The pathogenicity of three strains of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae on different life stages of Dermanyssus gallinae was evaluated in the laboratory. All the strains tested were virulent to D. gallinae but pathogenicity varied among the strains. Strain V245 induced a higher mortality rate using different concentrations than other two strains. The estimated median lethal concentration of different strains of M. anisopliae against D. gallinae varied depending on the exposure time of D. gallinae to M. anisopliae. It was concluded that the pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungus M. anisopliae on different life stages of D. gallinae was concentration and time dependent.

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The presence of potential vectors, ticks, and susceptible hosts of bovine malignant theileriosis in all parts of Iran pose a real threat to food animal industry. The present study was conducted to determine the infection rate of ticks collected from naturally occurring bovine theileriosis in West and North-West Iran. Two hundred and thirty seven cattle suspected of suffering from theileriosis were investigated for the presence of Theileria annulata in the blood smears and any tick species on their body. In this study, 402 ticks were obtained from 99 cattle. The examination of 402 ticks by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers derived from the gene encoding heat shock protein70 (Hsp70) revealed that 39.9% of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, 3.5% of H. asiaticum asiaticum, and 18.2% H. anatolicum excavatum, were infected with T. annulata. The results suggest that H. a. anatolicum may play a major role in transmission of T. annulata infection in Iran. Finally, digestion of the PCR products of T. annulata with two different restriction enzymes produced only a single pattern.

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