Biopathologic Characterization of Three Mixed Poultry Eimeria spp. Isolates

Background: Coccidiosis of domestic fowl, caused by species of the Genus Eimeria, is responsi­ble for important economic losses in poultry production. Because different species and/or strains can vary in pathogenicity and other biological parameters, their precise characteriza­tion is important for epizootiological studies.Methods: Fifty samples from litter, whole intestinal tract and feces were collected from poul­try houses located in different provinces of Iran. One hundred twenty male day-old broi­ler chicks were challenged with three selected isolates. Data on weight gain, Food Conversion Ratio (FCR), food intake, lesion scoring and shedding of oocysts per gram of feces were rec­orded and analyzed by the Duncan's test.Results: In all treatments, the challenged groups had statistically significant lower weight gain than that of unchallenged control group. Isolate three caused the lowest weight gain and food intake and the worst lesion score as well as FCR. Despite originating from close geographi­cal regions for isolates 1 and 2, the difference in biopathologic factors may be either due to different proportion of identified species or the different pathogenicity of the species present in the isolates.Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of considering various species of Eimeria in designing the preventive, control and treatment strategies to prevent coccidiosis in different regions of Iran. Further characterization of each isolate would be the next step to provide a basis for coccidiosis research with well-characterized local isolates

First Detection of Nosema ceranae, a Microsporidian Protozoa of European Honeybees (Apis mellifera) In Iran

Background: Nosemosis of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is present in bee colonies world­wide. Until recently, Nosema apis had been regarded as the causative agent of the disease, that causes heavy economic losses in apicultures. Nosema ceranae is an emerging microsporidian para­site of European honeybees, A. mellifera, but its distribution is not well known. Previously, nosemosis in honeybees in Iran was attributed exclusively to N. apis.Methods: Six Nosema positive samples (determined from light microscopy of spores) of adult worker bees from one province of Iran (Savadkouh- Mazandaran, northern Iran) were tested to determine Nosema species using previously- developed PCR primers of the 16 S rRNA gene. As it is difficult to distinguish N. ceranae and N. apis morphologically, a PCR assay based on 16 S ribosomal RNA has been used to differentiate N. apis and N. ceranae.Results: Only N. ceranae was found in all samples, indicating that this species present in Iran apiar­ies.Conclusion: This is the first report of N. ceranae in colonies of A. mellifera in Iran. It seems that intensive surveys are needed to determine the distribution and prevalence of N. ceranae in differ­ent regions of Iran

Molecular and Biomorphometrical Identification of Ovine Babesiosis in Iran

Background: Ovine babesiosis is the most important haemoparasitic tick-borne disease of small ruminants in Iran caused by Babesia ovis, B. motasi, and B. crassa. The aim of this study was to characterize the species of ovine Babesia species isolated from different geographical region of Iran.Methods: One hundred fifty four blood samples collected from animals, which demonstrated the pale mucous membranes or hyperthermia. The specimens were transferred to the laboratory and the blood smears stained with Geimsa, the morphological and biometrical data of parasite in any infected erythrocyte have been considered. Extracted DNA from each blood samples were used in PCR and semi nested- PCR in order to confirm the presence of the species.Results: The results of the PCR assays showed nine (5.85%), 81 (53%) and 18 (11.7%) were distinguished as Babesia, Theileria and mixed infection, respectively. Semi nested- PCR did not confirm the presence of B. motasi.Conclusion: The causative organism of many cases of haemoprotozoal diseases, which recorded in previous studies, could be B. ovis or Theileria lestoquardi. The result confirmed that B. ovis was only species which causes babesiosis in the study areas. It seems that the biometrical polymor­phisms could exist in B. ovis in Iran. This polymorphism could be a main problem in differen­tiation between B. ovis and B. motasi and it could be dissolved by specific PCR analysis

Dynamic hydraulic jump and retrograde sedimentation in an open channel induced by sediment supply: experimental study and SPH simulation

Mountainous torrents often carry large amounts of loose materials into the rivers, thus causing strong sediment transport. Experimentally it was found for the first time that when the intensive sediment motion occurs downstream over a gentle slope, the siltation of the riverbed is induced and the sediment particles can move upstream rapidly in the form of a retrograde sand wave, resulting in a higher water level along the river. To further study the complex mechanisms of this problem, a sediment mass model in the framework of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method was presented to simulate the riverbed evolution, sediment particle motion, and the generation and development of dynamic hydraulic jump under the condition of sufficient sediment supply over a steep slope with varying angles. Because the sediment is not a continuous medium, the marker particle tracking approach was proposed to represent a piece of sediment with a marked sediment particle. The two-phase SPH model realizes the interaction between the sediment and fluid by moving the bed boundary particles up and down, so it can reasonably treat the fluid-sediment interfaces with high CPU efficiency. The critical triggering condition of sediment motion, the propagation of the hydraulic jump and the initial siltation position were all systematically studied. The experimental and numerical results revealed the extra disastrous sediment effect in a mountainous flood. The findings will be useful references to the disaster prevention and mitigation in mountainous rivers

Occurrence of Soft and Hard Ticks on Ruminants in Zagros Mountainous Areas of Iran

