Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus: the most common helminthic infection of wild boars in southwestern Iran.

A pathological and epidemiological study on Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus infection on 25 wild boars Sus scrofa in southwestern Iran was done. Overall 24 helminthes (18 female and 6 male) were collected from the intestine of 13 infected wild boars. Thus, the prevalence of acanthocephalans among the 25 examined boars was 52 %. Pathological evaluation revealed damages caused by the acanthocephalans penetrated in the small intestine tissue. Helminthes caused severe necrosis with ulcer and inflammation in tunica sub mucosa layer. High prevalence of this helminthic infection may cause severe hazard for farmers, residents and also wild life animals.

Trichinella britovi in the jackal Canis aureus from south-west Iran.

Trichinellosis is an important helminthic food-borne zoonosis, which is caused by nematodes of the genus Trichinella. Although, Trichinella spp. has been detected frequently in Iranian wildlife, this parasitic infection is not considered a major public health problem. This is largely because Islamic codes forbid consumption of pork meat in this country. However, knowledge about this zoonotic pathogen is important because human trichinellosis has been documented in countries where most of the population is Muslim. The aims of the present work were to investigate whether Trichinella spp. was still circulating in wildlife of the Khuzestan Province (south-west Iran) about 30 years after the first investigation, to identify the aetiological agent at the species level by molecular analyses, and to review the literature on Trichinella spp. in animals of Iran. During the winter 2009-2010, muscle samples from 32 road-killed animals (14 dogs and 18 jackals, Canis aureus) were collected. Muscle samples were digested and Trichinella sp. larvae were isolated from two jackals. The Trichinella sp. larvae have been identified as Trichinella britovi by molecular analyses. These results confirm that T. britovi is the prevalent species circulating in wild animals of Iran.

Helminth Parasites of Rhombomys opimus from Golestan Province, Northeast Iran.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine the helminthic species occurring in great gerbil Rhombomys opimus collected from Maraveh Tappeh, Golestan Province, northeast Iran. METHODS: During 2010-2011, a total of 77 R. opimus were captured from rural areas of Maraveh Tappeh, Golestan Province, using Sherman live traps and examined for infectivity with any larva or adult stages of helminthic parasites. RESULTS: Overall, 63 R. opimus (81.8%) were found infected with different helminthic species. The rate of infectivity with each species was as follows: Trichuris rhombomidis 31.2%, Trichuris muris 32.5%, Trichuris spp. 10.4%, Syphacia muris 2.6%, Dipetalonema viteae (Acanthocheilonema viteae) 37.7%, Skrjabinotaenia lobata 15.6%, Hymenolepis (=Rodentolepis) nana fraterna 5.2%, and Taenia endothoracicus larva 1.3%. CONCLUSION: R. opimus is host for several species of cestodes and nematodes in the study area. The high rate of infectivity with D. viteae indicates the susceptibility of these gerbils to this filarial nematode. Synchronous infections occurred up to four species of helminthes in one host.

Molecular Diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis Infection by PCR Detection of Specific DNA in Human Stool Samples.

BACKGROUND: Strongyloidiasis is mostly an asymptomatic infection and diagnosis of latent infections is difficult due to limitations of current parasitological and serological methods. This study was conducted to set up a PCR-based method for molecular diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection by detection of copro-DNA in stool samples. METHODS: A total of 782 fresh stool samples were collected and examined by agar plate culture. Among those sixteen stool samples, which confirmed to be infected with S. stercoralis were examined as positive control to set up each single and nested PCR, using two primer sets designing to amplify partial ribosomal DNA of S. stercoralis genome. Since, single PCR method yielded higher efficacy in detecting positive samples, in the second step, 30 stool samples, which found negative for S. stercoralis by agar plate culture of single stool sample, were examined by single PCR. Data analysis was performed using McNemar's χ(2) test, with consideration of a P-value of <0.05 as indication of significant difference. RESULTS: In amplification of DNA extracted from stool samples, single PCR detected S. stercoralis DNA target in all 16 positive samples, while nested PCR amplified DNA in only 75% of samples. In the second step, single PCR amplified S. stercoralis extracted DNA in 5 out of 30 samples which were negative by coproculture. CONCLUSION: Single PCR method amplifying a short (100bp) target represented more efficacies for detection of S. stercoralis in faecal examination compared to agar plate culture and nested PCR, which amplified longer target.

Establishment of Hymenolepis diminuta Life Cycle to Provide Parasite Mass Production.

BACKGROUND: The main object of this experimental work was to practise laboratory production both adult and the larval stage of Hymenolepis diminuta with conventional modification to make further studies easier. MATERIALS #ENTITYSTARTX00026; METHOD: Adults H. diminuta were collected from urban rats in Tehran, Iran. The beetles became infected using blended gravid segments with flour as bait. Cysticercoids have been saved after precise dissection of invertebrate hosts. The exposure of infected beetles to laboratory rats was performed to establish the life cycle. RESULT: Out of 57 collected rats, three rats were infected with H. diminuta. Almost all exposed beetles found infected with the larval stage of parasite. About one-month later H. diminuta eggs were seen in stool examination of laboratory rats. CONCLUSION: Rare human occurrence of H. diminuta along with light level of clinical manifestation of this parasite, underestimate the concerns toward its public health importance. Nowadays, various field of studies, such as biochemistry with special focuses on the capability of H. diminuta tegument absorption have performed apart from parasitological views alone. In the present study, establishment of this parasite life cycle has practically provided the access of adult and cysticercoid stages of the tapeworm in further researches.

