Background: The main objective of this study is to review publications on the presence of Demodex spp. in patients diagnosed with blepharitis worldwide and to analyse the trends and groups in this field.

Methods: This bibliometric study was conducted to detect the presence of Demodex spp in patients diagnosed with bleph­aritis worldwide between 1984 and 2023. For this purpose, 288 studies were examined as a result of searches us­ing the keywords "Blepharitis and Demodex" in Web of Science (WOS) databases. All text data was analysed using VOSviewer software to ensure accuracy and reliability. In this study, analysis using text mining and data visualization techniques (bubble maps and graphs) helped to make the results more understandable.

Results: This study provided information on 288 articles from WOS databases. The average total number of citations is 1305 and the H-index is 41. The majority of articles (63%) were published in the field of ophthalmology. The countries that published the most articles on this topic were the USA (24%), China (13%), and Turkey (11%).

Conclusion: This study is the first bibliometric study of patients diagnosed with blepharitis due to Demodex spp. The most used keyword in blepharitis is Demodex. The most studied field of research is ophthalmology and the most studied country is the United States of America. The results of this bibliometric analysis conducted by us reveal global trends in the presence of Demodex spp in patients diagnosed with blepharitis and provide important information for future direc­tions of research.

Background: The wide distribution of phlebotomine vectors complicates the leishmaniasis situation in the world, with the risk of spreading from rural to urban areas. Our study investigates for the first time the ecology and distribution of sand fly populations in leishmaniasis focus (Djelfa, Algeria).

Methods: Sampling is performed using light traps from August 2021 to July 2022 at ten sites with different biotopes: two peri-urban stations (Ain Oussera and Hassi Bahbah), one urban station (Djelfa), and three rural stations (Ain El-Bel, Haniet Ouled Salem and Mlaga).

Results: A total of 2,866 specimens with 12 species belonging to Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia were identified with the first record of Phlebotomus langeroni female nationally, revealing a good diversity of up to 1.812 bits. The greatest richness of species was found in rural sites at Ain El Bel station, while the lowest richness was observed in the first peri-urban site of Ain Oussera station. Interestingly, the surveyed species were evenly distributed across all the study sites, in particular Phlebotomus papatasi with 57.29%. Statistical treatment revealed a strong positive relationship between temperature and species (p< 0.001, r= 0.91). Considering the other factors, there was a moderate link between species richness and altitude (p= 0.01 R²= 0.519). However, neither rainfall nor wind speed (p> 0.05) were correlated with sand fly fauna. Moreover, humidity showed a negative correlation (p< 0.001, r= -0.96).

Conclusion: The findings of this study on phlebotomine fauna in this endemic region for leishmaniasis provide valua­ble data to support the success of a vector control program.

Background: Demodex spp., a cosmopolitan mite, can exist as a commensal or parasitic organism. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Demodex spp. infestation in patients with common skin diseases and explore the potential association between demodicosis and these conditions in Urmia, northwest Iran.

Methods: A total of 246 patients attending the Skin Polyclinic of Iranian Urmia Taleghani Hospital were enrolled in the study. Samples were taken from the nose wings, cheeks, and forehead regions of the face area of the persons using the standard superficial skin biopsy method.

Results: Demodicosis was detected in 43 (16.3%) patients, with 42 cases attributed to D. folliculorum and 1 case to D. brevis infestation. The highest positivity was found in the 31‒50 (21.4%) and 51‒72 (22.2%) age groups. In the rela­tionship between demodicosis and skin diseases, Demodex spp. was found in 13 (32.5%) of 40 patients who had skin disease; 6 of these patients with rosacea (42.9%) and 7 with eczema (29.2%). Mite infestation was found in 6 (37.5%) of 16 patients who had hemodialysis due to renal insufficiency. Furthermore, 46.7% of positive patients reported using common goods. The prevalence of demodicosis was similar among patients residing in villages (17.2%) and cities (17.6%).

Conclusion: This study sheds light on the potential association between Demodex infestation and common skin diseas­es such as rosacea and eczema in Urmia, Iran. Therefore, there is a pressing need to augment research endeavors on de­modicosis.

Background: Ticks are hematophagous arthropods that have direct and indirect effects on hosts, including the trans­mission of pathogens. An environmental suitability study of some vector species of hard ticks was conducted using the MaxEnt model in the south-eastern region of the Caspian Sea in Iran.

Methods: The ticks were collected monthly (2014−2015) at 45 study sites covering different areas in terms of topogra­phy. Because most farms in the study area are traditionally engaged in sheep production and they are taken to pastures in the warm season, the ticks were sampled from herds of sheep.

Results: In total, 2410 hard ticks were collected and the vector species with wider distributions were considered for modelling. The areas under the curve for Hyalomma anatulicum, Hy. asiaticum, Hy. marginatum, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rh. sanguineus, and Rh. turanicus were 0.848, 0.762, 0.812, 0.772, 0.770 and 0.803, respectively. This means that tem­perature and precipitation were effective environmental variables for the prediction of appropriate regions for these tick species. The outputs of the models indicated that the western and south- western regions of Golestan Province provided the best niches for the presence of ticks.

