b a ckground: great gerbils, rhombomys opimus , are the main reservoir host of zoonootic cutaneous leishmaniasis (zcl) in iran and neighboring countries. based on morphological traits two subspecies r. opimus sodalis and r. opimus sargadensis have reported in the country. however, variation in infection rate and signs to leishmania parasites, phenotype, size, and sexual polymorphisms demand mor...

BACKGROUND Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is an increasing public health problem in some endemic regions. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated rabbit anti-Rhombomys opimus (R. opimus) Ig is needed for immunoblotting and ELISA tests used to explore the immune response of the rodents against the sand fly saliva. In this study, the production of HRP conjugated rabbit anti-R. opimus Ig w...

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to determine the helminthic species occurring in great gerbil Rhombomys opimus collected from Maraveh Tappeh, Golestan Province, northeast Iran. METHODS During 2010-2011, a total of 77 R. opimus were captured from rural areas of Maraveh Tappeh, Golestan Province, using Sherman live traps and examined for infectivity with any larva or adult stages of helmint...

BACKGROUND In the northeast and central parts of Iran, Rhombomys opimus (great gerbil) is the primary reservoir host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL). This study used both parasitological and molecular methods to identify Leishmania spp. and their different haplotypes that were circulating in the great gerbil populations in ZCL foci from northeastern Iran. METHODS A cross-sectional s...

BACKGROUND Great gerbils, Rhombomys opimus, are the main reservoir host of zoonootic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Iran and neighboring countries. Based on morphological traits two subspecies R. opimus sodalis and R. opimus sargadensis have reported in the country. However, variation in infection rate and signs to Leishmania parasites, phenotype, size, and sexual polymorphisms demand more de...

BACKGROUND Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is a growing health problem in many rural areas of Iran. Rhombomys opimus, the great gerbil, is the main animal reservoir of ZCL in the northeast and central part of Iran. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the rodenticidal effect of Coumavec® (a mixture of Coumatetralyl 0.5% and Etofenprox 0.5%) on R. opimus under laboratory condition. ME...

BACKGROUND Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is an expanding disease and public health problem in Iran. In the current study, natural Leishmania infection rate and seasonal fluctuation of the infection in Rhombomys opimus population of a hyperendemic focus of ZCL in Iran was investigated. METHODS The study was conducted from October 2006 to October 2008 in Esfahan Province, central part ...

Background: An epidemiological study was carried out on the vector(s) and reservoir(s) of cutaneous leishmaniasis in rural areas of Kalaleh District, Golestan Province during 2006 2007. Methods: Totally 4900 sand flies were collected using sticky papers and were subjected to molecular methods for detection of leishmanial parasite. Results: Phlebotomus papatasi was the common species in outdoor ...

BACKGROUND Ectoparasites of mammalian hosts play an important role for transmission of diseases from the host reservoirs to human. The aim of this study was to determine the species composition and infestation parameters for parasitic arthropods associated with Rhombomys opimus. METHODS Ectoparasites of R. opimus were collected from seven endemic district of ZCL in Iran including Shirvan and ...

The study was carried out in the central part of the Islamic Republic of Iran over a 12-month period in 1991-92 in Borkhar, a rural district lying north of Isfahan city. The objective was to determine the ecology of natural reservoir hosts of leishmaniasis for possible future field trials of leishmania vaccine. The main reservoir host in this area is Rhombomys opimus, the great gerbil, followed...