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Background: This study aimed to investigate the anti-Acanthamoeba effects of the most used marketed disinfecting solutions in Iran. Moreover, the efficacy of some nano-compounds was tested against pathogenic Acanthamoeba. Methods: The present study was conducted in the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran during 2015-2016. Cysts of Acanthamoeba T4 genotype (7 × 104/ml) mixed at the equal volume with contact lens solutions including Opti-free, Ginza, ReNu, Maxima, Light, and Cyclean for the recommended time by the manufacturers. Nano-silver and nano-gold compounds were also treated with the amoebae. Chlorhexidine 0.02% and normal saline were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Dead and alive amoebae were determined using vital stain and suspension was cultured in non-nutrient agar. The entire process was repeated at least three times. Results: In none of the solutions in the manufacturer's brochure recommended time, full cytotoxic effect was observed on the cysts of Acanthamoeba. Opti free express solution destroyed the cysts after 6 days. Nanosilver and nano-gold compounds showed no cytotoxic effect on the cysts of Acanthamoeba. Conclusion: None of the Nanoparticles compounds as well as contact lenses disinfecting solutions which studied was effective on Acanthamoeba cysts in the manufacturer's brochure recommended time. However, continuing study on Nano-silver and Nano-gold compounds to find effective ingredients against Acanthamoeba are highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acanthamoeba spp. is potentially pathogenic free-living amoeba that can exist in various water sources. The presence of this amoeba in water sources could be a health hazard as Acanthamoeba could lead to severe diseases such as Acanthamoeba keratitis and encephalitis. This study aimed to determine the genotypes of isolated Acanthamoeba spp. in raw wastewater samples in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Overall, 90 raw wastewater samples were collected from water treatment facilities in west and south of Tehran, Iran during 2014-2016. Water samples were filtered and cultured on non-nutrient agar (NNA) medium enriched with Escherichia coli. Morphological and molecular analyses were done on positive strains. The pathogenic ability of the isolated strains was determined using physical assays. Results: Totally, 6 out of 90 (6.7%) samples were positive for Acanthamoeba, according to morphological characteristics of double-walled cysts. Genotyping and sequencing of the positive strains showed Acanthamoeba belonging to T4 (83%) and T11 (17%) genotypes. In vitro pathogenicity tests were revealed that five isolates were classified as non-pathogenic strains and one strain belonging to T4 genotype was classified as the highly pathogenic amoebae. Conclusion: The current research reflected a low contamination of wastewater sources to Acanthamoeba. More studies regarding the contamination of wastewaters before and after treatment are required in different places of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Free-living amoeba (FLA)-related keratitis is a progressive infection of the cornea with poor prognosis. The present study aimed to investigates the contact lenses of patients with keratitis for pathogenic free-living amoebae. Methods: Overall, 62 contact lenses and their paraphernalia of patients with keratitis cultured and tested for the presence of free-living amoebae using morphological criteria. Unusual plates including plates containing mix amoebae and Vermamoeba were submitted to molecular analysis. Results: Out of 62 plates, 11 revealed the outgrowth of free living amoeba of which 9 were Acanthamoeba, one plates contained mix amoebae including Acanthamoeba and Vermamoeba and one showed the presence of Vermamoeba. These two latter plates belonged to patients suffered from unilateral keratitis due to the misused of soft contact lenses. One of the patients had mix infection of Acanthamoeba (T4) and V. vermiformis meanwhile the other patient was infected with the V. vermiformis. Conclusion: Amoebic keratitis continues to rise in Iran and worldwide. To date, various genera of free-living amoebae such as Vermamoeba could be the causative agent of keratitis. Soft contact lens wearers are the most affected patients in the country, thus awareness of high-risk people for preventing free-living amoebae related keratitis is of utmost importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the present study was to identify Trichostrongylus species by molecular analysis and also phylogenetic relationships of Trichostrongylus species by mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( Cox1 ) gene in Guilan province, northern Iran., Methods: Abomasum and duodenum contents of 144 livestock were collected from sheep, goats, and cattle in Guilan province. Morphological survey was performed for initial screening. Total DNA was extracted, and the partial region of Cox1 gene was amplified and sequenced. Genetic diversity was calculated and phylogenetic analysis of the data on nucleotide sequence was conducted by MEGA7 software., Results: Three species of Trichostrongylus including T. colubriformis , T. vitrinus , and T. axei were identified by morphological characteristics. The genetic divergence within the species in the present study was observed for T. axei (0-2.5%), T. colubriformis (0.77%), and T. vitrinus (0%). The mean inter-species difference between the three species of Trichostrongylus obtained in this study was 14.4-15.4%., Conclusion: The Cox1 sequences of the members of Trichostrongylus spp. were highly variable and this could be used as a valuable measure to achieve a proper assessment on biodiversity. Sequence data generation from other species of Trichostrongylus will be needed to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of this genus of nematodes.

