Confirmation of Tatera indica [rodentia: gerbillidae] as the main reservoir host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in the west of Iran

During our study [summer of 1994] twenty two Tatera indica were collected and two out of them [9.09%] were naturally infected with amastigote. Parasites were cultured in NNN+LIT medium and isolated promastigotes were sent to the Medical University of Montpellier in France for identification. The result of isoenzyme showed, the parasite was Leishmania major zymodem MON 26-[=LON 1], therefore Tatera Indica was known the main reservoir host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in the west of Iran. This is the first report on the isolation and identification of L.major zymodem MON 26-[=LON 1] from this species of rodent. In the meantime, Rhombomys opimus was absent in these areas

Sand-flies of ilam province, west of iran with description of two new species from the genus phlebotomus: ph ilami and ph nadimi

During the period of April to November 1994, an investigation was carried out on fauna of Phlebotominac in Ilam province, west of Iran. About 12000 sandflies were caught by sticky trap, light trap and aspirator from different ecological regions and were identified. These sandflies consist of 22 species [11 species from the genus Phlebotomus: Ph. paptasi, Ph.sergenti, Ph.alexandri, Ph.rnajor, Ph.tobbi, Ph.kandelakii, ph.perfiliewi. Ph.balcanicus and Ph.halepensis plus two new species of Phlebotomus and 11 species from the genus Sergentomyia: S. sintoni, S.dentata, S.antennata, S.theodori, S.mervynae, S.pawlowskyi, S.africana, S.clydei, S.tiberiadis, S.iranica and S.squatnipleurs]. The two new species from genus Phlebotomus [Ph.nadimi and Ph.ilami] found in this study have been described in detail

genus phlebotomus [dipteria: psychodidae: phlebotominae] of the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region

Taxonomic characteristics of 42 species belonging to subgenera of the genus Phlebotomus from the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region [EMR] of the World Health Organization has been studied in details. In this study, various parts of the insects thought to be of importance in species identification were carefully measured. It was noticed that some of these key characteristics; e.g. palpal formula, measures of coxite, style, labrum are so variable that cannot be used for species identification. Distribution map and keys for species identification of all known phlebotomus species of the EMR are included