The Seasonal Activity of Ixodes ricinus Tick in Amol, Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

Background: The present study aimed to demonstrate the seasonal activities of Ixodes ricinus at the pasture level and on the host.Methods: A vast pasture in Amol countryside (Mazandaran Province, Iran) which had the potential for a considerablenumber of cattle and sheep to graze was chosen. Tick sampling from the skin of 130 cattle and 130 sheep were collected every month interval. Simultaneously, the activity of the different stages of I. ricinus on the pasture was considered by dragging method. The collected ticks were placed in jars containing 70% alcohol and sent to the parasitological laboratory for identification.Results: The rate of the infestation with adult I. ricinus in cattle and sheep increases gradually with the beginning offall and reaches its peak in January, February and March while it starts to decline with the beginning of spring as theinfestation rate reach to zero in summer months. Accordingly, the highest number of adult I. ricinus existed on the cattle during January, February, and March. In addition, the results of dragging have been revealed that the active tick population in the pasture exists during November, December, January, and March.Conclusion: Ixodes ricinus is regarded a common tick species in Amol (Mazandaran). Due to the biological properties of I. ricinus which is active in the cold and humid months of the year, the prevalence of ruminant infestations with I. ricinus in this area increases from November to March but reaches to zero again with thebeginning of summer

Parasitic Infections of Bicoloured White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura leucodon) from Dasht-e-Razan, Western Iran

Background: The prevalence and intensity of endo and ectoparasites in shrews inhabiting in the Dasht-e Razan of Hamedan Province, Iran, were determined in this study. Methods: By live traps, 64 shrews belong to species bicoloured white-toothed shrews (Crocidura leucodon) were trapped during 2010-2012. Captured animals were euthanized and their gender recorded. The blood thick and thin smears were stained with Geimsa and examined for protozoan parasites. Then, ectoparasites were collected and preserved in 70% ethanol and after necropsies; different organs were examined for helminthes. Results: The prevalence of collected helminthes of Crocidura leucodon were; Capillaria crociduri (18.7%), Vigisolepis secunda (26.5%), Coronacantus sp (15.6%), Capillaria hokkaidensis (45.3%), and its ectoparasites were; Nymphs of three species of ticks; Haemaphysalis sp (32.8%), Ornitodoros sp (23.4%), Hyalomma sp (9.4%), one species of louse, Polyplax reclinata (18.7%) and one species of flea Leptopsylla sp (39.1%). Among the collected parasites, all helminthes and one sucking louse, P. reclinata are reported for the first time in Iran. Statistically analysis with the Chi-square test did not show any significant relation between gender and endoparasites (P>0.05), but the ectoparasites had significant differences with gender (P0.05). Conclusion: This study reports 9 species of parasites and 5 species of them were identified for the first time in Iran and some of them are vectors of several important zoonoses agents

Helminth Infections of House Mouse (Mus musulus) and Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) from the Suburban Areas of Hamadan City, Western Iran

Background: To determine the prevalence and intensity of helminths and their zoonotic importance in small rodents inhabiting in the suburban areas of Hamadan City,Iran. Methods: The present survey was conducted on the helminth infections of two species of rodents Apodemus sylvaticus (n=60) and Mus musculus(n=72) in the suburban areas of Hamadan City during 2010-2012. Rodents were collected and examined for helminth in the different organs. The nematodes were collected in 5% formalin solution and cleared in lactophenol, cestodes and trematodes collected from intestine fixed in AFA solution and stained by acetocarmine, cleared in xylol for identification. Results: Helminths found in A. sylvaticus and M. musculus and their prevalence for the first time in suburban areas of Hamadan City were as follows; In A. sylvaticus: Cysticercus fasciolaris(3.33%), Syphacia fredrici(26.67%), S. stroma(8.33%), Anoplocephalidae sp. (1.67%), Skrjabinotaenia lobata(5%), Plagiorchis muris(1.67%) and in M. musculus: Hymenolepis nana(16.67%), H. diminuta (5.55%), S. obvelata(30.56%), S. ohtarom (9.72%), Rodentolepis crassa(1.39%), C. fasciolaris (1.39%). Among 11 species in two rodents 4 species including S.obvelata, H. nana, H. diminuta, and P. muris have zoonotic importance. Statistically the relation between gender and their helminth infections was not significant in either M.musculus or A. sylvaticus (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study reports 11 species of helminths and on the other hand 3species were identified for the first time in Iran and 5 species of them have potential health importance for public health and cat

