Comparative study on the effectiveness of coumavec and zinc phosphide in controlling zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in a hyperendemic focus in central Iran

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis [ZCL] is an increasing health problems in many rural areas of Iran. The aim of this study was to introduce a new alternative rodenticide to control the reservoirs of ZCL, its effect on the vector density and the incidence of the disease in hyperendemic focus of Esfahan County, central Iran. The study was carried out from January 2011 to January 2012. In intervention areas, rodent control operation was conducted using zinc phosphide or Coumavec. Active case findings were done by house-to-house visits once every season during 2011-2012. To evaluate the effect of rodent control operation on the vector density, sand flies were collected twice a month using sticky traps. The reduction rate of rodent holes in intervention areas with Coumavec and zinc phosphide were 48.46% and 58.15% respectively, whereas in control area results showed 6.66 folds intensification. The Incidence of ZCL significantly reduced in the treated areas. Totally, 3200 adult sand flies were collected and identified in the intervention and control areas. In the treated area with zinc phosphide, the density of Phlebotomus papatasi was higher in outdoors in contrast with the treated area by Coumavec which the density of the sand fly was higher in indoors. Both rodenticides were effective on the incidence of ZCL and the population of the reservoirs as well. Coumavec seems to be effective on the outdoor density of the vector. This combination of rodenticide-insecticide could be a suitable alternative for zinc phosphide while bait shyness or behavioral resistance is occurred

Molecular epizootiology of rodent leishmaniasis in a hyperendemic area of Iran

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis [ZCL] is an expanding disease and public health problem in Iran. In the current study, natural Leishmania infection rate and seasonal fluctuation of the infection in Rhombomys opimus population of a hyperendemic focus of ZCL in Iran was investigated. The study was conducted from October 2006 to October 2008 in Esfahan Province, central part of Iran. An extensive sampling of rodents using Sherman traps was done in different seasons. Nested PCR assay was used for detection and identification of Leishmania species and the results were confirmed using PCR-RFLP. Leishmania infection rate was 58.6% [34 of 58] using nested PCR. 44.8% of the gerbils were infected only with L. turanica and 1.7% with L. gerbilli alone. A mixed natural infection with L. major and L. turanica was seen in 12.1% of the rodents. L. major infection alone was not seen in R. opimus population in the study area. The highest and lowest Leishmania infection rates were observed in fall and spring respectively. L. turanica infection was observed throughout the year whereas mixed infections with L. major and L. turanica was not seen in spring. It is concluded that in the study area, L. major, L. gerbilli and L. turanica circulate in the population of R. opimus. Leishmania major infection usually accompanied by L. turanica in naturally infected gerbils with the highest rate in fall. It is recommended that the role of L. turanica in the epidemiology and transmission of ZCL be revisited

Sand fly surveillance within an emerging epidemic focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in southeastern Iran

Cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major has become a hot topic in Iran. The objective of this study was to determine some ecological aspects of sand flies in the study area. Sand flies were collected biweekly from indoors and outdoors fixed places in the selected villages, using 30 sticky paper traps from the beginning to the end of the active season of 2006 in Kerman Province, south of Iran. The flies were mounted and identified. Some blood fed and gravid female sand flies of rodent burrows and indoors were dissected and examined microscopically for natural promastigote infection of Leishmania parasite during August to September. In total, 2439 specimens comprising 8 species [3 Phlebotomus and 5 Sergentomyia] were identified. The most common sand fly was P. papatasi and represented 87.1% of sand flies from indoors and 57.2% from outdoors. The activity of the species extended from April to end October. There are two peaks in the density curve of this species, one in June and the second in August. Natural promastigote infection was found in P. papatasi [12.7%]. Phlebotomus papatasi is considered as a probable vector among gerbils and to humans with a high percentage of promastigote infection in this new focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The Bahraman area which until recently was unknown as an endemic area seems now to represent a focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission in Iran

[ prevalence of hypertension and its association with age, sex and BMI in a population being educated using community-based medicine in Kermanshah: 2003]

Hypertension due to its high prevalence and its relation to cardiac disease is considered a major problem in industrialized countries; its prevalence varies in different countries and in various regions within a country. The purpose of the present study is to determine the size of the problem and its distribution in a study population being educated using community-based medicine in Kermanshah in 2005. For the study, 8495 persons [1957 families] were randomly selected as the subjects; they were medically examined by a team including two general practitioners and a health worker, and were evaluated for blood pressure, height and weight, history of high blood pressure and taking of anti-hypertension drugs; the 5147 subjects were aged over 15-years. Each subject's blood pressure were recorded once in sitting position using a sphygmomanometer. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics [frequency percentage, mean, standard deviation] and inferential statistics [T-test and Chi Square]. The 5147 participants [56.9% females and 43.1% males] had an average age of 34.4 +/- 15.1 years. A prevalence of stage 1 and 2 hypertension 14.3% [14.1% in males and 13.7% in females] and prehypertension prevalence of 15.8% was reported. The prevalence of high blood pressure was 60.7% among 65-year-olds. The average systolic pressure and diastolic pressure were reported to be 117.5 +/- 18.3 and 74.5 +/- 13.6 respectively. The average systolic and diastolic pressure in males were significantly different from that of females [P=0.0001]. There was a significant relation between age increase and prevalence of high blood pressure. Also, an increase in BMI showed a significant increase in blood pressure. A high prevalence of elevated blood pressure was documented in this population of Kermanshah; obesity and old age were observed to be the interventional risk factors accompanying high blood pressure

