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 semigravid. 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.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of deltamethrin and find a relation between persistence and residue of this insecticide on the prevalent surfaces against malaria vectors in southeastern Iran. Methods:After indoor residual spraying on prevalent surfaces in studied areas (plaster and mud as absorbent surfaces, wood as non absorbent surface and filter paper as control) for malaria control, conical tests as a bioassay method and chromatographic method as an analytical method were used for evolution of persistence and residue of deltamethrin insecticide. Results were investigated statistically by ANOVA and Tukey-HSD tests for determining relations or differences between residue and persistence of deltamethrin. Results:According to the results, there was no significant difference between mortality rates from bioassay tests on different surfaces, and deltamethrin kept its utility to malaria vector control until 120 days after indoor residual spraying on these surfaces. In the case of residue, there was no significant relation between residue amounts and mortality rates on different surfaces, whereas this relation existed between residual amounts on filter papers and mortality rates from bioassay tests. Conclusions: This study shows that measurement of residue in filter papers is a suitable tool for evolution and dictum of efficiency of deltamethrin insecticide in indoor residual spraying for malaria control.

OBJECTIVETo 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.

METHODSWild 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.

RESULTSResults 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.

CONCLUSIONSPresence 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.

Animals ; Anopheles ; genetics ; parasitology ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; DNA, Protozoan ; genetics ; Eggs ; classification ; parasitology ; Female ; Iran ; Male ; Parasite Load ; Plasmodium ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sporozoites