Molecular detection of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma ovis in sheep and goat in west highland pasture of Iran

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Anaplasma marginale (A. marginale) and Anaplasma ovis from sheep and goat in different highland pasture in west of Iran. Methods: From July 2015 to October 2015, 370 blood samples of sheep and goat were collected from different regions in Hamedan province, Iran. The DNA extracted from blood and subsequently, 16S rRNA and MSP4 genes were analyzed by nested-PCR, semi nested-PCR and RFLP methods. Results: In the PCR assessment, overall 27.5% (102/370) of sheep and goat were positive for Anaplasma ovis and A. marginale infection, which was lower than reports from tropical and subtropical regions of Iran. Statistical analysis (the Chi-square test) did not show any significant relation between infection and variables such as location, tick infestation age and sex (P > 0.05). No significant correlation between the altitude and the Anaplasma species infection was found (Mann–Whitney test: P > 0.05). However, Anaplasma infection in goat significantly is more than the sheep (P = 0.008). Conclusions: The ecological changes affect the frequency and distribution of Anaplasma species. Furthermore, our results indicate that sheep as potential reservoirs of A. marginale

Molecular Detection and Identification of Theileria Species by PCR-RFLP Method in Sheep from Ahvaz, Southern Iran

  Background: The present study was carried out to investigate the accurate status of ovine Theileria infection in sheep from Ahvaz and surrounding region, a tropical area southwest Iran. Methods:A PCR-RFLP method based on 18S ribosomal RNA gene was designed which could detect and differentiate Theileria and Babesia spp. and also differentiate main Theileria species in sheep at the same time. 119 sheep blood samples were col-lected from Ahvaz and surroundings. Results: Microscopic examination of blood smears revealed 69.7% (83/119) infec-tion with Theileria spp. Of the total samples subjected to PCR, 89% (106/119) were found to be positive, all of which were identified as Theileria by RFLP analysis using enzyme Hind II. In enzymatic digestion of PCR products by Vsp I, 91.5% (97/106) of Theileria positive samples were identified as T. ovis while mixed Theileria infections were found in 9 samples. The samples with mixed infections were analyzed with an additional nested PCR-RFLP method, by HpaII enzyme digestion. 3 samples with T. lestoquardi infection, 1 sample with T. ovis and T. annulata, 1 sample with T. lestoquardi and T. annulata, and 4 samples with T. ovis, T. lestoquardi and T. annulata mixed infections were detected. Conclusion: Ovine theileriosis caused by T. ovis is highly prevalent in southwest Iran while T. lestoquardi and T. annulata infection can be detected in a lesser propor-tion of sheep in this region. The new PCR-RFLP method that was designed in this study, can serve as a beneficial diagnostic tool, especially in T. ovis prevalent re-gions

Status of Haemaphysalis tick infestation in domestic ruminants in Iran

The geographical distribution and ecological preferences of Haemaphysalis in domestic animals in Iran were studied 4 times a year from April 2003 to March 2005. A total of 1,622 ixodid tick specimens were collected from 3 different zones. Among them, 108 (6.7%) Haemaphysalis ticks, consisting of 6 species, were identified; H. punctata (3.4%), H. parva (0.5%), H. sulcata (0.6%), H. choldokovskyi (1.7%), H. concinna (0.06%) and Haemaphysalis sp. (0.6%). H. punctata was the most abundant species, whereas H. concinna was the rarest species collected in humid and sub-humid zones on cattle, sheep and goats. H. choldokovskyi was principally collected from sheep and goats grazed in cold mountainous areas. The infested areas consisted of Caspian Sea (Guilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, and central provinces), mountainous (Azarbaiejan, Ardebil, Kohgilouyeh, and Kordestan) and semi-dessert (Khorasan, Semnan, Kerman, Sistan, and Baluchestan) zones. The Caspian Sea zone (23.6%) was the most highly infested region. The results show that various species of Haemaphysalis ticks infest domestic ruminants in Iran and each tick species show characteristic geographical distributions