Molecular characterization,biological forms and sporozoite rate of Anopheles stephensi in southern Iran

Objective:To identify the biological forms,sporozoite rate and molecular characterization of the Anopheles stephensi(An.stephensi)in Hormozgan and Sistan-Baluchistan provinces,the most important malarious areas in Iran.Methods:Wild live An.stephensi samples were collected from different malarious areas in southern Iran.The biological forms were identified based on number of egg-ridges.Molecular characterization of biological forms was verified by analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and II(mtDNA-COI/COII).The Plasmodium infection was examined in the wild female specimens by species-specific nested-PCR method.Results:Results showed that all three biological forms including mysorensis,intermediate and type are present in the study areas.Molecular investigations revealed no genetic variation between mtDNA COI/COII sequences of the biological forms and no Plasmodium parasites was detected in the collected mosquito samples.Conclusions:Presence of three biological forms with identical sequences showed that the known biological forms belong to a single taxon and the various vectorial capacities reported for these forms are more likely corresponded to other epidemiological factors than to the morphotype of the populations.Lack of malaria parasite infection in An,stephensi,the most important vector of malaria,may be partly due to the success and achievement of ongoing active malaria control program in the region.

Some ecological attributes of malarial vector Anopheles superpictus Grassi in endemic foci in southeastern Iran

Objective:To determine the bionomics and susceptibility status of the malarial vector Anopheles superpictus(An.superpictus)to different insecticides in the Sistan-Baluchestan province which has the highest malarial prevalence in Iran.Methods:Different sampling methods,in addition to scoring abdominal conditions,were used to define the seasonal activity and endo/exophilic behavior of this species.In addition,the standard WHO susceptibility tests were applied on adult field strains.Results:Most adult mosquitoes were collected from outdoor shelters.The peak of seasonal activity of An.superpictus occurred at the end of autumn.Most larvae were collected from natural and permanent breeding places with full sunlight and no vegetation.Blood feeding activities occurred around midnight.Compared with the abdominal conditions of adult mosquitoes collected indoors,the abdominal conditions of adult mosquitoes collected outdoors were gravid and seniigravid.This species was suspected to be resistant to DDT,but was susceptible to other insecticides.Conclusions:An.superpictus was present in almost all outdoor shelters,and the ratios of gravid,semigravid/unfed,and freshly fed confirmed that this species had a higher tendency to rest outdoors than indoors.This behavior can protect An.superpictus from indoor residual spraying in this malarious area.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first report on the susceptibility status of An.superpictus in Southeastern Iran.We do not suggest the use of DDT for indoor residual spraying in southeast Iran.