Background: Flies play a significant role in public health because of their potential to transmit human pathogens and cause myiasis. This study aimed to investigate the species composition, abundance, biodiversity, and synanthropy of medical­ly important flies in southwest Iran.

Methods: Flies were collected from urban, semi-urban and non-residential ecosystems of Andimeshk county, southwest Iran, from 2020 to 2021 using a bottle trap and sweep net. All collected specimens were identified using taxonomic keys. Biodiversity and synanthropic indices were calculated.

Results: A total of 15644 flies belonging to three families of Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae and Muscidae were collect­ed, comprising 11 genus and 18 species of Sarcophaga ruficornis (0.5%), S. aegyptica (0.9%), S. melanura (0.6%), S. africa (0.6%), Sarcophaga sp. (2.6%), Ravinia pernix (0.4%), Sarcophila sp. (0.3%), Wohlfahrtia sp. (0.6%), Chrysomya albiceps (9%), Chrysomya megacephala (36.3%), Lucilia sericata (2.5%), Calliphora vicina (0.3%), Pole­nia sp. (0.5%), Musca domestica (30.8%), Musca automnalis (0.6%), Muscina stabulans (2.4%), Muscina prolapse (0.4%), Atherigona sp. (0.6%) were trapped. The synanthropic index (SI) was +52.25, +46.2, +35.1, +35.95, and +21.45 for the myiasis-causing species, including C. vicina, S. africa, C. albispes, C. megalocephala and S. aegyptica, respec­tively. The biodiversity and evenness indices were 1.82±0.026 and 0.6306±0.0009, indicating a relatively high diversity and moderate/high evenness of flies in the study area.

Conclusion: Given synanthropic behavior and widespread presence of C. megacephala, this species should be priori­tized in future surveillance and control programs to reduce public health risks.

Background: Diseases such as malaria are transmitted by Anopheles species, among which Anopheles stephensi is one of the most important malaria vectors in Iran. Reducing the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases depends on con­trolling the mosquito vector or minimizing human-vector contact. A promising method for control, surveillance, and monitoring involves using synthetic attractants in traps to target vectors. This study aims to determine the effective dose of octenol, isovaleric acid, lactic acid, hexanoic acid, isoamyl alcohol, myristic acid, and ammonium hydrogen bicar­bonate using the high-throughput screening system (HTSS) device in the laboratory.

Methods: After rearing An. stephensi in the insectary, High-Throughput Screening System (HTSS) assay was used to obtain the 50% and 90% effective dose (ED) of the attractive compounds. Probit analysis was used to analyze the re­sults and prepare the regression lines of ED₅₀ and ED₉₀.

Results: This study showed that An. stephensi had the highest absorption to isoamyl alcohol (ED₅₀= 0.57 mL/L, ED₉₀= 1.04 mL/L), followed by isovaleric acid (ED₅₀= 1.96 mL/L, ED₉₀= 3.00 mL/L), myristic acid (ED₅₀= 24.77 g/L, ED₉₀= 47.08 g/L), octenol (ED₅₀= 26.64 mL/L, ED₉₀= 54.36 mL/L) and lactic acid (ED₅₀= 54.98 mL/L, ED₉₀= 132.9 mL/L), while hexanoic acid (ED₅₀= 87.50 mL/L, ED₉₀= 244.49 mL/L) per liter and ammonium hydrogen bicarbonate (ED₅₀= 93.84 g/L, ED₉₀= 234.01 g/L) showed the lowest absorption rate.

Conclusion: Our laboratory results identified isoamyl alcohol and isovaleric acid as highly effective attractants for An. stephensi. These compounds are strong candidates for inclusion in field-deployable traps after further validation.

Background: Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are the most important arthropods in public health. Larval habitat fea­tures play an important role in their selection by female mosquitoes for oviposition. The purpose of this study was to determine the oviposition sites of mosquitoes in Aqqala County of Golestan Province following the flood of 2019. 

Methods: Two categories of larval habitats were defined: those that naturally occurred and those that were a result of flooding. Samples were collected using dippers with a 350 ml capacity. The collected larvae were preserved in lacto­phenol solution. Microscope slides were prepared using Berlese medium. The specimens were morphologically identi­fied. Larval habitat characteristics were recorded according to the habitat situation (permanent/temporary, run­ning/ stagnant), vegetation situation, sunlight situation, substrate type, water situation (turbid/clear), and habitat type (natural/ artificial).  

Results: In total, 774 third- and fourth-instar mosquito larvae were collected from different larval habitats not affected by the flood, including seven species representing four genera. Culex pusillus was the dominant species (41.2%). The larvae of Aedes caspius, Cx. pipiens, Cx. theileri, Culiseta longiareolata and Uranotaenia unguiculata were collected only from artificial habitats, 96.9% of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus larvae from artificial habitats and 78.7% of Cx. pusillus larvae from natural habitats. No larvae were collected from the larval habitats affected by the flood. 

Conclusion: Field observations suggested that the flushing of natural larval habitats may cause such a decrease in larval population in the habitats affected by the flood. The presence of the larvivorous fish Gambusia holbrooki may also be taken into consideration.

Vector-borne diseases impose a substantial burden on healthcare facilities, with an escalating number of cases involving co-infections with filarial diseases. The co-infection of dengue and filarial diseases presents a complex clinical scenario that requires careful consideration and management. We present a case of a 35-year-old male initially diagnosed with dengue who presented with subsequent identification of microfilariae in peripheral blood film. This unexpected finding underscores the importance of thorough investigation and consideration of co-infections, particularly in regions where both diseases are endemic.