Emergence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major in a New Focus of Southern Iran

Reports from the health center of Kerman Province, southern Iran showed an increasing of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in Orzuieh Rural District, southwest of the province in 2003. The report encouraged the team to carry out an epidemiological survey in the district during 2003-2004. The objectives were to determine the ecology of sand flies, potential reservoir hosts and human infection. A total of 1075 sand flies were collected by sticky traps and 7 species of sand flies were identified. They comprised 3 species of the genus Phlebotomus [P. papatasi, P. mongolensis and P. bergeroti] and 4 species of the genus Sergentomyia [S. sintoni, S. clydei, S. tiberiadis and S. Baghdadis]. P. papatasi was the predominant species of the genus Phlebotomus in indoors [90.3%] and outdoors [50.2%]. Susceptibility tests on P. papatasi with DDT 4%. Showed that the species was susceptible to this insecticide. A total of 13 rodents consist of Tatera indica [76.9%] and Nesokia indica [23.1%] were collected. A study of prevalence among 2441 inhabitants in four villages showed a rate of 1.1% for active lesions and 10.4% for scars during November- December 2003. In a separate study examination of 1662 school children aged 6-12 years old showed 1.14% for ulcers and 14.7% for scars at the same time. The Leishmania parasites were isolated from man and characterized as Leishmania major using RAPD-PCR method. It seems that cutaneous leishmaniasis due to L. major [CLM] has been prevailed in the district

Some ecological aspects of phlebotomine sand flies in an endemic focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran

Following annual report of new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis from different areas of Kuhpayeh district, Esfahan County, an investigation was carried out on some ecological aspects of Phlebotomine sand flies during 2000-2002. Sand flies were collected biweekly from outdoor and indoor resting places with the aid of 30 sticky traps from the beginning to the end of the active season. Female sand flies from rodent burrows were dissected and examined for the presence of pro-mastigote infection. Blood meals of engorged sand flies were identified by ELISA method. Totally, 4993 sand flies were collected and identified. The following species were found indoors: P. papatasi, P. sergenti, P. caucasicus, P. mongolensis, P. alexandri, P. ansarii, P. major, P. kandelakii, S. sintoni, and the subsequent species were found outdoors: P. papatasi, P sergenti, P. caucasicus, P. mongolensis, P. ansarii, P. major, S. sintoni, S. dentata, S. pawlowskyi. The sand flies active season began from May till October in this region. Natural promastigote infections observed in 1.06% of P. papatasi and also in one out of four of P. caucasicus. The human and rodent blood indices in P. papatasi were 61.9% and 20.69%, respectively. It seems that P. papatasi is the probable vector among rodents and also transmit Leishmania major, the causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis to man, and P. caucasicus transmit the agent of the disease among rodents

Anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in nonendemic quarters of a centeral city in Iran

The aim of this study was to determine the status of the cutaneous leishmaniasis in some nonendemic quarters in the city of Isfahan, Isfahan Province, central Iran. A total of 16380 primary school students aged 6-17 years old and a total population of 2892 persons in 700 households in four nonendemic quarters were questioned and examined for the presence of ulcer or scar. Sand flies were collected using sticky paper traps. A rate of 4.18% for scars and 0.3% for active lesions in the primary school children were showed. The households showed a prevalence of 11.3% for scars and 0.5% for ulcers. Two thousand and seventy four sand flies were collected and 10 species were identified. The most common sand fly species in indoor and outdoor resting places was P.sergenti. The present investigation revealed that Anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is in an epidemic status in these quarters. Human is considered the main reservoir and transmission is believed to be from human to human by P.sergenti

Repellency effect of myrtle essential oil and DEEt against phlebotomus papatasi, under laboratory conditions

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis [ZCL] is an increasing and important public health problem in Iran. The use of repellents is recommended as one of the important means of personal protection against vectors of ZCL. This paper reports the repellency effect of the plant Myrtle, Myrtus communis [Myrtaceae], essential oil for protection against 3-7-day-old unfed females of the sandfly, Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli for the first time in Iran. The tests were carried out under laboratory conditions, using dose-response testing procedure on white rabbits and the results were compared with commonly used repellent, diethyl-3-methylbenzamid [DEET]. The modified Wirtz method using K and D apparatus was employed. Effective Dose [EDs] values were estimated from the probit regression line. ED50 was measured as 0.1140 and 0.0006 mg/cm2 for Myrtle essential oil and DEET, respectively. The laboratory tests showed that both Myrtle essential oil and DEET had repellency effects against P.papatasi. In addition, the insecticidal action of Myrtle oil was also observed. We concluded that the two repellents could be used as a mean of personal protection against sand flies