Co-detection and isolation of Leishmania and Crithidia among naturally infected Tatera indica (Rodentia: Muridae) in Fars province, southern Iran

Objective: To explore the co-detection of natural infection of Trypanosomatidae parasites such as Leishmania and Crithidia in reservoir hosts of leishmaniasis. Methods: Rodent populations were monitored in two endemic foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis of Fars province, southern Iran from March to October 2016. Rodents were trapped alive in several parts of Shiraz and Kharameh cities. Afterwards, their organs were prepared for detection of Leishmania and Crithidia species by molecular, microscopic, and culture methods. Results: Totally, 115 rodents of five species; Tatera indica (T. indica) (85), Rattus rattus (12), Meriones libycus (9), Mus musculus (7), and Rattus norvegicus (2), were trapped alive and their tissue samples were examined using microscopic, cultivation, and molecular assays. Overall, 59 (51.3%) rodents were positive for Leishmania or Crithidia parasites. The highest rate (61.2%; 52/85) of Leishmania infection was related to the T. indica population. The cultivation, and molecular observations showed that two (2.4%; 2/85) of T. indica (foot-pad, and spleen samples) were positive to Crithidia. Conclusions: This is the first report of Crithidia infection in T. indica in Iran. Consequently, more epidemiological and ecological studies are needed to understand the role of Crithidia and Leishmania in T. indica.

survey of the safety conditions of student housings: a case study in a type one university in Shiraz, Iran

Background: This study aimed to investigate the extent of implementation of safety measures in 14 student housings in one of the largest universities in Fars province, Shiraz, Iran

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 student housings of one of the largest universities, located in Shiraz, Iran. Audit checklists were completed and rated thought field inspection and interview. Safety Requirement Index [SRI] was then used to evaluate the safety of student housings. SRI was graded on five scales [0-19%: very poor [unsafe]; 20-39%: poor [relatively unsafe]; 40-59%: moderate; 60-79%: good [relatively safe]: and 80-100%: excellent [safe]]

Results: The mean SRI score was 71.01 +/- 15.46%. The highest and lowest level of SRI was 94.11 +/- 6.60% for dimensions of public health and 47.70 +/- 18.42% for elevator safety

Conclusion: None of the studied housings was completely safe in all dimensions. Most of the studied housings were categorized as safe in the dimensions of public health and ventilation and air-conditioning systems; relatively safe in the dimensions of electrical, building, fire and kitchen safety; and moderate in the elevator safety and emergency response. Establishment of safety management system is necessary to promote safety in the studied housings. The results of this study indicated the need to inform the authorities about the safety priorities in housings, to promote the safety conditions. The results could also be used to raise awareness regarding their role and responsibilities about the safety of housings

Assessing emissions of volatile organic componds from landfills gas

Background: Biogas is obtained by anaerobic decomposition of organic wastes buried materials used to produce electricity, heat and biofuels. Biogas is at the second place for power generation after hydropower and in 2000 about 6% of the world power generation was allocated to biogas. Biogas is composed of 40-45 vol% CO[2], 55-65 vol% CH[4], and about 1% non-methaneVOCs, and non-methane volatile organic compounds. Emission rates are used to evaluate the compliance with landfill gas emission regulations by the United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA]. BTEX comounds affect the air quality and may be harmful to human health. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers that are generally called BTEX compounds are the most abundant VOCs in biogas

Methods: Sampling of VOCs in biogas vents was operated passively or with Tedlar bags. 20 samples were collected from 40 wells of old and new biogas sites of Shiraz' landfill. Immediately after sampling, the samples were transferred to the laboratory. Analysis of the samples was performed with GC-MS

Results: The results showed that in the collection of the old and new biogas sites, the highest concentration of VOCs was observed in toluene [0.85ppm] followed by benzene [0.81ppm], ethylbenzene [0.13ppm] and xylene [0.08ppm]

Conclusion: The results of the study showed that in all samples, most available compounds in biogas vents were aromatic hydrocarbon compounds. These compounds' constituents originate from household hazardous waste materials deposited in the landfill or from biological/chemical decomposition processes within the landfill

Microbiological quality of food contact surfaces in a hospital kitchen in Shiraz, Iran, 2014

Background: The consumption of healthy food is considered as an essential need to devoid the physical, chemical, and biological hazards. The importance of this issue is more conspicuous in places such as hospitals where people with somehow compromised immune systems are under treatment. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of food contact surfaces in a kitchen in one of the hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Methods: In the present study, samples were taken from 48 food contact surfaces according to ISO 18593:2004[E] and placed into the bags containing diluting solution; they were then transferred to the laboratory for microbial analysis in the cold chain. The microbial analysis was carried out according to ISO 4833-1:2013 and BS ISO 4832:2006 for enumeration of total bacterial count and coliform

