BackgroundThe Molavi street archeological site south of Tehran accidentally provided a unique opportunity for paleoparasitological studies in Iran. A female skeleton was unearthed and evaluated to be 7000 years old. Soil samples were collected around the pelvic and sacrum bones.FindingsCareful microscopic investigation of rehydrated soil samples revealed the presence of one Enterobius vermicularis egg attached to the skeleton sacral region.ConclusionThe present finding likely represents the oldest evidence of a human pinworm infection in Asia.

INTRODUCTIONExperiments in different fields of biology and medical sciences depend on various laboratory animals. Rats are the second most utilized experimental animals in research studies worldwide, after laboratory mice [1]. Different lines of biomedical science such as organ transplantation, immunology, genetics, cancer research, pharmacology, physiology and neuroscience use rats as animal models [2]. Most of the experiments might be affected by the interaction between the animals and the pathogens including the parasites that commonly exist with no obvious clinical manifestations, rendering the obtained results unreliable [1,3]. The nematode Trichosomoides crassicauda was firstly described by Bellingham in 1840 in the urinary bladder of rat [4]. It is known as a nonpathogenic nematode living in the urinary bladder of wild and laboratory rats [5]. In a survey to determine the endoparasite of Rattus norvegicus, T. crassicauda was the most prevalent helminth parasites among the collected rodents [6]. The male worm of this nematode resides in the uterus or vagina of the adult female [7], demonstrating a unique biological behavior among parasitic helminths. This nematode has a direct life cycle, and infection occurs through the ingestion of contaminated foods and water containing embryonated eggs expelled in the urine [7]. On ingestion, the larvae hatch in the stomach and migrate to the lungs through body cavities or the bloodstream. The larvae reach the kidneys via the bloodstream and reach the bladder by passing the ureters [7]. The nematodes may be found free in the lumen or in the mucosal tissue of the bladder, causing severe catarrhal cystitis in massive infections [8]. Urinary calculi and bladder tumors may be associated with T. crassicauda infection. The larvae cause eosinophilic granulomas [9] and the infections in the bladder may lead to the granulomatous lesion [10]. Some postgraduate students reported the presence of a nematode infection, presumably, T. crassicauda in the urinary bladder of the rats from the animal house of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Regarding the potential adverse effect of this infection on the results of research studies, we prompted to explore the prevalence of infection among the rats from the animal houses of four research centers in Introduction: Some postgraduate students reported the presence of a nematode infection, presumably, Trichosomoides crassicauda in the urinary bladder of rats (Rattus norvegicus) from the animal house of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We prompted to explore the prevalence of this infection among the rats of animal houses belonging to medical and veterinary research centers in Tehran. We also described the histopathological changes in the bladder tissue of the infected rats. Methods: We collected 214 adult rats (R. norvegicus) from four animal houses including TUMS in Tehran. The urine of 112 animals was collected during 24 h and inspected microscopically for helminths eggs. Then, the rats were euthanized, sacrificed a...

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BACKGROUND Paleoparasitology reveals the status of parasitic infections in humans and animals in ancient times based on parasitic particles found in biological remains from archaeological excavations. This line of research emerged in Iran in 2013.OBJECTIVE The identification of parasites from Neolithic times is an attractive subject that shows the oldest origins of parasitic infections in a given geographical region. From an archaeological point of view, this archaeological site is well-known for animal domestication and agriculture in ancient Iran.METHODS In this study, soil deposited on the surface and in the pores of a dog pelvic bone was carefully collected and rehydrated using trisodium phosphate solution.FINDINGS The results showed ascarid and taeniid eggs retrieved from the biological remains of a dog excavated at the East Chia Sabz archaeological site, which dates back to the Neolithic period (8100 BC).MAIN CONCLUSION The current findings clearly illustrate the natural circulation of nematode and cestode parasites among dogs at that time. These ancient helminth eggs can also be used to track the oldest parasitic infections in the Iranian plateau and contribute to the paleoparasitological documentation of the Fertile Crescent.

