Iranian Journal of Parasitology 

About: Iranian Journal of Parasitology is an academic journal published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Medicine & Toxoplasma gondii. It has an ISSN identifier of 1735-7020. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 1103 publications have been published receiving 12352 citations. The journal is also known as: IJP.

Echinococcosis /hydatidosis in Iran

Abstract: Cystic echinococcosis caused by Echinococcus spp. is considered endemic in Iran. To clarify the present status of hydatidosis in Iran the present review article is presented. Authentic databases and search engines from 1996 onwards were utilized to enquire the situation of the disease in Iran. Human hydatidosis is responsible for approximately 1% of admission to surgical wards and the rate of human infection is 0.6-1.2/100000. The usual order of involvement, i.e. liver, lung, and other organs, respectively is documented here as well. Risk factors include contact with dog, eating vegetable, geophagy and contact with sheep. Dogs play a critical role in transition the hydatidosis. The rate of infection with E. granulosus in stray dogs shows a prevalence of 5% to 49% in different parts of Iran. Followed by sheep with 88% fertilized cysts, camel with 70%, and cattle with 19% have been considered as the most important and the weakest intermediate host of E. granulosus , respectively. Molecular analyses clearly indicate that the camel/dog strain (G6 genotype) of E. granulosus as well as the cosmopolitan, common sheep strain (G1 genotype) occurs in Iran. A wide variety of livestock including sheep, cattle, goat, camel and buffalo also harbor the disease. E. multilocularis another agent of human hydatidosis (alveolar cyst) is reported here as well and from 1946 to 1993, 37 cases of human alveolar echinococcosis were reported from northwestern Iran. Hydatidosis must be considered as a dilemma in Iran because of its endemicity in the country.

Visceral leishmaniasis in Iran: Review of the Epidemiological and Clinical Features.

Abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a life-threatening vector-borne parasitic disease is distributed in some parts of the new world and old world. The disease is endemic in different parts of Iran. This review article has been focused on major topics of epidemiological aspects and clinical features of VL in Iran for the period of 2002 through 2012. For the detection of VL in humans as well as animal reservoir hosts, anti-Leishmania antibodies were detected using direct agglutination test (DAT) as a validated serological test. Parasitological examinations were performed on suspected VL patients as well as canines and rodents. Different molecular methods were used for identification of species and genotype/ or strain of Leishmania spp. isolated from infected humans, animal reservoir hosts and vectors. Altogether, 1698 out of 36081 (4.7%) human serum samples collected from 5 distinct geographical zones showed anti-Leishmania antibodies at titers≥1:3200 using DAT. The majority of VL cases in the endemic areas were found among children up to 12 years old. Almost 75% of DAT-positive cases (≥1:3200) in endemic areas showed clinical signs and symptoms. Predominant signs and symptoms in 217 hospitalized patients with DAT positive (≥1:3200) results included paleness (99.5%), fever (96.9%), splenomegaly (91.5%), hepatomegaly (53.6%) and lymphadenopathy (21.1%). Integrated VL surveillance system in primary care using DAT, could decrease mortality and morbidity of the disease in the VL endemic areas of the northwestern Iran. Out of 7204 serum samples collected from domestic dogs in various geographical locations of Iran, 879 (12.2%) were DAT sero-positive at titers≥1:320. L. infantum as the principal causative agent of the disease was isolated from infected humans, domestic and wild canines and rodents. The principal animal reservoir hosts of the infection are domestic and wild canines. Ph. kandelakii, Ph. perfiliewi transcaucasicus, Ph. tobbi in northwestern Iran; Ph. major s.l. (=Ph. neglectus), Ph. keshishiani, and Ph. alexandri in southern parts of Iran were molecularly and/or parasitologically positive for L. infantum infections. The zoonotic form of VL (ZVL) caused by L. infantum occurs sporadically in all geographical zones of Iran but in northwestern and southern parts of the country the disease is endemic. DAT as an appropriate and potential tool has been used for sero-diagnosis and sero- epidemiological of VL among humans as well as domestic and wild canines.

