The insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth against adults and nymphs of Blattella germanica

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo evaluate the insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth (DE) against adults and nymphs of Blattella germanica.MethodsThis cross sectional study has been done on the laboratory strain of German cockroaches. Two stages, nymph and adult, were exposed to six dose rates of the DE, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 g/m2, at 24, 48 and 72 h exposure period. Mortality (number of dead cockroaches) was assessed after 24 h. Other exposed specimens were transferred to the beakers contained food and water for counting the retard mortality rate after 1 week.ResultsIncreasing in dose rates of DE increased mortality rate, so that the lowest and highest mortality rates were observed in 2.5 and 25 g/m2, respectively. The results of the statistical analysis showed no significant difference in the lethality of 50% of DE plus water on the German cockroach nymphs.ConclusionsDue to the resistance of German cockroach against organochloride, organophosphorus, carbamate and pyrethriodes insecticides, it is suggested to use DE for insect's control

Wash Resistance and Bioefficacy of Alpha-cypermethrin Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (LLIN-Interceptor(®)) against Anopheles stephensi using Tunnel Test.

Background: The Long-lasing insecticide impregnated nets (LLINs) is considered as an effective tools for malaria vector control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the residual efficacy of alpha-cypermethrin long lasting im- pregnated nets (LLIN-Interceptor®) against Anopheles stephensi using tunnel test. Methods: The wash-resistance of Interceptor® nets were assessed under laboratory conditions using tunnel test. Females of An. stephensi were released into the tunnel and then they were provided blood meals from guinea pigs.Bed nets were washed according to the standard procedure up to 20 times. The bioefficacy indicators such as inhi- bition of bloodmeal from experimental animal, knockdown, irritancy rate, survival rate, entry index and mortality were calculated. Results: It induced 90–100% mortalities in the population of An. stephensi up to 15 washes. The KT50 values re- duced from 73.47 to 26.30 minutes in unwashed in comparison to one washed, respectively. The mean of mortality rate of blood-feeding inhibition and entry indexes was reached to 91.6%±2.8, 87.0±3.4 and 24.9±2.8 respectively after 20 washing. Conclusion: This net could provide a good personal protection against malaria vectors and could induce relatively high mortality, inhibit the blood-feeding as well as reduce the entry rates of female mosquitoes even after several washes

Notes on the Iran Caddisflies and Role of Annulipalpian Hydropsychid Caddisflies as a Bio-monitoring Agent

Background: Eco-faunistic studies are inevitable step in environmental researches. Aquatic organisms like caddisflies are known as biological indicators for water quality assessment and water resource management. They have special role for energy flow in the freshwater habitats as food web and food chain among aquatic creatures.Methods: In addition to an extensive literature review on Iran Caddisflies, a field study was carried out in Lavasan river flows in north east of Tehran to collect aquatic insects using D-frame nets and or direct search on stone beneath. The water quality was measured using analytical method. Results: Literature revealed record of 62 trichopterid species in the country comprising 14 families. The most abun­dant species belonged to the Hydropsychidae. Herein we report presence of the Annulipalpian Hydropsyche sciligra H Malicky, 1977 in the study area. Habitat water quality of H. sciligra resembled human drinkable water. However presence of snail, Physa acuta and fish Capoeta buhsei in the water sampling area indicated inferior quality. Conclusion: From ecological point of view caddisfly larvae are predators of most important medical vectors like mosquitoes, blackflies and midges. Also they are useful and important indicator for monitoring physicochemical effects in the nature, so that they can be used for bio-monitoring program. From medical point of view, wing hairs or other body parts of caddisflies can be inhalant and contact allergens in Trichopterists and in sensitive individuals who come in contact

Corrigendum to "Optimizing the removal of organophosphorus pesticide malathion from water using multi-walled carbon nanotubes" [Chem. Eng. J. (2017) 310(Part I) (22-32)] (S1385894716314589), (10.1016/j.cej.2016.10.057)

