Molecular detection of Critidia fasciculata and other blood parasites in Rhombomis opimus from northern Iran as endemic area

Human blood parasites are one of the most critical infections in human that transmit by vectors. Reservoirs of the parasites are crucially important in the epidemiology and control. In the current study isolated parasites from a Rhombomys Optimus (R. opimus), rodent confirms that Crithidia is a zoonotic parasitic disease. This study aimed to find the high-risk areas of this infection by considering the distribution of reservoirs and human infection. In this study, 148 rodents from an endemic focus of Gonbad-e-Qabus city in Golestan province were trapped and then killed ethically and direct smear and culture in Novy- MacNal-Nicolle medium (NNN) were taken and finally, results were confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Sequencing method. Out of 148 rodent, 97 (65.54%) rodent were male and 51 (34.45%) were female (P <0.05). and in smear and culture were found 8 (5.40%) T. lewisi, 6 (4.05%) L. major, and 2 (1.35%) Crithidia spp. Based on the time; 40 (27.02%), 50 (33.78%), 38 (25.67%), and 20 (13.51%) rodents were trapped in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively. Due to northeastern Iran (Gonbad-e-Qabus) being the endemic focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), it should be noted that the reservoirs of this disease may also be contaminated with Leishmania spp, and Crithidia. Results showed that R. opimus are the important reservoirs of CL in northeastern of Iran. Important foci of the diseases in almost all areas of Iran are dispersed. Therefore, reliable methods to control mice are essentially needed.