The monsoon-associated equine South African pointy mosquito 'Aedes caballus'; the first comprehensive record from southeastern Iran with a description of ecological, morphological, and molecular aspects.

The equine South African pointy vector mosquito, Aedes caballus, poses a significant threat to human health due to its capacity for transmitting arboviruses. Despite favorable climate for its existence in southeast Iran, previous records of this species in the area have indicated very low abundance. This comprehensive field and laboratory study aimed to assess its current adult population status in this region, utilizing a combination of ecological, morphological and molecular techniques. Four distinct types of traps were strategically placed in three fixed and two variable mosquito sampling sites in the southern strip of Sistan and Baluchistan Province. Subsequently, DNA was extracted from trapped mosquitoes and subjected to PCR amplification using the molecular markers COI, ITS2, and ANT. In total, 1734 adult Ae. caballus specimens were collected from rural areas, with the majority being captured by CO2-baited bednet traps. A notable increase in the abundance of this species was observed following rainfall in February. The genetic analysis revealed multiple haplotypes based on COI and ITS2 sequences, with COI gene divergence at 0.89%, and ITS2 sequence divergence at 1.6%. This suggests that previous challenges in morphological identification may have led to misidentifications, with many adults previously classified as Ae. vexans potentially being Ae. caballus. The findings of this study hold significant implications for public health authorities, providing valuable insights for integrated and targeted vector control and disease management efforts.

Potential Risk Areas of Aedes albopictus in South-Eastern Iran: A Vector of Dengue Fever, Zika, and Chikungunya.

The possibility of the rapid and global spread of Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, and dengue fever by Aedes albopictus is well documented and may be facilitated by changes in climate. To avert and manage health risks, climatic and topographic information can be used to model and forecast which areas may be most prone to the establishment of Ae. albopictus. We aimed to weigh and prioritize the predictive value of various meteorological and climatic variables on distributions of Ae. albopictus in south-eastern Iran using the Analytical Hierarchy Process. Out of eight factors used to predict the presence of Ae. albopictus, the highest weighted were land use, followed by temperature, altitude, and precipitation. The inconsistency of this analysis was 0.03 with no missing judgments. The areas predicted to be most at risk of Ae. albopictus-borne diseases were mapped using Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing data. Five-year (2011-2015) meteorological data was collected from 11 meteorological stations and other data was acquired from Landsat and Terra satellite images. Southernmost regions were at greatest risk of Ae. albopictus colonization as well as more urban sites connected by provincial roads. This is the first study in Iran to determine the regional probability of Ae. albopictus establishment. Monitoring and collection of Ae. albopictus from the environment confirmed our projections, though on-going field work is necessary to track the spread of this vector of life-threatening disease.

A new focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiological status of the cutaneous leishmaniasis outbreak, isolation and identification of the parasite and preparation of a control program in a recently identified focus located in the Province of Yazd, Central Iran. METHODS: This study was conducted in 124 classrooms of primary school children and among 139 households of an infected quarter in the city of Yazd during 1999-2000. All the students and members of the households were questioned and examined for the presence of ulcer(s) or scar(s). For each case a form was completed and necessary information were recorded. Smears were prepared from the edge of the ulcer and examined for the presence of amastigotes. Leishmania stocks from human lesions were isolated. Cultured promastigotes were identified using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction. Stray dogs were shot in the city and examined for the presence of any ulcer(s) or scar(s). RESULTS: An endemic focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica was detected in Yazd City, Central Iran. Examination of 3176 students aged 6-16 years old in 124 primary schools showed a rate of 0.7% for scars and 0.2% for active lesions. There was no significant differences between the sexes in the prevalence of active lesions or scars. A study of prevalence among 139 households with a total population of 572 persons in Darvazeh Ghassabha quarter showed a prevalence of 13.5% for scars and 0.5% for ulcers. The most highly infected age group was 5-9 with a rate of 1.8%. Males and females were equally infected. Forty-six stray dogs were examined and none of them appeared to be infected. CONCLUSION: According to this study, cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania tropica is endemic in the city of Yazd, Central Iran. Humans are considered to be the main reservoir and the transmission is believed to be from human to human by Phlebotomus sergenti. This focus now can be added to the list of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis foci in the country. Any residual insecticide spraying is not recommended during the next year due to the low prevalence of the disease.