Background:The distribution and preferences of ticks of animals in central of Iran were studied four times a year. Methods: One thousand seven tick specimens were collected from different localities including Isfahan, Chaharmahalbak­htiary, EastAzarbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kordestan, Kermanshah, Lorestan and Fars. Results: Most of sampled animals in this area were infested. We also encountered with a wild goat (Capra hircus aegagrus) in Kolah Qazi national park in this part that was infested intensively by Boophilus kohlsi. Fifteen ixodid tick species were identified over the study period from cattle, sheep and domestic and wild goats namely B. kohlsi (3.6%) Rhipicephalus sanguineus (4.5%), Rh.bursa (21.9%), Rh.turanicus (2.9%), Dermacentor niveus (12.9%), D.raskemensis (4.1%), D.marginatus (7.3%), Haemaphysalis punctata (3.5%), H. Parva (0.6%), H. Choldokovskyi (2%), Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (4.8%), H.anatolicum anatolicum (5.2%), H. asiaticum asiaticum (7.3%), H. marginatum marginatum (13%), and H. detritum detritum (5.9%). The only soft tick found was Ornithodoros canestrinii which occurred in all localities of Isfahan Province but with significant differences in abundance. Clear pattern of seasonality was evident for this species and it was generally present from November to March, while ixodid ticks were present throughout the year. The largest numbers of adult ixodid ticks were generally present from April to August. Conclusion: The results showed that Rh.bursa, D.niveus and H.marginatum marginatum are dominant tick specie

The First Report of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) kohlsi (Hoogstraal and Kaiser 1960) from Wild Goats (Capra hircus aega¬grus) in Iran

Background: Studies concerning ticks were of interest to evaluate the distribution and composition of species affecting live¬stock, thus it was a main step in our knowledge of the pathogens that they may transmit by tick. Methods: A collection of 21 adult female and 15 male hard ticks, all is representing a single species of tick collected under the tail of wild goat. The specimens preserved in 70 % alcohol in glass vial and brought to laboratory for identification. In or¬der to distinguish species relationships between wild and domestic animals, tick sampling has been achieved in 7 different places located around Kolah Qazi national park in Isfahan Province. Results: Important descriptions of ticks isolated from wild goat strongly supported that the tick species in this collection was only Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) kohlsi. Conclusion: It seems that this is the first report of Rh. (Boophilus) kohlsi in Iran. Wild sheep and goats live throughout Iran ex¬cept in forest and other tall vegetation areas. Although, both animals has pastured occasionally in same open rangeland but we could not find any tick of Rh. (Boophilus) kohlsi in domestic animals

Haematophagus Mites in Poultry Farms of Iran

Background: Blood sucking mites are important avian ectoparasites which being found on bird species worldwide. Their presence are problematic for the producers either through potential direct effects on weight gain, egg produc­tion, sperm production in roosters or as nuisance pests on worker handle hens and eggs. The aim of this study was pointing out of the status of haematophagus mites. Methods: Eight caged layer and four breeder flocks were visited, monitoring for the presence of chicken mites per­formed by removing and examining debris from poultry house, infested nesting material collected into zip lock plas­tic bags and at least 20 birds were also randomly selected to examine the presence of chicken mites. Mites obtained from each population were mounted in Hoyer,s medium on microscope slides and identified. All eight caged layer and four breeder flocks were inspected, which were infested with chicken blood feeding mites. Results: Massive infestations of Dermanyssus gallinae were common with huge numbers of parasites on birds, cages and the conveyor belts for egg. Only one farm from Mazandaran Province was infested to Ornithonyssus bursa. Conclusion: Dermanyssus gallinae was the most prevalent blood feeder mite in the breeder and caged layer flocks in Iran, while O. bursa was reported as a first record, which found only in a breeder flock in Mazanderan Province. It seems that its presence is limited into the area which affected by both warm and humid environmental conditions

Therapeutic evaluation of activatable melittin for selective treatment of leishmaniasis in vitro and in vivo

Leishmaniasis is a major public health problem worldwide. Because of its high prevalence, the development of an effective treatment is especially important. Drug delivery systems are promising pharmaceutical formulations for improving the therapeutic index of drugs. In this study, activatable melittin (AM) peptide was designed and encapsulated with albumin and liposome for selective targeting of Leishmania infected cells. The effect of AM was determined by measuring its cytotoxicity and pathologic effects using Giemsa and haematoxylin/eosin staining, respectively. The results of this study showed that the toxicity of designed AM is reduced compared to wild-type melittin, in addition to the use of AM-loaded albumin nanoparticle and liposome containing AM and their therapeutic role against cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. major. The encapsulation of AM with albumin and liposome as a non-toxic carrier at a concentration of 25 µg/mL can improve and optimise the antileishmanial effects of this drug, so, infected cells treated with AM in albumin nanoparticle and liposome had less Leishmania major promastigotes. These forms of the drug could be a good alternative to the current drugs so performance of further in vivo studies is suggested

Current Status of Tick Fauna in North of Iran

Background: The distribution and ecological preferences of ticks of domestic animals in North of Iran were studied four times a year from 2002 to 2005. Methods: A total of 1720 tick specimens were collected from cattle, sheep and goats from different localities of Caspian Sea areas consisting of Guilan, Mazandaran, Golestan and Ardebil provinces, Iran. Results: Fourteen tick species were identified as Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (5.23%), H.marginatum (20.34%), H.detritum (3.48%), Haemaphysalis punctata (12.79%), Haem. Parva (0.58%), Haem.concinna (0.58%), Haem.choldokovsky (6.97%), Ixodes ricinus (2.32%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (19.76%), Rh.bursa (4.65%), Boophilus annulatus (9.88%), Dermacentor niveus (6.39%), D. marginatus (1.74%) and Ornithodoros lahorensis (5.23%). Both Dermacentor and Ornithodoros were found only in Ardebil with cold climatic conditions and high altitude. The only ticks, which were found in forest area, were Boophilus annulatus and Ixodes ricinus. Conclusion: The veterinary and public health importance of the above species should be emphasized