Morphological and morphometrical description of trichostrongylus species isolated from domestic ruminants in khuzestan province, southwest iran.

BACKGROUNDS: Genus Trichostrongylus (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae) is one of the most important zoonotic nematodes with wide geographic distribution in the world. The purpose of the present study was to describe morphological and morphometrical characteristics of male Trichostrongylus species, currently prevalent in domestic ruminants of Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran. METHODS: Gastro-intestinal organs of 1600 sheep, goats, cattle, and buffalos, slaughtered in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran, were examined for infectivity with Trichostrongylus species. For examination and measurements of helminthes, Azo-carmine staining was performed, followed by camera lucida drawings of morphological characters and measurements of morphometrical criteria with a calibrated microscope. Using valid nematodes systematic keys, almost all the parasites were identified at the level of species. RESULTS: Overall, 114 animals were found infected with at least one species of Trichostrongylus. Considering morphological characteristics of male Trichostrongylus, six species were identified including T. colubriformis, T. vitrinus, T. probolorus, T. capricola, T. longispicularis and Trichostrongylus sp. CONCLUSION: Although, compared to the previous decades, currently Trichostrongylus is much less prevalent in the domestic ruminants of the study area, but still different species occur in these animals.

Heavy Worm Burden of Moniliformis moniliformis in Urban Rats with Histopathological Description.

BACKGROUND: Due to scarcity of human reports, we took advantage of the heaviest infection of M. moniliformis in rats, to describe histopathological and microanatomical valuable useful keys while confronting human occurrences. METHODS: Samples were obtained from captured rats in Tehran, capital of Iran, during two decades. Tissue sections were performed through hematoxylin and eosin staining to describe histopathological changes in rat's intestines. RESULTS: Totally, nine rats were found infected with M. moniliformis amongst 272 obtained rats. Heavy infection has been distinguished in 2 individuals with parasite burden of 141and 73 adult worms. Cross sections of worms within the lumen show mucosal thickness, infiltration of eosinophilic leukocyte and increase in goblet cells. CONCLUSION: Beyond the uncommonness of human infection with M. moniliformis unitended infections should not be ignored. Abundance of rats and roaches as definite and intermediate hosts must be considered particularly in countries with poor hygiene.

Ocular dirofilariasis, a case report.

Accidental infection with animal filarial worms in humans is a dilemma for clinicians and parasitologists throughout the world. To date a variety of such rare parasitoses have been reported mostly in tropics and subtropics. Human dirofilariasis is among those unusual zoonotic infections that occasionally have been observed in the eye and in subcutaneous areas exhibiting with nodule formation. Filarial worms are transmitted to humans through invertebrate biological vectors such as certain species of mosquitoes. The present report describes a peculiar case of ocular dirofilariasis in a 49-year-old man resident in Iran.

Endoparasites of rodents and their zoonotic importance in germi, dashte-mogan, ardabil province, iran.

BACKGROUND: In order to verify the infectivity of rodents with endoparasites in Germi (Dashte-Mogan, Ardabil Province) the current study was undertaken. METHODS: Using live traps, 177 rodents were trapped during 2005-2007. In field laboratory, all rodents were bled prior to autopsy, frozen at -20°C, and shipped to the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. In parasitological laboratory, every rodent was dissected and its different organs were examined for the presence of any parasite. Blood thick and thin smears as well as impression smears of liver and spleen were stained with Geimsa and examined microscopically. RESULTS: Two species of rodents were trapped; Meriones persicus (90.4%) and Microtus socialis (9.6%). The species of parasites found in M. persicus and their prevalences were as follows: Hymenolepis diminuta (38.8%), Hymenolepis nana (2.5%), Trichuris sp.(40.6), Mesocestoides larva (=tetrathyridium) (3.1%), Capillaria hepatica (6.9%), Moniliformis moniliformis (11.3%), Syphacia obvelata (2.5%), Taenia endothoracicus larva (0.6%), Physaloptera sp. (0.6%), Dentostomella translucida (0.6%), Heligmosomum mixtum (0.6%), Strobilocercus fasciolaris(0.6%),and Aspiculuris tetraptera (0.6%). The species of parasites found in M. socialis and their prevalences were as follows: H. diminuta (17.6%), Trichuris sp. (5.9%), Mesocestoides larva (5.9%), S. obvelata (11.8%), S. syphacia (11.8%), H. mixtum (17.6%), and Aspiculuris tetraptera (11.8%). There were no statistical differences between male and female for infectivity with parasites in either M. persicus or M. socialis. No blood or tissue protozoan parasite was found in any of the rodents examined. CONCLUSION: Among different species identified, some had zoonotic importance. Therefore, the potential health hazard of these species needs to be considered to prevent infectivity of humans.

Neglected human fascioliasis case in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic area, north-Western iran.

Ardabil Province, northwestern Iran, is endemic for visceral leishmaniasis of Mediterranean type from many years ago. This situation might cause to underestimate other important diseases, which occur sporadically within the same area. In this case, a 6-year-old male patient in this area was treated as infected with visceral leishmaniasis initially with seropositive result for visceral leishmaniasis. Afterwards, histopathological study of crashed material and tissue sections surprisingly revealed numerous liver fasciolid fluke eggs. This case demonstrates that in an area endemic for a given parasitoses, other important infectious diseases must be considered as well.