalan Nephridiacanthus major (Bremser, 1811 in Westrumb, 1821) Golvan, 1962 first described over 200 years ago. Our specimens were collected from long-eared hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus (Gmelin, 1770) (Erinaceidae) in Iran. We compare the morphometrics of our material with others previously reported from the same host in Iran, Russia, central Asia and Europe. Our specimens had markedly smaller proboscides, proboscis hooks and lemnisci than those reported from Russia and central Asia, but comparable measurements of other structures with specimens previously described from other collections. We document our new observations with scanning electron microscopy features not previously demonstrable by other observers and provide a chemical analysis of proboscis hooks using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis for the first time. The molecular profile of this acanthocephalan, based on 18S rDNA and cox1 genes, was generated for the first time. The phylogenetic analysis showed that N. major is placed in a clade of the family Oligacanthorhynchidae, well separated from the families Moniliformidae and Gigantorhynchidae.

Seroprevalence and molecular evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii in Schizophrenic patients hospitalized in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Southeast of Iran.

Over one-third of the world's population are seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii. One of the important traits of T. gondii is its ability to alter and manipulating the behavior and personality of its intermediate host. The current study was aimed to determine the prevalence of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in those persons suffer from schizophrenia using serological and molecular techniques. In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were taken from 118 Schizophrenia patients hospitalized in Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeast of Iran. IgM and IgG anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, the presence of parasite was evaluated using nested-PCR B1 gene. Among 118 schizophrenic patients, 48 (40.67%), 4 (3.37%) and 14 (11.86%) were tested seropositive only for IgG, only for IgM and for both of IgG/IgM. So that, total prevalence was 66/118 (55.91%). All samples were also examined using nested-PCR and T. gondii DNA was found in 41 (34.74%) samples. Our study showed high seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in southeast of Iran.

Seroprevalence and molecular evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii in Schizophrenic patients hospitalized in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Southeast of Iran

@#Over one-third of the world’s population are seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii. One of the important traits of T. gondii is its ability to alter and manipulating the behavior and personality of its intermediate host. The current study was aimed to determine the prevalence of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in those persons suffer from schizophrenia using serological and molecular techniques. In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were taken from 118 Schizophrenia patients hospitalized in Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeast of Iran. IgM and IgG anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, the presence of parasite was evaluated using nested-PCR B1 gene. Among 118 schizophrenic patients, 48 (40.67%), 4 (3.37%) and 14 (11.86%) were tested seropositive only for IgG, only for IgM and for both of IgG/IgM. So that, total prevalence was 66/118 (55.91%). All samples were also examined using nested-PCR and T. gondii DNA was found in 41 (34.74%) samples. Our study showed high seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in southeast of Iran.

Correlation between clinical responses with the drugsusceptibility of parasites in Iranian cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major.

Reviews have shown increasing number of Iranian patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) who are unresponsive to pentavalent antimonial compounds such as meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime, MA). The present investigation aims to determine the correlation between clinical responses (healing, or non-healing) with susceptibility of Leishmania parasites to glucantime. Initially, in vitro susceptibility of Leishmania parasites was carried out on 93 isolates using macrophage models. Identification of these species was also performed by molecular methods including Nested-PCR and PCR-RFLP. The f indicated that total isolated were L. major. A significant association between the clinical outcome and the in vitro effective concentration 50% (EC50) values was observed. Leishmania derived from patients with non-healing lesions had EC50 values at least 3-fold higher than parasites isolated from lesions of healing patients. By molecular methods, patterns for both sensitive and resistant samples demonstrated restriction band which is related to L. major. The obtained findings in the present study demonstrated that MA-resistant L. major field isolates are now frequent in Iran. Such studies help to find strategies for rapidly diagnosing resistance in order to improve the clinical management of CL.

Spatial distribution and molecular identification of leishmania species from endemic foci of South-eastern iran.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis constitutes a major public health problem in many parts of the world including Iran. The primary objective of this study was to identify Leishmania species in endemic districts of Kerman Province, south-eastern Iran. METHODS: This study was conducted by random sampling as cross- sectional descriptive between 2008 and 2010. Overall, 203 skin scraping smears were taken from the patients. Nested -PCR was performed to amplify variable minicircle fragments of Leishmania kDNA. RESULTS: Bam was the most infected district (71.1%), followed by Kerman (14.7%), Jiroft (5.4%), Baft (2.7%), Sirjan (1.6%), Shahr-e Babak (1.5%) and others (3.0%). L. tropica was the most common species identified (194 cases, 95.6%), while L. major was found in only 9 cases (4.4%). Of 203 identified patients, all species in Bam (l07 cases), Kerman (32 cases), Jiroft (l6 cases) and Shahr-e- Babak (l1 cases) were detected as L. tropica, whereas infected subjects in Baft and Sirjan showed L. tropica or L. major. Characterization of Leishmania species resulted in generation of 750 bp and 560 bp fragments, corresponding to those of L. tropica and L. major, respectively. CONCLUSION: L. tropica is the main species (95.6%) caused ACL in endemic areas of Kerman Province; however L. major is present in low level (4.4%).

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.

Epidemiological aspects of visceral leishmaniasis in baft district, kerman province, southeast of iran.

BACKGROUND: Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) is an endemic disease in some areas of Iran. A cross- sectional study was conducted for sero-epidemiological survey of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Baft district from Kerman Province, southeast of Iran. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from children up to 12 years old and 10% of adult population from Baft villages with a multi-stage randomized cluster sampling. In addition, blood samples were collected from 30 domestic dogs from the same areas. All the collected blood samples were tested by direct agglutination test (DAT) for the detection of anti-Leishmania antibodies in both human and dog using the cut-off value of ≥1:3200 and ≥1:320, respectively. Parasitological, molecular, and pathological were performed on infected dogs. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to compare sero-prevalence values. RESULTS: From 1476 collected human serum samples, 23 (1.55%) showed anti-Leishmania antibodies at titers of 1:800 and 1:1600 whereas 14 (0.95%) showed anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies at titers of ≥1:3200. No statistically significant difference was found between male (1.18%) and female (0.69%) sero-prevalence (P=0.330). Children of 5-8 years showed the highest sero-prevalence rate (3.22%). Seven out of 30 domestic dogs (23%) showed anti-Leishmania antibodies at titers ≥1:320. Leishmania infantum was identified in five infected dogs by nested - PCR assay. CONCLUSION: It seems that visceral leishmaniasis is being endemic in southern villages of Baft district, southeast of Iran.