Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in murine model by hydro alcoholic essence of Artemisia sieberi

Considering the prevalence of leishmaniasis in Iran and many side effects associated with pentavalent antimony compounds use in its treatment, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of Artemisia sieberi essence on the experimental ulcers of cutaneous leishmaniasis on BALB/c mice. This experimental research was performed to determine the effect of various concentrations of Artemisia essence in BALB/c mice previously infected with active Leishmania major promastigote. A total of 50 infected BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 5 groups. Three groups [30 mice] were used in the experimental conditions and the others were assigned as the control groups. The experimental groups received 1%, 3% and 5% of Artemisia, respectively. One of the control groups received ethanol 80% and the other received no treatment. The drug was administered by dropping the liquid on the top lesions, three times daily for maximum of 30 d. Every 10 days the ulcers diameter were measured and sampled for amastigote in all groups. Ulcers diameter changes were determined by statistical tests. After 30 days, diameter of CL lesions increased in 1%, 3% and 5% Artemisia concentrations and the control groups. Ulcers got bigger with the more concentration. Treatments could not reduce the diameter or caused small lesions. In addition, the mice direct smears in microscopic studies were positive. To find the effective concentration and the mechanism of the effectiveness of the drug, further investigations with less concentrates of A. sieberi essence are recommended

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

Analysis of plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-1 gene sequences

The emergence of Plasmodium vivax in Dashte Moghan in northwestern Iran has become a major concern for Iranian's health officials. Knowledge of genetic make up of the P. vivax populations in this area would give us an insight into the origin of the prevalent infections and the possible routes they are introduced. This paper reports the analysis of a variable region between the two interspecies conserved blocks [ICBs] of 5 and 6 of MSP-1 gene in 18 isolates from Dashte Moghan. The results revealed that all the 18 isolates were similar to an Azari Belem-like type with 21 glutamine [Q] in the repeated residues. Our results may give a clue that the resurgent malaria in Dashteh Moghan might have primarily been introduced from Azerbaijan. However, much more molecular and epidemiological evidence are needed to confirm this hypothesis

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

Identification of leishmania sepsis isolated from human cutaneous leishmaniasis, using r and om amplified polymorphic DNA [RAPD-PCR]

This cross-sectional study was designed to isolate of Leishmania spp from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients and characterized them by RAPD-PCR technique. Eighty- seven Leishmania isolates from 112 samples were collected from cutaneous leishmaniasis [CL] patients who referred to Mashhad Health Centers from August 2002 to May 2004. Desirable samples [87 isolates] were characterized by RAPD-PCR method using four selected oligoprimers. Electrophoresis patterns from each isolate were compared with reference strains of L. major, L. tropica and L. infantum. The results showed that 94.2% and 5.8% of isolates were similar to L.tropica and L.major reference strain, respectively. Four isolates that were determined by RAPD-PCR as L.major, could produce ulcer at the base tail of BALB/c mice, 4 - 12 weeks after inoculation but none of L. tropica isolates produced any lesions at the site of injection in the animals. The results indicate that L. tropica species are dominant in the studied areas of Mashhad city and RAPD-PCR technique is a suitable tool for Leishmania characterization in epidemiological studies