Application of Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) for the Diagnosis and Seroepidemiological Studies of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Iran

Abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most important parasitic diseases which is endemic in different parts of Iran. Serological studies were conducted by direct agglutination test (DAT) on 12144 human serum samples, collected from four geographical zones of Iran. Sero prevalence, geographical distribution, clinical signs and symptoms for human visceral leishmaniasis based on DAT for the period of 2002 through 2005 were determined. From 516 kala-azar cases detected: 50.6% were from Meshkin-shahr and Moghan districts in Ardabil Province, northwest of Iran and 49.4% were detected from other areas of Iran. In physical examination of seropositive cases, which were detected by DAT with anti-leishmanial antibodies at titers of 1: 3200 to 1: 102400, almost 50% of suspected individuals showed the classical kala-azar signs and symptoms. Predominant signs and symptoms in 233 hospitalized patients with anti-Leishmania antibodies at 1:3200 and higher, were fever (88.0%) and splenomegaly (84.5%). Statistically significant difference was found between males (58%) and females (42%) (P< 0.01). Moreover, 93.6% of the VL patients were < 5 yr of age, and 6.4% were older than 5 yr that this difference was statistically significant (P< 0.01). From 1383 serum samples collected from domestic dogs in the villages that are known as endemic foci of human leishmaniasis, 152 (11.0%) were positive by DAT (≥ 1:320). Parasitological and serological examinations that were performed in 30 wild canines showed that 10% of these animals were infected by L. infantum. L. infantum Lon49 is the principal agent of the disease in human as well as animal reservoir hosts in different parts of Iran. For the first time in Iran, L. tropica isolated from both skin lesions in the face and bone marrow aspiration in a HIV + man who co-infected with VL as well as in an infected dog from Ardabil Province.

Anthelmintics Resistance; How to Overcome it?

Abstract: Many parasitic helminthes of veterinary importance have genetic features that favor development of anthelmintic resistance, this becoming a major worldwide constrain in livestock production. The development of anthelmintic resistance poses a large threat to future production and welfare of grazing animals. Development of variable degrees of resistance among different species of gastrointestinal nematodes has been reported for all the major groups of anthelmintic drugs. It has been observed that frequent usage of the same group of anthelmintic; use of anthelmintics in sub-optimal doses, prophylactic mass treatment of domestic animals and frequent and continuous use of a single drug have contributed to the widespread development of anthelmintic resistance in helminthes. The degree and extent of this problem especially with respect to multidrug resistance in nematode populations is likely to increase. Maintaining parasites in refugia and not exposed to anthelmintics, seems to be a key point in controlling and delaying the development of resistance, because the susceptible genes are preserved. Targeted selective treatments attract the interest of scientists towards this direction. Additionally, adoption of strict quarantine measures and a combination drug strategy are two important methods of preventing of anthelmintic resistance. Experience from the development of anthelmintic resistance suggests that modern control schemes should not rely on sole use of anthelmintics, but employ other, more complex and sustainable recipes, including parasite resistant breeds, nutrition, pasture management, nematode-trapping fungi, antiparasitic vaccines and botanical dewormers. Most of them reduce reliance on the use of chemicals and are environmental friendly. Finally, if new anthelmintic products are released, an important question will be raised about how they should be used. It is suggested that slowing the development of resistance to a new class are likely to be gained by releasing it in combination with one or more of the older anthelmintic classes, especially where efficacy of the older active(s) remains high.

Plasmodium berghei ANKA Infection in ICR Mice as a Model of Cerebral Malaria.

Abstract: Background: Animal models with various combination of host-parasite have long been employed to study malaria pathogenesis. Here, we describe the combination of Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection in inbred ICR mice as a model of cerebral malaria (CM). Methods: Infection in mice was initiated by intraperitoneal injection of 2 x 10(7) (0.2ml) parasitized red blood cells (PRBCs). Results: This model can produce a severe degree of infection presented by the high degree of parasitaemia followed by death 6-7 days post infection. Severe anemia, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly and discolourations of major organs were observed. Histopathological findings revealed several important features mimicking human CM including, microvascular sequestration of PRBCs in major organs, particularly in the brain, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the kupffer cells in the liver, pulmonary edema and hyaline membrane formation in the lungs and haemorrhages in the kidney's medulla and cortex. Proinflammatory cytokines TNF alpha, IFN gamma, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-18, and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 were all found to be elevated in the plasma of infected mice. Conclusion: This model can reproduce many of the important features of CM and therefore can be used as a tool to advance our understanding of the disease pathogenesis.