Comparative investigation of different chemicals on the germination of two aquatic microsporidia.

Microsporidia are eukaryotic obligatory intracellular parasites that infect a wide range of vertebrates and invertebrate hosts. Spores infect target cells of the host by transferring their sporoplasm through a distinctive polar tube. This study investigated how selected chemicals influence the germination of two newly discovered microsporidia species from central-western Iran.

Morphological Aberrations of the Dirofilariasis, Sindbis Fever and West Nile Fever Vector (Diptera: Culicidae) in Iran.

Background: (Diptera: Culicidae) is a known vector of pathogens that cause dirofilariasis, Sindbis fever and West Nile fever in Iran. The species is one of the country's most abundant and widely distributed species.

Methods: In order to conduct a faunistic and bionomic study of mosquitoes, larval collection was carried out in Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Province of western Iran using dipping method.

Selective aspects of the epizootiology of Parathelohania iranica (Microsporidia: Amblyosporidae).

Parathelohania is a genus of microsporidia that preferentially attacks Anopheline mosquitoes. This study explored some selective aspects of the epizootiology of Parathelohania iranica (Microsporidia: Amblyosporidae) in its malaria mosquito host Anopheles superpictus s.l.

Parathelohania iranica sp. nov. (Microsporidia: Amblyosporidae) infecting malaria mosquito Anopheles superpictus (Diptera: Culicidae): Ultrastructure and molecular characterization.

Microsporidia are common pathogens of insects and sometimes are considered as a candidate in the biological control of mosquitoes. Recently a microsporidium infection was discovered in Anopheles superpictus (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae, in Iran. The responsible agent belonged to the genus Parathelohania (Microsporidia: Amblyosporidae).

Microsporidium Infecting Anopheles supepictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Larvae.

Background: Microsporidia are known to infect a wide variety of animals including mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). In a recent study on the mosquito fauna of Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Province, at the central western part of Iran, a few larvae of Anopheles superpictus were infected with a microsporidium-resembled microorganism. Current investigation deals with the identification of the responsible microorganism at the genus level.

Fabrication of an olfactometer for mosquito behavioural studies.

Background & Objectives: Olfaction is the major sensory modality involved in the resource searching behaviour of insects including vector mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). To date, our current countrywide knowledge on the host-seeking behaviour of Iranian mosquitoes is mainly confined to host preference which has exclusively come from field studies. Olfactometer is a scientific tool by which more naive aspects of man-vector contact can be clarified under controlled and less biased conditions.