Results: Based on the results presented here, 39.6% and 85.7% of the samples showed acceptable contamination with regard to the enumeration of total bacterial and coliform count. Besides, 18.2% and 72.7% of work surfaces groups [cutting board, table, and hand] showed acceptable contamination with regard to the enumeration of total bacterial count and coliform in comparison to the standards. Furthermore, 45.9% and 89.2% of other surfaces showed acceptable total bacterial and coliform count, respectively

Conclusion: The results showed that safe management of the kitchen, education of the staff and also improvement of the equipment used are necessary

Phlebotomus papatasi [diptera: psychodidae] as the vector of leishmania major in Kharameh District, Southern Iran

Background: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis [CL] is endemic in many parts of Iran. This study was conducted to investigate the fauna and some biologic factors of sand flies and detect CL vector[s] in Kharameh district which is one of the most important foci of the disease in Fars province, southern Iran

Methods: To identify the fauna, a total of 1549 sand flies were collected from April 2014 to March 2015. To determine the monthly activity, sand flies were collected from indoor and outdoor areas of the lowland and the highland regions

Results: Ten species of phlebotomine [four Phlebotomus spp. And six Sergentomyia spp.] were identified and Phlebotomus papatasi was the dominant species [53.45%]. To determine the sand flies naturally infected by Leishmania spp., 188 female sand flies [145 P. papatasi, 29 P. sergenti, and 14 P. alexandri] were subjected to polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay. Two [13.16%] specimens of P. papatasi were found to be positive for Leishmania major

Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first PCR detection of L. major within naturally infected P. Papatasis and fly as the main vector in this region of south Iran

Laboratory based diagnosis of leishmaniasis in rodents as the reservoir hosts in southern Iran, 2012

Objective:To examine the fauna of rodents as zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis reservoir hosts in Zarqan County, Fars Province, south of Iran, during 2012. Methods:During 2012, wild rodents from different parts of this region were caught by Sherman traps and checked by the examination of liver and spleen smears, for Leishmania infection, to see which species were acting as reservoir hosts;the slides were then processed to extract DNA for molecular test using PCR assay. Results:From 108 rodent species caught, 63%were male and 37%identified as female. Meriones libycus was the most abundant species caught (80.5%) and 5.7%of them were found to be smear-positive for Leishmania amastigotes. The other species were Rattus rattus (14.8%) and Mus musculus (4.7%), but none of them were found positive. Leishmania infection was observed in male and female samples microscopically. Moreover, molecular results revealed Leishmania major in three male and two female specimens. Conclusions:Based on our knowledge, Meriones libycus is incriminated as the main reservoir hosts of Leishmania major in the rural area of Zarqan.

Excito-repellency effects of salvia sclarea L. [Lamiaceae] extracts on adult house flies, musca domestica L. [Diptera: Muscidae]

Background: Medicinal plant extracts such as those obtained from Salvia species have a wide variety of chemical compounds in their essential oils. The repellency of a number of essential oils including those from the labiates like Salvia against several insect species including the common house flies is reported

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to find out the excito-repellency effects of Salvia sclarea L. [Lamiaceae] extracts against adult house flies, Musca domestica L. [Diptera: Muscidae]

Methods: Air-dried plant material from the aerial parts of S. sclarea was subjected to hydro-distillation in a Clevenger type glass apparatus model Soxhlet with acetone, benzene, petroleum ether, chloroform, and aqueous solvents. Only adult house flies were inserted into an exposure chamber and their behavior was monitored for feeding tendency, repellency rate and deterrence rate. Statistical analyses were carried out by one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] with computation of the significance of differences in the outcome of various treatments

Results: There were significant differences among most of the various extracts with their controls in the sequential effects of feeding [P=0.04], deterrent [P=0.023] and repellency [P=0.01] rates of house flies. The order of potency for various extracts with a concentration of 100 g/l was as follows: petroleum ether> benzene> water> acetone> chloroform

Conclusion: It is thus conceivable to search for native means of combating house flies by fractionating the active ingredients in the Clary sage in the light of its excito-repellency effects

Lethal and residual effects of lambdacyhalothrin, deltamethrin and cyfluthrin insecticides on adult mosquitoes of anopheles stephensi liston [diptera: culicidae] on different surfaces

Background: Human malaria remains a major malady in Eastern Iran. Vector control interventions such as indoor residual spraying are used to fight with the disease. This study was undertaken to determine the lethal and residual effects of three different pyrethroid insecticides on adult mosquitoes of Anopheles stephensi on different surfaces in Iran, as part of a national program to monitor insecticide resistance in endemic areas

Methods: Two main endemic foci were selected as collection sites. Wild adult females of An. stephensi [mysoriensis strain] from the first focus were subjected to standard susceptibility tests, using lambdacyhalothrin, deltamethrin and cyfluthrin insecticides within holding tubes according to the method proposed by WHO. In Kazerun, the residual effects of these compounds were examined by conical bioassay tests of An. stephensi [type strain] on plaster and cement walls. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney test to determine the differences in susceptibility and residual effects of An. stephensi mosquitoes to these insecticides