Conclusion: The western regions of Golestan Province are potential habitats for tick-borne diseases in both livestock and humans and special attention should be focused on preventing the spread of such diseases in this region.

Background: The German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is a pest with a global distribution that has adapted to live in human environments. Blattella germanica threatens human health by producing asthma-inducing allergens, carrying pathogenic/antibiotic-resistant microbes, and contributing to unhealthy indoor environments. Effective application of insecticides can play an important role in cockroach control programs. The purpose of this research was to develop and optimize a nanoparticle-based imidacloprid insecticide and evaluate its effectiveness against the German cockroach.

Methods: A bioassay was conducted to determine the LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ of imidacloprid technical against adult German cockroaches. The appropriate initial concentration of 3mg/m² was then utilized in the synthesis of nanoencapsulated imidacloprid via the ionic gelation method. The average particle size was determined using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and the dried nanoparticles were analyzed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of Nano-imidacloprid were then compared with the technical grade of the insecticide.

Results: A comparison of the bioassay results for nanoencapsulated and imidacloprid technical revealed a superior in­secticidal effect of the nanoencapsulated imidacloprid against the German cockroach. The LC₅₀ value for the nanoen­capsulated imidacloprid decreased from 4.656 to 3.081 mg/m² and the LC₉₀ value decreased from 8.381 to 4.486 mg/m² when compared to imidacloprid technical.

Conclusion: The use of nanotechnology in insecticides can lead to increased efficacy and reduced consumption. This is because the smaller particle size of nanomaterials allows for better penetration and targeted delivery to pest organisms, reducing the overall amount needed for control.

Background: Fleas are blood-sucking ectoparasites with complete metamorphosis. They belong to the order Si­phonaptera and can infest both humans and animals, causing dermatitis and transmitting vector-borne diseases. De­spite extensive study of their classification and biology, the phylogenetic relationship between fleas in Iran is not fully understood. This research aimed to identify the flea species collected from different parts of East Azerbaijan Province in northwest Iran, using morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analysis.

Methods: From October 2019 to October 2020, we collected fleas using various methods such as hand catching for humans, brushing for dogs and cats, sticky traps for rodent burrows, light traps, and dishes with water for sheep and goats. After identifying the flea species using morphological identification keys, we extracted total genomic DNA and amplified it by targeting the ITS2 region. The PCR products were then directly sequenced to investigate the flea species.

Results: In total, 1929 flea specimens were collected, revealing three genera and four species. The breakdown of the specimens is as follows: Pulex irritans (n=1206; 62.5%), Ctenocephalides canis (n=345; 18%), Ctenocephalides felis felis (n=203; 10.5%), Ctenocephalides felis orientis (n=160; 8%), and Xenopsylla nuttalli (n=15; 1%). Phyloge­netic analysis indicated low to moderate haplotype diversity (Hd: 0−0.524) across five distinct clades: P. irritans, C. canis, C. felis felis, C. felis orientis, and X. nuttalli.

Conclusion: This study represents the first in-depth analysis in East Azerbaijan Province, highlighting the signifi­cance of considering P. irritans as a major vector when assessing the risk of local disease transmission.

Background: Coxiella burnetii causes Q fever, a zoonotic and vector-borne disease. Ticks serve as vectors for this bac­terium. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of C. burnetii infection in ticks in Shahr-e-Rey County, Tehran Province.

Methods: From December 2016 to November 2017, 179 ticks were collected on sheep at animal husbandry facilities and slaughterhouses located in Shahr-e-Rey, Tehran Province. Tick samples were morphologically identified and evalu­ated for the presence of the C. burnetii IS1111 gene using real-time PCR.

Results: Ticks were classified into four genera: Hyalomma (66.48%), Rhipicepalus (23.47%), Dermacentor (7.26%), and Ornithodoros (2.79%). Furthermore, 35.20% of the ticks were Hyalomma nymphs.

All 77 ticks were pooled by species, and C. burnetii was found in 22.08% (n= 17). Ornithodoros lahorensis was the most prevalent tick infected with C. burnetii.

Conclusion: The distribution of C. burnetii and reports of Q fever from various regions of the country strongly suggest that the monitoring system should give this disease more attention.

Background: The spectrum of dengue infection ranges from asymptomatic or mild to severe disease. The pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood. A viral infection can induce the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and the excessive NETs lead to increased vascular permeability, coagulopathy, and platelet dysfunction, a hallmark of severe dengue.

Methods: To evaluate the association of NETs formation with disease severity using a human public transcriptomic dataset (GSE17924) and clinical samples from dengue patients with different disease severity. 

Results: Based on the transcriptomic analysis, the whole blood gene expression functional in neutrophil activities and NETs formation was upregulated with dengue disease severity. The serum concentration of citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3), a NETs marker, was measured in 28 dengue patients, of whom 18 classified as dengue fever (DF) and 10 as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) grade 1 and 2. A significantly higher CitH3 concentration was found in DHF com­pared to DF patients. The level of CitH3 was negatively correlated with platelet counts.

Conclusion: Our results suggest NETs have contributed to the disease severity of dengue infection. Future studies on the predictive value of NETs markers and the potential NETs as a targeted therapy in dengue disease should be priori­tized.