This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of tick infestation and identify tick species that parasitize dromedary camels. Since April 2012 through March 2013, a total of 400 camels that brought for slaughter in Mashhad abattoir were examined for tick infestation. Out of the total 400 camels examined, 237 were infested and annual prevalence of tick infestation 59.25 % (95 % CI 54-64) was calculated. The higher prevalence rates were found in the summer and spring, especially the summer that prevalence rate was the highest. A total of 1,122 ticks were collected from the infested camels and identified by stereomicroscopy. Hyalomma dromedarii was the predominant tick species and comprised 70.76 % of the collected ticks. The frequency of other species was as follows: H. excavatum (19.25 %), H. anatolicum (4.81 %), H. asiaticum (4.72 %), Rhipicephalus turanicus (0.17 %), H. detritum (0.09 %), H. impeltatum (0.09 %) and H. schulzei (0.09 %). Based on the results of present study, it is concluded that camels mostly harbor Hyalomma spp. The species of this genus are the most notorious ticks for transmission of human and animal diseases. Therefore, appropriate tick control measures need to be employed and pour-on method for acaricide application is suggested because this method is fast, easy and suitable for use by camel owners in deserts.

Ticks are hematophagous arthropods transmitting several harmful human and animal pathogens like viruses, Rickettsia, bacteria, and protozoa. The identification and speciation of ticks were normally performed in Iran using identification key of Arthur (1960) and Kaiser and Hoogstraal (J Parasitol 49:130-139, 1963) or on the basis of morphological characteristic keys recommended by Walker et al. (2003). Although these identification keys are well prepared, but there are in some cases due to the strong overlapping characteristics between species like Dermacentor marginatus and Dermacentor niveus accompanied with serious problems. D. marginatus and D. niveus have been intermittently used synonymously and there is no a generally agreement with the specification of these species. To find out more about these two species, we have analyzed the complete nucleotide sequence of ITS-2 region. Interestingly, we found indeed a sequence homology of 99% between nucleotide sequence of ITS-2 region of D. marginatus and D. niveus. Since the nucleotide sequence of ITS-2 region of D. marginatus in Iran has 98% sequence homology to the other in GenBank registered ITS-2 sequence of D. marginatus, and the morphological characteristics between both examined species showed minimal differences, therefore we believe that the D. marginatus and D. niveus could belong to the same species and 1% differences in nucleotide sequence of ITS-2 region between these two species can be understand as an intra-species polymorphism.

This survey was carried out in sheep herds of Arasbaran region in northwest of Iran. The aims of this survey were assessment of occurrence hard ticks on sheep in this region and speciation and identification of detached ticks from sheep. In addition determination of tick distribution on sheep body surface was studied. In this study 330 sheep were examined and ticks from infested animals were collected. In parasitological laboratory speciation of ticks were done by stereomicroscope and using of tick identification keys. Overall 525 ticks were collected from 132 infested sheep and speciation of these tick showed 4 genera and 6 species including: Hyalomma marginatum marginatum (65.33 %), Rhipicephalus bursa (26.66 %), Haemaphysalis choldokovsky (5.90 %), Dermacentor marginatus (1.71 %), Haemaphysalis punctata (0.19 %) and Hyalomma excavatum (0.19 %). The distribution of ticks on sheep body surface was as follow, according to its frequencies: tail (42.66 %), groin (25.71 %), axilla (24.19 %), neck (5.71 %) and sternum (1.71 %). It was concluded that H. m. marginatum was the dominant tick in sheep of Arasbaran region.

The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Linnaeus 1758), is a nocturnal blood-sucking ectoparasite of humans that is highly prevalent in the northeast of Iran. In recent years, the efficacy of those insecticides that have been frequently used to control bed bugs in Iran has not been studied. Due to frequent complaints about bed bug treatment failures in Mashhad city (northeastern Iran), this study assessed the susceptibility of C. lectularius collected from a student residence hall to Diazinon, Malathion, and λ-cyhalothrin. The desired concentrations of each insecticide were prepared in acetone, and bioassays were performed using insecticide-impregnated filter paper method. The concentration–response data were subjected to POLO-PC software and data were analyzed by the log-probit procedure. The LC50 values of Diazinon and λ-cyhalothrin for examined bed bugs were 1,337.40 and 2,022.36 ppm, respectively. Malathion at the highest concentration (10,000 ppm) did not exhibit any toxicity to examined C. lectularius. Comparing these results to the same previous studies showed that susceptibility of examined bed bugs to these insecticides has been highly decreased. This study revealed an occurrence of insecticide resistance in bed bug populations in northeastern Iran. It also suggests that Malathion, Diazinon, and λ-cyhalothrin are ineffective against bed bugs in this region.

Avian influenza virus (AIV) H9N2 emerged in the 1990s as an economically important disease in poultry and occasionally infects humans and other mammals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acquisition and retention of H9N2 AIV on and within the house fly, Musca domestica (Linnaeus 1758), under laboratory conditions. In first experiment, 100 adult house flies were divided into control and treatment groups equally. Treatment group was fed with a meal containing H9N2 virus, while control group was supplied with an identical meal without virus. Fifteen minutes after exposure in each group, flies were washed twice to remove surface particles, disinfected and then homogenized for testing. The two external body surface washes and the homogenate samples were tested for H9N2 to distinguish exterior from interior viral load. Second experiment was performed likewise but five flies from each group were taken at 0, 6, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h post-exposure. All samples were subjected to real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) for detecting H9-Specific viral RNA. Results of the first experiment showed that viral RNA was detectable in both of external surface and homogenates samples. Second experiment revealed that persistence of H9N2 AIVs on external body surface and within the body of M. domestica were 24 and 96 h, respectively. Moreover, viral RNAs concentration declined during the time after exposure to AIV H9N2 either outside or within house flies. Overall, house fly was able to acquire and preserve H9N2 AIV experimentally, which may contribute the spread of virus among poultry farms.

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