Scorpion stings are a common and important health problem in Iran, particularly in south and southwestern Iran, including the province of Khuzestan. In the area of Khuzestan near the city of Ramhormoz, Hemiscorpius lepturus (Scorpionida: Hemiscorpioiidae) and Androctonus crassicauda (Buthidae) are present. Ramhormoz is in southwestern Iran and is one of the most important foci of the scorpion sting problem. The current study was carried out to gain both epidemiological and medical information about scorpion stings in and around the city of Ramhormoz. In total, 179 people who were admitted to the Emergency Department of Ramhormoz Imam Khomeini Hospital during 2008 and 2009 after being stung by scorpions were monitored. Epidemiological and medical parameters including sex of the victim; the part of the body stung; the month when stung; the biochemical parameters comprising blood sugar (BS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (CR); hematological parameters including white blood cells (WBC), count blood cells (CBC), red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), platelet (PLT); and urine analysis including hemoglobinuria were recorded. The current study showed that most of the victims were stung by H. lepturus, while very few were stung by A. crassicaud, but in over half of the cases the species was not known. Stings were most common from May to Aguust. 73% of the victims were female. The limbs were the part of the body most likely to be stung. Hemogobinuria was very common in H. lepturus victims.

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Scorpion stings are a public health problem in south and southwest Iran. There is little information regarding climatological effects on incidence of scorpion stings in Iran. Therefore, the present systemic survey of scorpion sting data was conducted from the point of view of entomo-meteorological relationships and analyzed statistically for the Dezful area in Khuzestan, southwest of Iran. The time series analysis was implemented using MINITAB version 16 statistical software packages. In total, 3,755 scorpion sting files from the Dezful health centers were monitored from April 2007 to September 2011 in a time series analysis. The results showed that temperature had significant effects on scorpion sting. From the data of this study, it is concluded that the scorpion activity in Dezful County is a climatological-dependent phenomenon.

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In order to study the culicine mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae: Culicinae) of the Shadegan wetland in southern Khouzestan Province of Iran, sampling was carried out using hand catch, total catch, and New Jersy light traps, from October 2008 to March 2009. A total of 2664 culicine mosquitoes were captured. Three genera and five species were identified, including Culex pipiens L., Cx. tritaeniorhynchus Giles, Cx. sinaiticus Kirkpatrik, Cx. modestus Ficalbi, Ochlerotatus caspius Pallas and a Culiseta species. All of these species, reported for the first time, were from the Shadegan wetland and Khouzestan Province, and some are medically important.

Background: The mosquitoes of Culicidae family are serious vectors of several tropical diseases, such as malaria, filariasis, encephalitis, and nuisance. Control of mosquitoes and protection of people from their bites are of the most important ways to prevent transmitted diseases. Although the efficacy of N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) is high and generally used as mosquito repellent, yet a number of biting diptera are tolerant to DEET. Furthermore, there are concerns about the safety of DEET and its allergic and toxic effects. Therefore, it is necessary to use other repellents like plant essential oils. Objectives: The aim of this work was to develop a safe repellent with a long-lasting protection based on micro-emulsion of eucalyptus essential oil. Methods: Eucalyptus globulus essential oil was obtained by water distillation in a Clevenger apparatus. The larvae of Culicidae were collected and adult mosquitoes reared for the repellency test. Preparation of micro-emulsions of Eucalyptus globulus essential oil was made by mixing the specified surfactant (Tween 80 and Span 20) and the appropriate amount of co-surfactant (propylene glycol) under the water titration method. The laboratory method, arm in cage, was used to estimate the time of protection of essential oil micro-emulsion against mosquitoes and DEET used as a standard repellent. Results: Physicochemical properties of formulated micro-emulsions were appropriate and suitable for topical application. Particle size of eucalyptus oil 15% w/w micro-emulsion was lowest. When applying eucalyptus oil micro-emulsion at concentrations of 5, 10,

Background: Leishmania tropica and Leishmania major are the main causes of cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic regions of Iran. Objectives: The aim of this study was the identification of cutaneous leishmaniasis agents in Khuzestan province located southwest of Iran. Patients and Methods: 146 samples were collected from the lesions of 146 individuals including 67 (59.59% ) male and 59 ( 40.41% ) female with cutaneous leishmaniasis. The samples were then delivered to Iran-Zamin diagnostic laboratory and smeared on slides, stained with Wright's eosin methylene blue stain and examined microscopically and graded from 1+ to 4+. DNA was extracted from the slides and the identification of cutaneous leishmaniasis agents was performed using Nested PCR with the primers of CSB1XR, CSB2XF, LIR and 13Z. Results: 138 (94.5%) out of 146 cases of four regions were L. major and 8 (5.5%) were L. tropica. 57.97% of L. major cases were male and 42.03% were female. 87.5% of L. tropica were male and 12.5% were female. The maximum number of L. tropica cases was found in the northern region (8.16%) and the minimum was found in the western region (3.22%). 96.78% of L. major cases belonged to the western region of Khuzestan. Conclusions: L. major is the main species responsible for cutaneous leishmsniasis in four geographical regions of Khuzestan province southwestern of Iran and Nested PCR can be used for diagnosis and Leishmania species identification.

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