Identification of Zoonotic Parasites isolated from Stray Dogs in Bojnurd County Located in North-East of Iran

Dog can represent as an important source of zoonotic disease and important health problem for human. They can carry dangerous parasitic diseases such as hydatidosis, toxocariasis and Coenurus cerebralis to humans and animals. This study was performed in order to determine the prevalence and intensity of zoonotic parasites among stray dogs from Bojnurd, the capital city of North Khorasan province in North West of Iran. During a program performing by Bojnurd municipal on the slow killing of stray dogs, 32 dogs from Jun 2013 till March 2015 were selected. At necropsy their alimentary canals were removed and to identify the species of helminthes, the nematodes were cleared in lactophenol and cestodes were stained using carmine acid. Intestinal protozoan parasites were detected with parasitological methods. 28 (87.5%) of 32 stray dogs infected at least with one helminth. Seven species of cestodes were isolated from examined dogs and three species of nematode were detected. Giardia sp. and Cryptosporidium sp. detected from fecal samples. This is the first study of the prevalence of intestinal zoonotic parasites in dogs in this area. It seems control of bearing stray dogs can help human health and reduction economic losses caused by stray dog’s zoonotic parasites

Investigating the Relationship among Academic Qualification, Teaching Experience and Writing Proficiency on Classroom-based Writing

Writing Assessment Literacy (WAL). However, it is neglected in Iranian context. Taking the importance of academic qualification, writing proficiency and teaching experience with regard to writing assessment, the present quantitative study made attempt to investigate the effect of academic qualification, writing proficiency and teaching experience on writing assessment. In order to achieve the research objectives, 30 EFL teachers who teach English language in different language institutes in Iran along with 20 advanced level EFL learners from ILI were selected. Data were gathered through teachers’ writing proficiency test, students’ writing proficiency test and an assessment rubric. The Findings indicated a small relationship between academic qualification and writing assessment as well as between writing proficiency and writing assessment. However, the relationship between teaching experience and writing assessment was medium

The Larval Stages of Echinostoma spp. in Freshwater Snails as the First and Second Intermediate Hosts in Gilan and Mazandaran Provinces, Northern Iran

Background: Identification of the larval stages of Echinostoma spp. in freshwater snails is an essential guide to continue monitoring the possibility of their transmission and the potential of echinostomiasis in areas where trematodes are the primary agent of parasitic diseases. The aim of this study was investigate Echinostoma using morphological and molecular techniques.Methods: The study was conducted in Gilan and Mazandaran Provinces, northern Iran, from April 2019 to October 2021. Overall, 5300 freshwater snails were randomly collected and were identified using external shell morphology. Meanwhile, snails infected with trematodes were studied via shedding and dissecting methods. Larvae stages of Echinostoma were identified and the genomic DNA of the samples was extracted. The PCR amplification of the ITSI gene was carried out for 17 isolates and products were sequenced. Seven sequences were deposited in GenBank.Results: Totally, 3.5% of snails containing three species (Stagnicola sp., Radix sp. and Planorbis sp.) were infected with two types of cercaria, E. revolutum with 37 and Echinostoma sp. with 45 spines in the collar. Moreover, 35% of the snails were infected with Echinostoma spp. metacercaria. Phylogenetic analysis illustrated that isolates were included in two ITSI haplogroups. Conclusion: Results showed the potential hazard of a zoonotic parasite as Echinostoma in northern Iran. The potential of disease environmental relationship investigation and resource control optimization is necessary for effective disease prevention and health management

Molecular characterization of Fasciola hepatica and phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial (nicotiamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit I and cytochrome oxidase subunit I) genes from the North-East of Iran

Aim: Fascioliasis is one of the most zoonotic diseases with global extension. As the epidemiological distribution of Fasciola may lead to various genetic patterns of the parasite, the aim of this study is to identify Fasciola hepatica based on spermatogenesis, and phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial (nicotiamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit I [ND1] and cytochrome oxidase subunit I) gene marker. Materials and Methods: In this study, 90 F. hepatica collected from 30 cattle at slaughterhouse located in three different geographical locations in the North-East of Iran were evaluated based on spermatogenetic ability and internal transcribed spacer 1 gene restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern. Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship using mtDNA gene marker for the isolates from the North-East of Iran, and other countries were then analyzed. Results: Partial sequences of mtDNA showed eight haplotypes in both genes. The phylogenic analysis using neighbor joining as well as maximum likelihood methods showed similar topologies of trees. Pairwise fixation index between different F. hepatica populations calculated from the nucleotide data set of ND1 gene are statistically significant and show the genetic difference. Conclusion: F. hepatica found in this region of Iran has different genetic structures through the other Fasciola populations in the world

Prevalence and Morphological Characterization of Cheilospirura hamulosa, Diesing, 1861 (Nematoda: Acuarioidea), from Partridges in Iran

