[Effect of date extract on growth of mutans streptococci, the most important factor of dental caries]

Dental caries is perhaps the most common bacterial infections in humans and Streptococcus mutans is one of the most important factors in dental caries. Research has shown that some kind foods have an inhibitory effect on cariogenic factors of Mutans streptococci. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of date extract on growth of Streptococcus Mutans. This experimental study was done at faculty of medicine, Yasuj university of medical sciences with collaborative of microbiology department of Shiraz university of medical sciences in 2005. In an in-vitro study, effect of date extract on growth of Mutans Streptococci was surveyed .After collecting of Streptococcus Mutans from dental caries; those were cultured in different medium of date fruit, extract of date fruit and syrup of date with different concentrations. Following 24 hours, Streptococcus mutans was grown in less concentration of date mediums and its grown was inhibited in more concentrations. With respect of inhibitory effect of date extract on growth of Streptococcus mutans, it might be introduced that date as a source of food has a preventive effect on dental caries

Distribution of soft ticks and their natural infection with Borrelia in a focus of relapsing fever in Iran

Tick-borne diseases such as relapsing fever and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever [CCHF] are of public health importance in Iran. There are 471 reported cases of relapsing fever in 2003, according to the Ministry of Health of Iran. The number of cases has been increased in recent years. Its distribution is more or less prevalent in different parts of Iran. The aim of this study was to find out the fauna and natural infection of soft ticks with Borrelia in Qazvin Province, during their seasonal activity. The province covers 15821 km[2] between 48-45 to 50-50 east of Greenwich Meridian of longitude and 35-37 to 36-45 north latitude of the equator. For this purpose a field study was carried out in the region. A total of 54 villages from 19 districts were selected randomly and ticks were collected from their habitats according to the standard method. A total of 3197 Argasidae ticks were collected from human dwellings, poultry and animal shelters. They belonged to Argas and Ornithodoros genera which 36.8% were Argas persicus, 4% A. reflexus, 6.4% O. canestrini, 45.5% O. lahorensis and 7.3% O. tholozani. It should be noted that 12 ticks of O. erraticus were collected from 12 rodents borrows. We found that 8.82% of O. tholozani ticks were infected with Borrelia persica and half of the O. erraticus were infected with Borrelia microti. All the people who are involved with veterinary activities should be aware of disease transmission by the ticks. In the endemic area of the disease tick control is recommended

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