Identification of Acanthamoeba spp. from water and soil of public parks in the north of Iran.

Acanthamoeba, a free-living and opportunistic protozoan parasite, is a causative agent of severe human infections of the cornea and brain. The present study evaluated the distribution and genotyping of Acanthamoeba spp. in water and soil of recreational places in various areas in Guilan province in northern Iran. Eighty water and 20 soil samples were collected from the study area. Water samples were vacuum filtered through a 0.45 µm pore-size membrane filter. Soil samples were washed with sterile distilled water, and washings were similarly filtered, as mentioned for water samples. The filtered material was cultured on non-nutrient agar plates seeded with heat-killed Escherichia coli. Molecular analysis was performed by PCR and sequencing using specific primers for Acanthamoeba. Finally, 26 isolates were successfully sequenced. According to culture and PCR methods, 54% of water and 100% of soil samples were contaminated with Acanthamoeba. Based on the sequencing data, genotypes T4 (47%), T5 (35.29%), T3 (11.76%), and T11 (5.88%) were identified in water samples. Genotypes T4 (66.6%), T5 (22.2%) and T15 (11.1%) were identified in water samples. Most isolates might present a potential health hazard for humans in this region. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive survey of water and soil of recreational areas in northern Iran and the first report on identifying genotype T15 from soil sources.

Report of Giardia assemblages and giardiasis in residents of Guilan province-Iran.

Giardia duodenalis is considered a highly diverse organism that infects a variety of mammalian hosts. Giardiasis is a significant public health problem in Iran. The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Giardia duodenalis (G. lamblia, G. intestinalis) infections in humans residing in the Guilan province of Iran. Stool samples were collected during 12 months from 8356 individuals that had been referred to certain hospitals in the capital city of Rasht in the Guilan province, of which 4126 were males and 4230 were females. The samples were separated into three groups according to patient age: group A 1-9 years old (n = 483); group B 10-19 years old (n = 491); and group C greater than 20 years old (n = 7382). The wet mount technique was performed directly on 8356 fecal samples for microscopy. Samples were examined using a saline and iodine direct smear technique in order to confirm the presence of G. duodenalis. The results indicated that 2.5% (206/8356) of the samples were identified as positive for G. duodenalis. A total of 30% of the infected patients (n = 62) had no symptoms. In symptomatic cases, the most common symptoms (46%, n = 95) were abdominal cramps and bloating. Twenty-four percent of patients (n = 50) had cramps, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. Sixty positive samples were sent for G. duodenalis genotyping based on the amplification of the gdh gene. Forty-one PCR products were successfully selected and sequenced, where 38 (92.6%) samples were identified as genotype A/subgenotype II and in three samples (7.4%) genotype B/subgenotype IV. Genotype A-II had a dominant prevalence as compared to the genotype B-IV samples that were identified in the study. Based on the samples provided by the regional teaching hospitals and subsequent sample analysis, the authors concluded that assemblage A-II is most likely the most common Giardia subgroup infection in the Guilan region. Assemblages have been reported in both humans and animals; however, further studies need to investigate the role of domestic animals and water reservoirs as potential sources of Giardia infection in the Guilan region.

Molecular and Seroepidemiological Survey of Visceral Leishmaniasis among Humans and Domestic Dogs in Mazandaran Province, North of Iran.

BACKGROUND: New cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been reported recently in some parts of Mazandaran Province, north of Iran where the first human case of VL was reported in 1949. This study aimed to determine the present status of Leishmaniainfantum infection among humans and domestic dogs using serological and molecular methods in central parts of Mazandaran Province. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were randomly collected from 402 humans and forty-nine domestic dogs throughout 2009 and 2010 in the central part of Mazandaran Province including Semeskadeh and Kiakola districts where recent cases of human visceral leishmaniasis had been reported there. All the collected samples were tested by direct agglutination test (DAT) for the detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies as well as convenience PCR assay on whole blood samples for detection of leishmanial infection and identification of Leishmania species. RESULTS: None of 402 collected human (402) and dog (49) blood samples showed anti Leishmaniainfantum antibodies at titers 1:3200 and 1:320 as cut-off values of DAT, respectively but only 2 of domestic dogs (4.1%) were found PCR-positive corresponding to L.infantum. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the circulation of L. infantum at least among domestic dogs and highlights the sporadic pattern of VL in the studied areas. Further investigations regarding to sand flies fauna and wild canines as reservoir hosts of the disease, are recommended.

Strongyloides stercoralis: The Most Prevalent Parasitic Cause of Eosinophilia in Gilan Province, Northern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilia occurs in a wide variety of situations such as parasitic infections, allergic disorders, and malignancies. Most cases of eosinophilia of parasitic origin, especially those with a tissue migration life cycles consists of human infections by helminth parasites. The aim of present study was to determine the parasitic causes of eosinophilia in patients in a major endemic area of human fascioliasis in Gilan Province, northern part of Iran. METHODS: One hundred and fifty patients presenting with an elevated eosinophilia attending infectious disease clinics with or without clinical symptoms, were examined. After clinical history evaluation and physical examination, coprological examinations were performed using the formalin-ether and the Kato-Katz techniques for detection of Fasciola sp. and intestinal parasites. RESULTS: Forty two percent of patients were infected with S. stercoralis, nine (6%) were found to be infected with Fasciola sp. while only a single patient (0.7%) were infected by Ttrichostrongylus sp. CONCLUSION: Local clinicians in Gilan may consider eosinophilia as a suggestive indication for diagnosis of human fascioliasis, especially when microscopic stool and/or serological tests are negative. Based on the results, local physicians should consider S. stercoralis as the potential causes of eosinophilia in patients with elevated eosinophilia.