Detection and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium species in Recreational Waters of Chaharmahal va Bakhtiyari Province of Iran using nested-PCR-RFLP

Background: The aim of this study was to detect and characterize Cryptosporidium spp. in water sam­ples collected from recreational ponds of Chaharmahal va Bakhtiyari Province of Iran .Meth­ods: Thirty water samples were collected from November 2009 to May 2010. Each sample con­tained 10 liters of water. We used the SSU rRNA-based PCR-RFLP technique.Results: Out of thirty samples examined, 6 (20%) were positive for different Cryptosporidium spp. Restriction pattern analysis showed that C. parvum has been the most prevalent genotype, fol­lowed by C. hominis and C. canis , respectively. In this area, the higher prevalence of C. par­vum compared with other genotypes is consistent with the distribution of cattle.Conclusion: Farm animals, particularly cattle are the main source of cryptosporidial contamina­tion for recreational waters in this area

Fate of micro- and nanoplastics in water bodies: A critical review of current challenges, the next generation of advanced treatment techniques and removal mechanisms with a special focus on stormwater

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are a growing source of pollution from natural and plastic fibers to non-fiber particles in water matrices. The current review highlights the detection, pathways, measurements and fate of MNPs. Besides, it addresses various treatment technologies, the next generation of MNPs degradation and their removal mechanisms from water bodies especially stormwater. The removal efficiency of MNPs decreases with decreasing particle size, as smaller particles were able to pass more easily through the tertiary sand filter or membrane filter. NPs exhibited lower removal efficiency compared to MPs. Conventional methods for treating stormwater including bioretention filters and constructed wetlands are inadequate in removing MNPs effectively. Some novel methods, such as egg protein derived ultra-lightweight hybrid monolithic aerogel, rely solely on gravity and do not require water, demonstrating up to 100 % removal of microplastics from seawater. This method could also be applied to stormwater treatment. This is superior to membrane technologies including UF and MF, which operates with a substantial energy input and excess water. Integrated treatment systems that combine different technologies can overcome the limitations of individual methods. Furthermore, the core mechanisms involved in eliminating MPs/NPs via biofilm consist of electrostatic surface attachment, hydrophobic interaction, absorption onto the biofilm layer, intermolecular repulsion, and electrostatic interaction between MPs/NPs and the membrane surface

Application of Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) for the Diagnosis and Seroepide-miological Studies of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Iran

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most important parasitic diseases which is endemic in different parts of Iran. Serological studies were conducted by direct agglutination test (DAT) on 12144 human serum samples, collected from four geographical zones of Iran. Sero prevalence, geographical distribution, clinical signs and symptoms for human visceral leishmaniasis based on DAT for the period of 2002 through 2005 were determined. From 516 kala-azar cases detected: 50.6% were from Meshkin-shahr and Moghan districts in Ardabil Province, northwest of Iran and 49.4% were detected from other areas of Iran. In physical examination of seropositive cases, which were detected by DAT with anti-leishmanial antibodies at titers of 1: 3200 to 1: 102400, almost 50% of suspected individuals showed the classical kala-azar signs and symptoms. Predominant signs and symptoms in 233 hospitalized patients with anti-Leishmania antibodies at 1:3200 and higher, were fever (88.0%) and splenomegaly (84.5%). Statistically significant difference was found between males (58%) and females (42%) (P< 0.01). Moreover, 93.6% of the VL patients were < 5 yr of age, and 6.4% were older than 5 yr that this difference was statistically significant (P< 0.01). From 1383 serum samples collected from domestic dogs in the villages that are known as endemic foci of human leishmaniasis, 152 (11.0%) were positive by DAT (≥ 1:320). Parasitological and serological examinations that were performed in 30 wild canines showed that 10% of these animals were infected by L. infantum. L. infantum Lon49 is the principal agent of the disease in human as well as animal reservoir hosts in different parts of Iran. For the first time in Iran, L. tropica isolated from both skin lesions in the face and bone marrow aspiration in a HIV+ man who co-infected with VL as well as in an infected dog from Ardabil Province