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Zafari S, Motavallihaghi S, Salehzadeh A, Zahirnia A, Sazmand A, Maghsood AH. Molecular investigation of Leishmania in sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) and rodents (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Nahavand, west of Iran. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:253. [PMID: 38922451 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08265-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by different species of Leishmania is transmitted by Phlebotominae sandflies. This disease remains a public health concern in Iran. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine Leishmania infection in sandflies and reservoir rodents in six rural regions of Nahavand, located in western Iran. From May to October 2022, sandflies and rodents were collected and identified at the species level. Additionally, rodents' skin lesions and earlobe specimens were collected separately for microscopic and molecular examination. All specimens were tested for Leishmania DNA by PCRs targeting the parasite's ITS-2 and 18S rRNA gene and positive were Sanger sequenced. A total of 3396 sandflies belonging to seven subgenera and 11 species, i.e., Phlebotomus papatasi (42.7%), P. major (20.6%), P. mascitti (0.3%), P. neglectus (0.2%), P. alexandri (0.2%), P. turanicus (0.3%), Sergentomyia murgabiensis (18.1%), S. dentata (10.5%), S. theodori (5.8%), S. antennata (1.1%), and S. pawlowski (0.1%) were identified. Based on the species population, 29 pools of sandflies were examined for the presence of Leishmania DNA using conventional PCR (cPCR), and individual DNAs were tested when positive. Leishmania major DNA was detected in two P. papatasi and Leishmania sp. in one P. major individual sandfly. This is the first report of Leishmania infection in sandflies from Hamadan province. The captured rodents (n = 61) belonged to four families and seven species, i.e., Arvicola amphibius (37.7%), Mus musculus (29.5%), Microtus socialis (13.1%), Apodemus sylvaticus (11.5%), Talpa davidiana (4.9%), Apodemus witherbyi (1.6%), and Rattus norvegicus (1.6%). Microscopic and molecular examinations of the rodent lesions and earlobes scored negative results. The presence of Leishmania in the Phlebotominae sandflies in Nahavand indicates a potential threat to humans and animals in the region. Regular monitoring and examination of the sandflies' population and timely diagnosis and treatment of new patients are strongly recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salman Zafari
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Seyedmousa Motavallihaghi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Aref Salehzadeh
- Department of Medical Entomology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Zahirnia
- Department of Medical Entomology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Alireza Sazmand
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, 6517658978, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Maghsood
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
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Sharifi I, Khosravi A, Aflatoonian MR, Salarkia E, Bamorovat M, Karamoozian A, Moghadam MN, Sharifi F, Afshar AA, Afshari SAK, Gharachorloo F, Shirzadi MR, Amiri B, Zainali M, Doosti S, Zamani O, Gouya MM. Cutaneous leishmaniasis situation analysis in the Islamic Republic of Iran in preparation for an elimination plan. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1091709. [PMID: 37188278 PMCID: PMC10176454 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1091709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Iran has invariably been under the growing public health threat of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a significant barrier to local development that hinders the prevention and control efforts toward eliminating the disease. So far, no comprehensive and in-depth epidemiological analysis of the CL situation has been carried out nationwide. This study aimed to employ advanced statistical models to analyze the data collected through the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention of Communicable Diseases during 1989-2020. However, we emphasized the current trends, 2013-2020, to study temporal and spatial CL patterns. In the country, the epidemiology of CL is incredibly intricate due to various factors. This fact indicates that the basic infrastructure, the preceding supports, and the implementation plan related to preventive and therapeutic measures need crucial support. The leishmaniasis situation analysis is consistent with desperate requirements for efficient information on the control program in the area. This review provides evidence of temporally regressive and spatially expanding incidence of CL with characteristic geographical patterns and disease hotspots, signifying an urgent need for comprehensive control strategies. This information could be a suitable model and practical experience in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, where over 80% of CL is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ahmad Khosravi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | | | - Ehsan Salarkia
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mehdi Bamorovat
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ali Karamoozian
- Research Center for Modeling in Health, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Nekoei Moghadam
- Research Center for Health Services Management, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Sharifi
- Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Abbas Aghaei Afshar
- Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | | | - Faranak Gharachorloo
- Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Shirzadi
- Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behzad Amiri
- Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Zainali
- Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Doosti
- Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Omid Zamani
- Universal Health Coverage for Communicable Diseases (UHC: CD), World Health Organization, Country Office, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Gouya
- Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
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Weslati M, Ghrab J, Benabid M, Souissi O, Aoun K, Bouratbine A. Diversity, Abundance and Leishmania infantum Infection Rate of Phlebotomine Sandflies in an Area with Low Incidence of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Northern Tunisia. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1012. [PMID: 35630455 PMCID: PMC9144524 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the study of sandfly Leishmania infection in an area of low incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in Tunisia. Sandflies were collected monthly using CDC light-traps set in houses and animal shelters during May-November 2016 and 2017. All males were identified at the species level. A sample of 878 females including all gravid specimens was subjected to kDNA qPCR for Leishmania detection and parasite load estimation. Leishmania species were determined by ITS1 PCR sequencing, and species identification of infected sandflies was performed by DNA barcoding. Phlebotomus perfiliewi and P. perniciosus were the dominant species during the two-year period. However, comparison of their relative abundances showed that P. perniciosus was more abundant during peaks of 2017 with longer activity duration. Real-time kDNA PCR did not detect Leishmania infection in 2016, although it identified four positive specimens (0.7%) in 2017. All four infected specimens were identified as P. perniciosus. ITS1 PCR sequencing allowed L. infantum identification in one kDNA qPCR-positive specimen. This was a P. perniciosus gravid female with a high parasite load caught during the long-lasting peak of 2017. This work highlights the usefulness of multi-seasonal studies of sandfly dynamics and kDNA qPCR in screening Leishmania infection and determining L. infantum vectors in hypo-endemic foci of human leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Weslati
- «Laboratoire de Recherche Parasitoses Médicales, Biotechnologies et Biomolécules, LR 16IPT06 and LR 20IPT06», Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El-Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (M.W.); (J.G.); (M.B.); (O.S.); (K.A.)
