Amphistome species in cattle in south coast of caspian sea

Knowledge about the amphistomid fauna in Iranian domestic ruminants depends on the studies conducted almost 30 years ago. The last situation in cattle is introduced here in the provinces in south coast of Caspian Sea. Amphistomid species were collected from cattle at slaughter houses of the provinces Gilan and Mazanderan in 2010. Median sagittal sections were prepared by the conventional method. Species were identified by the histomorphological pecularities of the muscular argans. Five amphistomid species, Paramphistomum cevri, P. gotoi, Calicophoron calicophorum, Carmyerius spatiosus and Gastrothylax compressus, recovered. Calicophoron calicophorum is a new species for Iran. Criteria used in identification of the species were illustrated. Iran has a rich amphistomid fauna and mostly under the influence of oriental conditions

Gastrointestinal helminths of magpies [Pica pica], rooks [Corvus frugilegus] and carrion crows [Corvus corone] in Mazandaran province, north of Iran

Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine birds including crows, rooks, magpies, jays, chough, and ravens. These birds are migratory species, especially in the shortage of foods, so they can act like vectors for a wide range of microorganisms. They live generally in temperate climates and in a very close contact with human residential areas as well as poultry farms. There is no available information in the literature concerning the parasitic infections of these three species of corvidae in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, so this study was conducted to clarify this. As there are three species of corvid birds in Mazandaran Province, 106 birds including 79 magpies, 11 rooks, and 16 carrion crows were examined between winter 2007 and spring 2008 at post mortem for gastrointestinal helminths. The helminths were drawn and identified morphologically in the Laboratory of Parasitology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran and also partly in the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, based on the reference books and identification keys like Soulsby, Khalil et al. and Anderson et al. Four species of nematodes, 2 species of cestodes, 1 species of trematodes and 1 species of acanthocephalans were identified in these three corvid species. Five species of the helminths are identified for the first time in Iran, and the acanthocephalan species is new host record for rooks. It is clear that these corvid birds have diverse range of helminths and can act as carriers for infecting the domestic fowls

survey on the bovine amphistomiasis in Mazanderan province, north of Iran

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and intensity of amphistomiasis in native cattle and mixed breed Holstein from Mazanderan province, in the north of Iran in association with sex, age, breed and season. During the 4 seasons of 2008, at meat inspection the rumen and reticulum of 132 native cattle and 104 mixed breed were examined by naked eye for amphistomiasis. All amphistomes found in each cattle were collected separately and preserved in 70% alcohol containing 5% glycerin for further studies. Our findings revealed the overall prevalence rate and Mean +/- SE of intensity 33.9% and 864.4 +/- 127.2 amphistomes per animal, 40.9% and 1012.5 +/- 179.4 in native cattle, and 25% and 557.42 +/- 99.9 in mixed breeds, respectively. A few amphistomes were collected from the reticulum of a native cattle. There was no significant relation between the intensity of the infection and the breed [P=0.094], whereas the relation between breed and the prevalence of infection [P=0.0103], and that of age and the infection [P=0.016] were significant. The older group [5

Incidence and genetic characterization of Gongylonema pulchrum in cattle slaughtered in Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

The gullet worm, Gongylonema pulchrum Molin, 1857, is a thread-like spirurid nematode found in a variety of mammals worldwide. Its incidences in Iranian cattle of different breed or age have not been reported. The aims of the present study are to disclose the infection status of G. pulchrum in cattle slaughtered in northern region of Iran. Full-length esophagi of cattle of 97 native dairy breed and 41 Holstein-Friesian breed were collected at four local abattoirs in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, from March 2006 to August 2007, and were examined parasitologically. Eight overlapping segments of the small-and large-subunits of rDNA were amplified by PCR, and the obtained nucleotide sequences were characterized. The incidences of G. pulchrum in female and male native dairy breed were 38.9% and 24.0%, respectively, whereas those in female and male Holstein-Friesian breed were 4.2% and 0%, respectively. The first internal transcribed spacer [ITS1] region of G. pulchrum rDNA showed an intra-individual variation in the sequence and length, and the variation was ascribed to some unstable repeats of "A" or "CA". Distinct incidences of G. pulchrum infection in native dairy breed and Holstein-Friesian breed might be ascribed to different animal husbandry manners for each breed in Iran; the former breed grazes freely in the pasture, but the latter breed is usually held in a pen. The rDNA sequence of Iranian G. pulchrum, obtained for the first time by us, might facilitate a reliable species identification of the parasite with a wide spectrum of morphological variations