Author/Authors :
Moin-Vaziri, Vahideh Department of Parasitology and Mycology - School of Medicine - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Charrel, Remi N Unité des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix Marseille Univ, IRD 190, INSERM 1207, IHU Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France , Badakhshan, Mehdi Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control - School of Public Health - Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran , de Lamballerie, Xavier Unité des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix Marseille Univ, IRD 190, INSERM 1207, IHU Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France , Rahbarian, Nourina Department of Parasitology and Mycology - School of Medicine - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Mohammadi Bavani, Mulood Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control - School of Public Health - Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran , Azari-Hamidian, Shahyad Department of Health Education - Research Center of Health and Environment - School of Health - Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
Abstract :
Background: Mosquito-borne arboviruses such as West Nile (WN), dengue, Rift Valley fever, and Sindbis viruses are reported in Iran, but large-scale studies have not been performed on mosquitoes to find their vectors. A molecular study of the adult mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) for flaviviruses was carried out in a focus of WN infection, Guilan Province, northern Iran.
Methods: Mosquito collections were carried out in five stations of two counties (Anzali and Rasht) using light traps, hand catch by manual aspirators and night landing catch during August–September 2013 and 2014. Molecular screening of WN virus and more widely for Flavivirus RNA was carried out using a specific PCR technique.
Results: In total, 1015 adult mosquitoes were collected including eight species representing four genera. The most preva-lent species were Aedes vexans (33.2%), Culex tritaeniorhynchus (22%), Cx. pipiens (20.7%), and Anopheles maculi-pennis s.l. (15.6%). Molecular screening was carried out on the 1015 mosquitoes after they were organized as 38 pools according to sex, species and trapping location. None of the pools were positive.
Conclusion: Surveillance should be continued while increasing the sampling campaigns due to the presence of wetlands in the region and abundant species which are considered as vectors, feeding on both birds and humans.
Keywords :
Flavivirus , Culex , Coquilletidia , Anopheles , Aedes
