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Old world cutaneous leishmaniasis (OWCL) usually causes a single, self-healing and uncomplicated lesion mainly on the exposed area of body. This report presents four cases of OWCL from Iran that misdiagnosed with sarcoidosis, lymphoma, and acne agminata. Two out of four patients showed a history of purplish red plaques for at least 5 years who misdiagnosed as sarcoidosis because of histological and clinical characteristics. The other one presented with flesh-colored nodules disseminated all over his skin that was misdiagnosed as lymphoma for ten years. The last patient was misdiagnosed as acne agminata due to tuberculoid reactions in examination of the lesion biopsy. All the patients responded to the treatment with meglumine antimonate.

Meningitis is one of the hazardous and life threatening infections and is associated with mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine etiological agents of childhood bacterial meningitis. The culture, Gram staining, agglutination and PCR assays were used to examine CSF specimens from 277 patients with presumed bacterial meningitis for the occurrence of 4 most common infectious agents consist of N. meningitis, H. influnsae, S. pneumoniae and S. agalactiae between 2008 and 2009 at different wards of the Children Hospital of Tabriz. The mean age of patients was 35±2 (Mean±SEM) month, (minimum 11 days maximum14 years), of all cases 59.6% male and 40.4% female. Overall the diagnosis was confirmed with a CSF culture in 11/277 (3.97%), by agglutination test in 14/277 (5.05%). The isolated bacteria included S. pneumoniae 5 cases, H. influnsae 2 cases, N. meningitis 3 cases and P. aeroginusae 1 case. A positive PCR assay allowed us to diagnose bacterial meningitis in 19 patients (6.8%). In the present study, we found PCR to be a useful and sensitive method for the detection of bacterial DNA in the CSF samples from suspected meningitis patients. Furthermore, to maximize management of meningitis cases, a combination of culture and PCR is necessary.

As a part of a major ecological study of Hanna Wetland, Semirum Region, Isfahan Province, parasitic infestation of 3 native and one introduced fish species were investigated. A total of 120 fish specimens were collected by both cast net and a series of gillnets between fall and winter 2007, and spring and summer 2008. Some of the observed parasites are reported for the first time as new host records of: Trichodina perforata on gill and skin of Carassius auratus auratus and three species of leeches namely: Glossiphonia heteroclite, Thromyzon tessulatum and Hemiclepsis marginata on the skin and fin bases of Capoeta damascina. Moreover, 14 internal and external parasites including: one protozoan; Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and two myxosporeans; Myxobolus varicorhini, Myxobolus sp., three monogeneans; Dactylogyrus lenkoran, Dactylogyrus intermedius and Gyrodactylus sp., two immature digeneans; Diplostomum spathaceum, Tylodephys sp., two mature digeneans; Allocreadium isoporum and A. layman, one unknown cyst, one Acanthocephalan; Acanthocephalorhynchoides sp., one cestoda; Khawia armeniaca. The highest prevalence of Diplostomum spathaceum (100%) was observed in Aphanius isfahanensis and Alburnus sp. However, the lowest prevalence was related to A. layman in Capoeta damascina in winter (0%), and autumn and spring (11%). Leeches infections were only observed in Capoeta damascina and Alburnus sp. in winter and summer, respectively. The maximum average (±SD) infection intensity belonged to K. armeniaca in intestine of C. damascina in spring (12.50±3.40, range: 8-16). Among the parasites identified in the region, D. spathaceum showed the highest mean (±SD) abundance (41.67±11.79) in C. auratus auratus in spring. In general, a relatively high diversity of fish parasitic fauna exists in this water body which could jeopardize fish populations and the whole ecosystem if the ecological status of the Hanna Wetland is neglected.

Fish parasites from Valasht Lake and Chalus River were studied in spring 2005 and summer 2006. Fish specimens were caught by hand net and transported to local laboratory alive. We found three protozoa species, Trichodina trutta and Ichthyophthirius multifiliis on Oncorhynchus mykiss; and Chilodonella hexastica on the skin of 0. mykiss and Leuciscus cephalus. We also separated metazoan parasites from the fish in the two sampling sites that included Gyrodactylus derjavini infecting skin and gill of O. mykiss, G. spl infecting Alburnoides bipunctatus, G. sp2 from Barbus capito and G. sp3 from Capoeta capoeta gracilis and Tetraonchus menonteron that infested the gills of Esox lucius. Other parasites which we found were Myxobolus saidovi from the gills of C. c. gracilis, Bothriocephalus gowkongensis from intestine of Barbus capito, Raphidascaris acus from intestine of E. lucius and finally Argulus foliaceus from skin of Chalcalburnus chalcoides. This is a first time report of a new host, B. capito for Bothriocephalus gowkongensis and a new locality Chalus River for Myxobolus saidovi parasites. Furthermore, with the exception of Tetraonchus menonteron which have been reported before, the rest of the parasites of the fishes from Valasht Lake are reported for the first time.

Thirty three Gyrodactylus spp. have been found on the gills and body surface of both wild and farmed freshwater fishes in Iran. Among them nine species have been identified up to the species level, which are new locality records. The identification of the others, mainly belong to endemic wild freshwater fishes, need further studies. Among the known species, Gyrodactylus derjavini (Mikhailov, 1975) has been found on the gills, caudal and anal fins of the Caspian salmon (Salmo trutta caspius) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). These species are very harmful to salmonid fingerling production industry of Iran. In warm water cultured fishes, G. sprostona, with widest host range, infects common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and big head carp (Aristichthys nobilis) in almost all fish farms of Iran. Other species, which will be discussed here from their economic importance and host specificity points of view, are G. cyprini, G. elegans, G. fossilis, G. kobayashii, G. prostae, G. shulmani and G. stankovici. Furthermore the pathogenecity of Gyrodactylus spp are discussed and new technology (DNA sequence) for precise identification of parasites is also recommended.

Leuciscus persidis as Iranian endemic fish in Kaftar lake and its headwaters (Mesopotamian subregion, Kor-Neiriz basin and Shadkam river) has been infected with a species of Dactylogyrus sphyrna. Comparison of collected parasites with Euro-Asian subregion showed that the similarity of them is more than their differences, although a little difference between them was observed. In this paper also introduce of Dactylogyrus sphyrna parasite to the new host is discussed.