Search

Members of the Culex (Culex) pipiens assemblage are known vectors of deadly encephalitides, periodic filariasis, and West Nile virus throughout the world. However, members of this assemblage are morphologically indistinguishable or hard to distinguish and play distinct roles in transmission of the diseases. The current study aimed to provide further evidence on utility of the two most popular nuclear (ITS2-rDNA) and mitochondrial (COI barcode region) genetic markers to identify members of the assemblage. Culex pipiens assemblage specimens from different climate zones of Iran were collected and identified to species level based on morphological characteristics. Nucleotide sequences of the loci for the specimens plus available data in the GenBank were analyzed to find species specific genetic structures useful for diagnosis purposes. ITS2 region was highly divergent within species or populations suggesting lack of consistency as a reliable molecular marker. In contrast, sequence analysis of 710 bp of COI gene revealed three fixed haplotypes named here "C, T, H" within the assemblage which can be distinguished by HaeIII and AluI enzymes. There were a correlation between the haplotypes and the world climate regions, where the haplotypes H/T and C are present mainly in temperate and tropical regions of the world, respectively. In the New world, Australia, and Japan only haplotype H is found. In conjunction between tropical and temperate regions such Iran, China, and Turkey, a mix of C/H or C/H/T are present. Although, the haplotypes are not strictly species-specific, however, Cx. quinquefasciatus was mainly of haplotype C. Due to the lack of mating barrier and questionable taxonomic situation of the complex members, the mentioned haplotypes in combination with other morphological and molecular characters might be used to address the genetic structure of the studied populations., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A molecular study was carried out to incriminate sand fly vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in rural areas of Sarakhs district, Khorassane-Razavi Province, northeastern Iran, in 2011. Sand flies of Sergentomyia with three species and Phlebotomus with six species respectively comprised 73.3% and 26.7% of the specimens. Phlebotomus papatasi was the most common Phlebotomine species in outdoor and indoor resting places. Leishmania infection was found at least in 17 (22%) specimens including Ph. papatasi (n=9 pool samples), Phlebotomus caucasicus (n=6), Phlebotomus alexandri (n=1), and Sergentomyia sintoni (n=1). The parasites were found comprised Leishmania major (n=5), Leishmania turanica (n=10), and Leishmania gerbilli (n=4). Infection of Ph. papatasi with both L. major and L. turanica supporting the new suggestion indicating that it is not restricted only with L. major. Circulation of L. major by Ph. alexandri, and both L. gerbilli and L. turanica by Ph. caucasicus, in addition to previous data indicating the ability of Ph. alexandri to circulate Leishmania infantum and Leishmania donovani, and Ph. caucasicus to circulate L. major, suggests that these two species can be permissive vectors. The results suggest that Ph. papatasi and Ph. alexandri are the primary and secondary vectors of CL where circulating L. major between human and reservoirs, whereas Ph. caucasicus is circulating L. turanica and L. gerbilli between the rodents in the region., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The larvicidal activity of essential oil extracted from an indigenous plant, Kelussia odoratissima Mozaffarian was evaluated against two mosquito species, Anopheles stephensi and Culex pipiens. The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from branch tips and leaf of this plant was determined by GC and GC/MS analysis. Forty-nine constituents were identified in the oil. The main constituents of the oil were Z-ligustilide (77.73%), 2-octen-1-ol acetate (6.27%), E-ligustilide (2.27%) and butylidene phthalide (1.97%). Five different logarithmic concentrations of essential oil were evaluated against the 4th instar larvae of An. Stephensi and Cx. pipiens. The LC(50) and LC(90) values against An. stephensi larvae were 4.88 and 9.60 ppm and for Cx. pipiens were 2.69 and 7.90 ppm, respectively. These properties suggest that K. odoratissima oil has potential source of valuable larvicidal compounds for mosquito larval control. This plant which causes high mortality at lower dose could be considered as a highly active plant. In this paper a guideline suggested for larvicidal activity of plant essential oils., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important health problem in Ardebil, where it borders Azerbaijan in the northwestern Iran. In spite of the presence of both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis (CL and VL) in northwestern Iran, previous researches have consistently revealed the etiologic agent of VL in the region to be Leishmania infantum. This is the first report of natural infection of Phlebotomus tobbi with L. infantum in Bilesavar district in the northern part of Ardebil province bordering Azerbaijan. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of kDNA, ITS1-rDNA, and CPB genes of the parasite followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and gene sequencing analyses revealed presence of L. infantum in six out of 433 tested female sand fly specimens. Although sand flies of P. tobbi were infrequent, two out of 32 (6.25%) females captured in the area were found infected with the parasite. Phlebotomus perfiliewi transcaucasicus, the known vector of VL in the area, were the most dominant species but only four out of 273 (1.47%) tested were infected with L. infantum. This study showed that P. tobbi similar to P. perfiliewi transcaucasicus could play a significant role in the transmission of the L. infantum. However more investigations are needed to demonstrate that L. infantum is the only species circulating in the focus., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)