| | - Jamila Ghrab
- «Laboratoire de Recherche Parasitoses Médicales, Biotechnologies et Biomolécules, LR 16IPT06 and LR 20IPT06», Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El-Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (M.W.); (J.G.); (M.B.); (O.S.); (K.A.)
- Institut Supérieur des Sciences et Technologies de l’Environnement de Borj Cedria, Université de Carthage, Carthage 1054, Tunisia
| | - Meriem Benabid
- «Laboratoire de Recherche Parasitoses Médicales, Biotechnologies et Biomolécules, LR 16IPT06 and LR 20IPT06», Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El-Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (M.W.); (J.G.); (M.B.); (O.S.); (K.A.)
| | - Olfa Souissi
- «Laboratoire de Recherche Parasitoses Médicales, Biotechnologies et Biomolécules, LR 16IPT06 and LR 20IPT06», Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El-Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (M.W.); (J.G.); (M.B.); (O.S.); (K.A.)
| | - Karim Aoun
- «Laboratoire de Recherche Parasitoses Médicales, Biotechnologies et Biomolécules, LR 16IPT06 and LR 20IPT06», Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El-Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (M.W.); (J.G.); (M.B.); (O.S.); (K.A.)
| | - Aïda Bouratbine
- «Laboratoire de Recherche Parasitoses Médicales, Biotechnologies et Biomolécules, LR 16IPT06 and LR 20IPT06», Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El-Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (M.W.); (J.G.); (M.B.); (O.S.); (K.A.)
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Jalali H, Nikookar SH, Hosseini-Vasoukolaei N, Jahanifard E, Enayati AA, Motevalli-Haghi F, Yazdani-Charati J. Ecology of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in Jajarm County, an area with high risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis, in North Khorasan, Iran. BMC ZOOL 2022; 7:14. [PMID: 37170333 PMCID: PMC10127098 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-022-00113-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe present study was conducted to investigate the ecological aspects of sand flies in southwestern North Khorasan, in which cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major has been reported with the highest annual incidence in Iran. Sampling was carried out in four localities including: Khorasha (natural), Ghamiteh (natural), Jorbat (semi urban) and Brick kilns (urban), twice a month using 105 sticky paper traps from indoors and outdoors dwellings during May-December 2017. Specimens were removed from sticky papers, washed in acetone, preserved in 80% ethanol, mounted on microscopic slides by Puri’s medium, and identified using valid morphological keys. Simpson (D), richness (S), Menhinick (DMg), Margalef (DMn), Shannon-Weiner (H′), evenness (J’) were calculated for species diversity. The synanthropic index was determined for the first time in the area. Totally 517 specimens were collected, 47% in outdoors and 30.4% in human indoor dwellings and 22.6% in animal. Eight species of sand flies including 5 species of the genus Phlebotomus and 3 species of the genus Sergentomyia were identified. Phlebotomus papatasi and Sergentomyia sintoni were the most common and Eudominant species, active in all months, collected in the maximum number and percentage in September and August, respectively, and showed the highest abundance in outdoors. The synanthropic index ranged from 6.25 to 38.9 in the study area. The Shannon-Wiener index was estimated to be up to 1.4 and 1.37 in Khorasha and November, respectively, which showed the highest diversity due to maximal richness and evenness compared to other areas. High abundance of Ph. papatasi, as the main vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis, can enhance the potential risk of emerging CL in new areas, the data can be equally important when vector control measures are considered.
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