This study reports data on the prevalence, morphology, and morphometry of the nematode Cheilospirura hamulosa on the basis of light and stereoscopic microscopy and also camera lucida. Specimens were recovered after necropsies of 100 partridges (Alectoris chukar) from Taleqan County in Alborz Province, Iran. The prevalence of C. hamulosa in partridges was of 30% with a mean intensity of 3.9 and range of infection of 1–12. The mean length and width of females were 17.5±2.14 and 0.39±0.04 mm, while those of males were 12.2±0.67 and 0.3±0.06 mm, respectively. The characteristic digitiform tail was observed in females, and the unequal spicules, caudal alae, and ten pairs of caudal papillae were seen in males. The taxonomic characteristic longitudinal cordons and muscular and glandular oesophagus were observed in both sexes. Ratio between cordons and body length in males and females was 1 : 1.33 and 1 : 1.68, respectively. Ratio between long and short spicules in males was 1 : 2.3. The average size of embryonated eggs was 51.25×29.5 μm. In the present study, C. hamulosa (Nematoda: Acuarioidea) is recorded for the first time from partridges in Iran. Therefore, the morphological characters described in this study will be useful in the future diagnostic and taxonomic studies of Acuarioidea family

Genotyping and Phylogenetic Analysis of Fasciola Spp. Isolated from Sheep and Cattle Using PCR-RFLP in Ardabil Province, Northwestern Iran.

The aim of this study was to detect the genotype of Fasciola spp. in Meshkin-Shahr, Ardabil Province, northwestern Iran in different hosts using PCR-RFLP.The parasite hosts included cattle, and sheep. Overall, 70 adult flukes from livers of slaughtered animals were collected from the abattoirs of aforementioned area. The included 35 samples from infected sheep and 35 samples from 35 infected cattle. PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis of the first nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS 1) region from Fasciola species were used to conduct the study.The fragment of approximately 700bp in all of the Fasciola samples was amplified. PCR products of ITS 1 were subjected for digestion by restriction enzyme. RsaI restriction enzyme was selected for RFLP method that caused the separation specifically of Fasciola species. Amplicons with the sequences of F. hepatica had a pattern of about 360, 100, and 60 bp band size, whereas F. gigantica worms had a profile of 360, 170, and 60 bp in size, respectively. Results based on PCR-RFLP analysis were confirmed by sequence analysis of representative ITS 1 amplicons. No hybrid forms were detected in the present study. All sheep were infected with F. hepatica but cattle were infected with both species.Both species of Fasciola are present in Ardabil. The method described here can be valuable for identification of Fasciola species in endemic parts for fasciolosis, regions with intermediate species and in that overlapping distribution area

Contamination of fresh vegetables in municipal stores with pathogenic Acanthamoeba genotypes; a public health concern

Acanthamoeba spp. cause keratitis and encephalitis, and are a proper carrier of foodborne pathogens. A total of 70 samples including garden cress, chives, mint, parsley, and basil were collected. Samples were cultured onto a 2% non-nutrient agar medium. The cultures were analyzed using morphological and molecular techniques. In total, 18 (25.7%) out of 70 samples were positive including garden cress 10/22 (45.45%), chives 3/12 (25%), mint 2/13 (15.38%), basil 2/13 (15.38%), and parsley 1/10 (10%). The diagnostic fragment 3 was successfully sequenced in 15 samples and represented 11 (73.3%) T4, three (20%) T5, and one T9 genotypes. In addition, three, two, and one strains, belonging to the genotypes T4, T5, and T9 were ranked highly pathogenic. This is the first study reporting contamination of the most commonly consumed fresh vegetables with pathogenic Acanthamoeba genotypes. Our findings signify the public health concerns due the contamination of vegetables in municipal public markets

Free-living amoebae in an oil refinery wastewater treatment facility

Free Living Amoebae (FLA) are ubiquitous microorganisms reported from harsh environmental conditions. Oil refinery facilities consume vast volumes of water during their processes, generating a large amount of wastewater. The present study aimed to evaluate the wastewater treatment process in an oil refinery wastewater treatment facility (ORWWTF) for the presence of FLA. Water samples were collected from an oil refinery wastewater (ORWW) for nine months. After recording physical-chemical features, samples were cultivated onto non-nutrient agar (NNA). The discriminative fragments of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene were amplified and sequenced to characterize the isolated FLA. Phylogenetic tree, and network analysis were employed to evaluate genetic relationships. The thermo-and osmotolerant tests were performed on the isolated FLA. Twenty-five (32.9%) samples were positive for FLA cultivation. Acanthamoeba spp., Vahlkampfiids, and Vermamoeba spp. were detected, of which Acanthamoeba species were predominant. There was no statistical correlation between pH, NH3, PO4, H2S, and TDS with the presence of FLA. A statistical correlation between the presence of FLA and the type of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was significant (P-value = 0.011). All Acanthamoeba spp. isolates belonged to the genotypes T4 (17/21; 80.95%) and T11 (4/21; 19.05%). Vahlkampfiids were Naegleria spp., (7/10; 70%), Tetramitus aberdonicus (1/10; 10%), Learamoeba spp., (1/10; 10%), and Vahlkampfia spp., (1/10; 10%). All three Vermamoeba spp. were V. vermiformis. The ORWW contains toxic materials, and a few microorganisms can stay active in these environments. This is the first study which isolates FLA from such super harsh conditions. For the first time, T. aberdonicus, and Learamoeba spp., were isolated from oily wastewater. Our findings signify the concern due to the distribution of potentially pathogenic FLA to downstream lands via treated wastewater that may be released after treatment processing