extracellular vesicles up-regulate and directly transfer adherence factors promoting host cell colonization.

, a common sexually transmitted parasite that colonizes the human urogenital tract, secretes extracellular vesicles (TvEVs) that are taken up by human cells and are speculated to be taken up by parasites as well. While the crosstalk between TvEVs and human cells has led to insight into host:parasite interactions, roles for TvEVs in infection have largely been one-sided, with little known about the effect of TvEV uptake by . Approximately 11% of infections are found to be coinfections of multiple strains.

PCR Positivity of Gerbils and Their Ectoparasites for Spp. in a Hyperendemic Focus of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Central Iran.

Background: Various arthropods, including and have been suggested as secondary vectors of spp. many years ago. This study was conducted to determine zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) PCR positivity of reservoir hosts and their ectoparasites for spp.

Polyamine Metabolism in Parasites: A Promising Therapeutic Target.

Parasites of the genus cause a variety of devastating and often fatal diseases in humans and domestic animals worldwide. The need for new therapeutic strategies is urgent because no vaccine is available, and treatment options are limited due to a lack of specificity and the emergence of drug resistance. Polyamines are metabolites that play a central role in rapidly proliferating cells, and recent studies have highlighted their critical nature in .

Leishmania spp. infection in Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus as main reservoirs of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in central parts of Iran: Progress and implications in health policy.

Rodents from the subfamily Gerbillinae are the principal reservoir of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania major in the center and northeast of Iran. This study was conducted to determine both naturally occurring Leishmania infection rates and the distribution of Leishmania species in the central parts of Iran during 2019-2020. In this regard, presence of Leishmania parasites were confirmed by microscopic examination and the species were identified by nested-PCR using the Internal Transcribed Spacer2- Ribosomal DNA (ITS2-rDNA).

Treatment Failure in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Patients Referred to the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences during 2008-2017.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector borne disease predominantly found in tropical and subtropical countries, including Iran. For more than 6 decades, pentavalent antimonials have been used successfully worldwide for the treatment of leishmaniasis, but over the past few years, clinical resistance to these medications has increased. In this study, we evaluated CL patients who did not show any desirable responses to the anti-leishmanial treatment within a 10-year period (2008 to 2017).

Expression analysis of centrin gene in promastigote and amastigote forms of leishmania infantum iranian isolates: a promising target for live attenuated vaccine development against canine leishmaniasis.

Background: Leishmania parasites express various essential proteins in different growth phases (logarithmic/stationary) and forms (promastigote/amastigote). Targeting the genes encoding such proteins paves the way for controlling these parasites. Centrin is an essential gene, which its protein product seems to be vital for the proliferation of Leishmania parasites.

Molecular and Seroepidemiological Survey of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Owned Dogs () in New Foci of Rural Areas of Alborz Province, Central Part of Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study in 2017.

Background: Mediterranean form of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic among some provinces of Iran. The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in the owned dogs of the rural areas of Alborz Province near Tehran as the capital of Iran.

Methods: This study conducted on 303 owned dogs that selected using a stratified random sampling method.

Leishmaniasis Caused by on the Glans Penis: A Case Report.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the prevalent parasitic diseases in Iran principally caused by two species, and . Here, we present a rare case of a congenital form of CL around the glans penis from the central part of Iran in 2017. A 24-yr-old male patient from the central part of Iran presented with biennial ulceration of the glans penis.

A Comparative Evaluation of Regulatory T Cells Profile among Acute and Chronic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Using Flow Cytometry.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is described as a major health problem in many countries of the world. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are characterized as one of immunologic indexes. One of the best methods to determine of Tregs percentage is flow cytometry.

In vitro and in vivo anti-parasitic activity of biogenic antimony sulfide nanoparticles on Leishmania major (MRHO/IR/75/ER).

The aims of this study were to produce biogenic antimony sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) using Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) and investigate the potential anti-leishmanial effects of these NPs on Leishmania major (L. major) (MRHO/IR/75/ER) in both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Leishmania major p27 gene knockout as a novel live attenuated vaccine candidate: Protective immunity and efficacy evaluation against cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice.

Leishmaniasis is a growing health problem in many parts of the world and efforts to find vaccine against the disease are a public health priority. Live attenuated vaccines are the gold standard for protection against intracellular pathogens such as Leishmania spp. Defined genetic alteration of the Leishmania genome can be achieved using a gene-targeted disruption strategy that allows for the selection of parasites lacking genes essential for long-term survival and virulence.

A Survey on the Adjuvant Role of Naloxone Alone or Combined with Alum in Vaccination Against Fasciolosis in BALB/c Mice.

Background: Fasciolosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease imposing a heavy load of livestock losses worldwide.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate immune-stimulatory effects of naloxone (NLX), an opioid receptor antagonist, in combination with alum in mice vaccinated with excretory-secretory antigens (E/S) of Fasciola hepatica.

Methods: 8-week-old female BALB/c mice were subcutaneously vaccinated using E/S antigens of F.

Antimicrobial activity of an antimicrobial peptide against amastigote forms of .

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by is a most common type of vector-borne disease in Iran. The pentavalent antimonial drugs have been used in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis for a long time, but drug resistance and some of serious side effects have been reported. Thus, discovery and development of new therapeutic candidates are needed.

Curcumin nanoemulsion as a novel chemical for the treatment of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in mice.

Background: The aim of this study was to prepare curcumin nanoemulsion (CR-NE) to solve the problems associated with poor water solubility and low bioavailability of CR and to test its efficiency in the treatment of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in mouse models.

Materials And Methods: CR-NE 1% was prepared using spontaneous emulsification by soybean as oil phase; a mixture of Tween 80 and Tween 85 as surfactant; ethanol as cosurfactant and distilled water. Particle size and zeta potential of NE were assessed using Nano-ZS90 dynamic light scattering.

Investigation of the antimicrobial activity of a short cationic peptide against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania major (MHRO/IR/75/ER): An in vitro study.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most endemic global health problems in many countries all around the world. Pentavalent antimonial drugs constitute the first line of leishmaniasis treatment; however, resistance to these drugs is a serious problem. Therefore, new therapies with new modes of action are urgently needed.

Comparison of p27 Gene Expression of Promastigote and Amastigote Forms of (MRHO/IR/75/ER) by Real-time RT-PCR.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the world health problems. is the etiological agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL). Promastigote and amastigote are two morphological forms of parasites that express different proteins and p27 is an important gene encoding cytochrome c oxidase (COX) component.

Development of a new live attenuated Leishmania major p27 gene knockout: Safety and immunogenicity evaluation in BALB/c mice.

Genetically modifying Leishmania major by eliminating essential virulence genes have been proposed as potential vaccine candidates. p27 is a COX component that is responsible for ATP synthesis. In this study a new mutant of Leishmania major (L.

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Wild Canines (Fox, Jackal, and Wolf) in Northeastern Iran Using Parasitological, Serological, and Molecular Methods.

Background: Although many studies had been conducted on various aspects of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in domestic dogs in the endemic areas of Iran, investigations on CVL in wild canines are rare.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2012 to 2013 in northeast of Iran where human VL is endemic. Wild canines were trapped around the areas where human VL cases had been previously identified.