Results: The susceptibility of females of An. stephensi to three concentrations of lambdacyhalothrin, deltamethrin and cyfluthrin insecticides culminated in full scale mortality at the highest diagnostic dose. The maximal residual time of these three insecticides on plaster and cement walls was estimated to be about three months. There was no significant difference in the mortalities of An. stephensi on different sprayed surfaces [P=0.653]

Conclusion: All field-collected An. stephensi populations exhibit gross susceptibility to all diagnostic doses of the three evaluated insecticides. In endemic areas, lambdacyhalothrin reveals a slightly longer residual activity than the other two insecticides

Nested polymerase chain reaction and sequencebased detection of leishmania infection of sand flies in recently emerged endemic focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis,southern iran

Background: Geographical distribution of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis [ZCL] has continuously been extended in recent years in Iran. The Beiza District is one of the newly-emerged endemic foci of ZCL in southern Iran. The main aim of the present study was to detect the vector[s] of ZCL in this area

Methods: To detect the fauna and vectors of ZCL in this district, sand flies were caught using sticky papers. Seventy randomly selected female sand flies out of 730 were molecularly investigated for Leishmania infection using species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay between April and October 2010

Results: A total of 2543 sand flies were caught. The fauna was identified as 10 species [five Phlebotomus spp. and five Sergentomyia spp.]. Phlebotomus papatasi was the most dominant species both indoors and outdoors [37.55% and 16.35%, respectively]. L. major was detected in 5 out of 48 investigated Phlebotomus papatasi [10.41%]. Sequence-based characterization was carried out to confirm the PCR findings. The positive samples were shown to have 75-88% similarity with L. major sequences in GenBank

Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, similar to the other foci of ZCL in Iran, P. papatasi is the proven and primary vector of CL. This study could be drawn upon for future strategy planning in this newly emerged endemic focus

Carbamate insecticides resistance monitoring of adult male German cockroaches, blattella germanica [L.], in Southern Iran

Background: The German cockroach, Blattella germanica L. [Dictyoptera: Blattellidae], has become resistant to many insecticides due to control failures in hospital and student dormitory settings of southern Iran

Objective: This study was thus designed to detect and monitor carbamate resistance in two strains of German cockroach using lethal dose bioassay methods

Methods: Wild dormitory [D] and hospital [H] strains were collected. Adult males were subjected to the jar exposure procedure. A range of concentrations based on the world health organization [WHO] standard concentration of carbamate insecticides [carbaryl, bendiocarb, propoxur] were used. For each insecticide, four to seven different concentrations leading to >0% and <100% mortality were assayed. Ten insects were placed in each jar and the exposure time of contact was held constant for 30 minutes. Mortality data [as LD[[50]]] were assessed using probit analysis

Results: Although both strains showed lethality values above those of the WHO standards, the H strain was more resistant to all of the three carbamate insecticides than the D strain, possibly due to the frequent and excessive dosage of these chemicals used in the hospital environment. The order of resistance for H strain was carbaryl > propoxur > bendiocarb. The ratio of LD[50] in H strain to that of D strain for bendiocarb was about twice that of the other two insecticides indicating that German cockroaches were most susceptible to bendiocarb under both environments

Conclusion: It is concluded that excessive reliance on carbaryl in both D and H settings has led to resistance

Report on leishmania infection of gerbillus nanus [rodentia: muridae] as the reservoir host of leishmania major in Hormozgan province

Cutaneous leishmaniasis or oriental sore has continuously expanded during the recent years in the country. Jask County in the easternmost point of Hormozgan province with 245 cases in 2007 has been the main focus of the disease. The present study was conducted to investigate the role of Gerbillus nanus as the reservoir of cutaneous leishmaniasis in this center. In a cross-sectional study during 2007-2008, rodents were caught from infected villages and after anesthesia, two slides were prepared from each ear of rodents using abrasive grinding and after recording morphometric specifications, their liver and spleen were kept in the 70% ethanol and the rest of the body was kept in 10% formalin for identification. Studies to determine leishmania infection were conducted through microscopic and molecular techniques. DNA was extracted through phenol/chloroform/lsoamyl alcohol method and it was proliferated through Nested-PCR method with primers LINR4, LIN17 and LIN19. A total of 106 rodents were caught. Species Gerbillus nanus [Muridae: Gerbillinae], with 17 heads, included 16.03% of haunting. Leishmania infection was found in a male sample of this species of rodent through microscopic method and two male and female samples [11.76%] through molecular method and specific PCR specified the parasite Leishmania major. Cutaneous leishmaniasis in this center is of zoonotic or damp type with leishmania major agent and therodentGerbillus nanus will be introduced in Hormozgan province for the first time as a possible reservoir host of the disease in this center. Infection of this species with Leishmaniamajoris reported for the first time in the world.