The authors would like to correct the author's affiliation through this corrigendum. The corrected affiliations are shown above. The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.Scopu

Evaluation of Deltamethrin in Combination of Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) against Pyrethroid Resistant, Malaria Vector, Anopheles stephensi in IRS Implementation: an Experimental Semi-Filed Trial in Iran

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate different concentrations of deltamethrin combined with formulated piperonyl butoxide (PBO) synergist on various surfaces against the wild strain of Anopheles stephensi, the main malaria vector in Southern Iran under semi-field condition. Methods: Four concentrations of deltamethrin WG 25% (Tagros) and PBO 800EC-UV (Endura) were prepared and sprayed on the pre-designed surfaces in accordance with WHO alliance line of the IRS Micronair®. The WHO’s rec­ommended bioassay kit and method was used during this study. Results: Comparing the mortality rate of mosquitoes, the results showed a significant difference between months after treatment of IRS (Indoor Residual Spraying) (P 0.05).Statistical test revealed a significance difference between mortality rate of mosquitoes in exposing to concentrations of 1 and 4 (P< 0.05) which demonstrated effect of synergizing PBO on mortality rate. Conclusion: This research as the first semi-field trial on deltamethrin added to different concentrations of formulated PBO for IRS, indicates that deltamethrin+10X PBO is more effective than other concentrations. Therefore, using syner­gists can be suggested as a new tool for prevention of pyrethriod resistance, although more studies are recommended

Biodiversity of Aquatic Insects of Zayandeh Roud River and Its Branches, Isfahan Province, Iran.

Background: Aquatic insects are the  major groups of arthropods that spend  some parts of their life cycle in the water. These insects play an important role for transmission of some human and animal diseases. There is few information about the aquatic insects fauna of Iran. Methods: To study the aquatic insects fauna, adult, nymphal and larval collections were carried out from different habitats using the standard technique in Zayandeh Roud River, Isfahan Province,central Iran, during summer 2011. Results: In total, 741 speimens of aquatic insects were collected and morphologically identified. They include 7 families and 12 genera representing 2 Orders. The order of  Diptera (92.31%) and Coleoptera (7.69%). The families Culicidae, Syrphidae and Chironomidae from Diptera order, Gyrinidae, Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, Hydrophilidae from Coleoptera order were identified. Conclusion: Some aquatic insects play an important role for transmission of human and animal diseases. These insects also are important for biological control. Therefore ecological study on aquatic insects can provide information about ecology of insects in an area for any decision making

Discrimination of Paederus fuscipes and Paederus littoralis by mtDNA-COI PCR-RFLP

Background: Linear dermatitis is endemic in Iran where most cases occur in the Caspian Sea coast and Fars prov­ince. The disease is caused by beetles of the genus Paederus which are active from early spring to beginning of au­tumn although its incidence rises from May to August. The classic taxonomy of Paederus spp. is based on the male genitalia that is very complex and needs expertise. In this study, we report a DNA-based method to discriminate Paederus fuscipes and Paederus littoralis (=syn: P. lenkoranus, P. ilsae). Methods: Type specimens were collected from north and south of Iran. Molecular typing of the species was per­formed using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-am­plified fragments of mtDNA-COI. Results: Sequence analyses of the data obtained in this study showed significant DNA polymorphisms. There were 89 substitutions between COI sequences of the two species. The mtDNA-COI fragment comprises several useful species-specific restriction sites comprising HaeIII that could result in distinctively different species-specific PCR–RFLP profiles. The HaeIII enzyme cuts the 872 bp PCR amplicon of P. littoralis into 737 and 100 bp and two small nonvisible bands whereas it does not cut P. fuscipes amplicon into fragments. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that molecular typing is useful method and allows one to differentiate between two species and is recommended for discrimination of other Paederus species, which morphologically are indistin­guishable or very difficult to be distinguished