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Background: Efforts to find a reliable non-molecular means of identification has been the main purpose of the current work that always is persuaded by researchers interested in the field of parasitology. Methods: Adult fasciolids were obtained from the slaughterhouses in different parts of Iran in 2017, and investigated using the classical old fashion morphological appearances of the worms implementing a camera lucida equipped microscope. Histological procedure was subsequently performed for almost the entire collected adult worms followed by Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining technique. DNA extraction and RFLP-PCR technique were carried out for the entire fasciolid liver flukes. To attain more comparable morphological conclusions, Scanning Electron Micrographs were also implemented for two molecularly identified fasciolids. Results: Based on spine morphology observed in worm’s tissue sections two types of tegumental spines, “pointed” and “molar” shapes have been identified addressing to distinguish F. hepatica and F. gigantica species respectively. The present identification has been also supported by Molecular analysis using RFLP-PCR technique. Conclusion: There are some hidden morphological characters implemented in species identification for certain helminths. Meanwhile, the emergence of computer image analysis system (CIAS) on the scene of taxonomy, has revolutionized the accuracy of measurement in morphology by employing detailed parameters that have not been regarded before. The current study has illustrated the tegumental spines of two Fasciola species in tissue sections which has not been enough considered in helminthological publications so far.

Background: Dermatoparasitic infestations due to the mites Demodex spp. and Sarcoptes scabie are prevalent dermatological disorders worldwide. Methods: Referral patients from the Departments of Dermatology, Infectious Diseases, and from the psychologists, in some cases, to the laboratory of Medical Helminthology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran were examined and documented for demodicosis and scabies from March 2009 to December 2020. All patients’ data were collected and then analyzed statistically by SDATA version 14, using the Chi-square test. Results: Out of 494-suspected patients suffering from dermal disorders, 99 patients (20.04%) and 20 cases (4.04%) were found infested with demodicosis and scabies, respectively. Most demodicosis cases belonged to the 46-60 year age group while the infestation rate of scabies was higher in the age group under 5 years (P=<0.0001). Demodicosis was seen more prevalent in women than men, and scabies were higher in men (p=0.15). The cases of demodicosis in fall and scabies in winter and spring were more frequent. Demodicosis picked up in 2015 and 2017 (P=0.03), while the prevalent year for scabies was in 2016 (P=0.77). Both current ectoparasites declined dramatically by Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Demodicosis and scabies have been found correlated with age, and no statistical association was seen between the gender and seasonal factors. Besides, the obvious decline of demodicosis and scabies infestation rates during the Covid-19 outbreak can mention that social distance and hygiene standards have negative effects on dermatoparasites transmission.

The Afghan pika (Ochotona rufescens) is a small mammal belonging to the family Ochotonidae. The members of this family have 26 teeth, and along with rabbits and hares from the family Leporidae is categorized in the order Lagomorpha. The members of this order can be separated from the rodents by a second set of incisors called peg teeth [1]. The Afghan pikas occur in mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and southwestern Turkmenistan. In Iran, they inhabit mountainous areas with the cold and semiarid weather [2]. Some parts of Iran such as Semnan, Tandoureh in Khorasan and different parts of Southern Khorasan are the primary habitats of the Afghan pikas. These animals, unlike the rodents, are strictly herbivores and are considered as pests of crops and compete with livestock for available vegetation [3]. In experimental infections, Afghan pikas were found susceptible to larvae of nematodes like Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia circumcincta, Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus colobriformis [4]. Previously, in Iran, Afghan pika exhibited infection with some oxyurid worms such as Fastigiuris prudhoei, and Cephaluris chabaudi [5]. Also, these animals are host to fleas, Ixodid ticks, and red mites [5]. In plateau grasslands, the Afghan pikas are found in company with ruminants and livestock that may lead to transmission of the helminthic parasite to humans and livestock [3]. This study aimed to identify the parasitic helminths among Afghan pikas from Bojnord, Mashhad, Birjand, and Tandoureh in the northeast of Iran.