Introduction: Hydatidiosis is a serious parasitic disease in humans and livestock, worldwide. Echinococcus granulosus shows notable genetic variation among intermediate hosts. Several genotypes of the worm have been reported from different parts of Iran, but no information on the parasite genotypes status in the study region is available. The current study investigated the presence of different genotypes of E. granulosus in the livestock of Qazvin, Iran, by sequencing the mitochondrial Cox1 genes., Methodology: One hundred twenty E. granulosus isolates, including 30 from goats, 40 from cattle and 50 from sheep, were collected from the slaughterhouses in Qazvin province. Mitochondrial Cox1 gene region was amplified by PCR and 30 isolates were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by using the MEGA 7.0 software. Morphological analysis was performed on rostellar hook length of protoscoleces., Results: All isolates were identified as E. granulosus sensu stricto (G1-G3 complex) among 17% of the isolates clarified as G3 genotypes. G1 was the predominant genotype among the specimens. No significant difference between the rostellar hooks measurements of different genotypes was observed., Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the presence of E. granulosus sensu stricto in the region, although further studies are required to determine the haplotype diversity of E. granulosus using different mitochondrial and nuclear genes., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Introduction: Fascioliasis and dicrocoeliasis are the most frequent zoonotic diseases with increasing human health problems in different parts of Iran. Two species, Fasciola hepatica (F. hepatica) and Fasciola gigantica (F. gigantica), are spread in the country. Molecular approaches have a decisive role in identifying both the species. The aim of this study was to detect Fasciola spp. and Dicrocoelium spp. by amplifying the ITS-2 and 28S rDNA gene sequence., Methods: Overall, 30 infected liver samples were collected from the livestock of Qazvin, Iran. The adult flukes were collected from different livestock. DNA extraction and PCR amplification of ribosomal RNA gene region (ITS2) and 28S rDNA gene fragment were conducted and a phylogenetic tree was constructed., Result: All the isolates obtained from the cattle (No: 7) and 82.6% (No: 19) of sheep isolates were infected with F. hepatica species, whereas 17.4% (No: 4) of sheep isolates were infected with F. gigantica. It was also shown that F. hepatica was the predominant species of Fasciola present in the region. All the specimens were infected with Dicrocoelium dendriticum (D. dendriticum)., Conclusion: Both the species of Fasciola were found in Qazvin. D. dendriticum was the sole infecting species of the Dicrocoelium genus in the livestock of the city of Qazvin. Further research studies are needed to determine the intermediate host of the parasites in the region., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objective: Food handlers play an important role in the production and distribution of parasitic contaminations in these societies. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among the food handlers in Qazvin, Iran., Methods: Totally, 1530 stool samples were collected from food handlers in Qazvin, Iran. Direct feces examination and formalinethyl acetate concentration method followed by Trichrome staining were performed to detect the parasites., Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 82 (5.4%) among food handlers. The species of protozoan parasites found were Blastocystis hominis, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli , and Endolimax nana . The outbreaks of Blastocystis hominis (2.9%), and Endolimax nana (0.3%) were the most and the least protozoan infections observed among the specimens, respectively. Also, there was no helminthic infection detected among the samples. The prevalence of intestinal parasites among the food handlers, based on variables including sex, age, job, and education, did not differ, whereas the prevalence of intestinal symptoms was shown to be higher in infected food handlers (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Despite a decrease in the incidence of intestinal parasites, the protozoan infections are still among the health concerns in these areas. Therefore, continuous monitoring and training of food handlers by local health authorities should be performed on a regular basis.

Objective: Echinococcus granulosus is a globally important cestode parasite causing remarkable medical and economical losses in the world. Ten genotypes (G1-G10) have been identified within this complex species. Protoscoleces rostellar hook characters e.g. total large and small hook lengths may be useful to differentiate genotypes. This study investigates the value of rostellar hook morphometry on genetically identified isolates of E. granulosus using mitochondrial cox1 and nad1 sequencing., Methods: In total, 24 hydatid cyst samples of livestock and human origin were collected. The isolates were then sequenced for the mitochondrial cox1 and nad1 genes and total large and small rostellar hook lengths of protoscoleces were measured., Results: Total large and small hook lengths could differentiate between G1 and G6 genotypes; however, G1 and G3 were not distinguishable by hook morphometry. Only large hook length was significantly different between the G3 and G6 isolates., Conclusion: The G6 genotype is readily distinguishable from G1 by using both small and large hook lengths; however, only total large hook length was significantly different between the G3 and G6 genotypes.