03430nas a2200421 4500008004100000022002500041245011100066210006900177260001600246300001400262490000700276520210700283100003302390700002902423700002102452700002502473700002302498700002702521700002102548700002102569700002102590700001702611700002102628700002102649700002102670700002802691700002102719700002002740700002002760700002302780700002002803700002202823700001802845700002702863700002802890700002202918856006802940 2021 eng d a0022-2585, 1938-292800aMolecular Monitoring of Knockdown Resistance in Head Louse (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) Populations in Iran0 aMolecular Monitoring of Knockdown Resistance in Head Louse Phthi cJun-09-2021 a2321-23290 v583 a

Knockdown resistance (kdr) is a common mechanism of insecticide resistance in head lice to the conventionally used pyrethroid pediculosis and can be the result of various amino acid substitutions within the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC). In this study, 54 sequences from varied specimens were investigated to monitor well-known resistance mutations and probable new mutations. The Pediculus humanus capitis de Geer specimens were collected from 13 provinces in Iran. The specimens were stored in 70% ethanol until DNA extraction and PCR amplification of ~900-bp fragment of VSSC. The sequences were analyzed using different bioinformatics software for the detection of well-known kdr substitutions and additional mutations potentially associated with kdr resistance in head lice. There were six new and an old (haplotype I) kdr haplotypes within the Iranian head louse population. K794E, F815I, and N818D amino acid substitutions were reported for the first time. The P813H mutation was the most prevalent amino acid substitution in eight provinces. Among 53 sequences, 26 (49%) were homozygous susceptible, and 27 (51%) were heterozygotes. Thus, 51% of the head lice collected in Iran harbored only the P813H allele. The exact test for the Hardy–Weinberg (H–W) equilibrium showed that genotype frequencies differed significantly from the expectation in East-Azerbaijan and Tehran provinces. Moreover, these populations had an inbreeding coefficient (Fis) <0, indicating the excess of heterozygotes. This observation suggests that the populations of head lice from Iran are currently under active selective pressure. For the rest of the populations, H–W equilibrium and the expectations were significantly in harmony. The results of the current study highlight molecular techniques in the accurate detection of resistance genotypes before their establishment within the head louse population. Accurate detection of resistant genotypes seems to be helpful in decision-making on lice control programs and resistance monitoring and management.

1 aGhahvechi_Khaligh, Fereshteh1 aDjadid, Navid, Dinparast1 aFarmani, Mostafa1 aAsadi_Saatlou, Zahra1 aFirooziyan, Samira1 aAbedi-Astaneh, Fatemeh1 aFarnoosh, Fariba1 aSofizadeh, Aioub1 aNaseri, Firoozeh1 aAdib, Delnia1 aTaheri, Mohammad1 aLalehzari, Emran1 aPashaei, Shabnam1 aSoltanbeiglou, Shadiyeh1 aSoltani, Aboozar1 aKhooban, Hassan1 aAbbasi, Ebrahim1 aAivazi, Ali-Ashraf1 aSaeedi, Samrand1 aTaghilou, Behrooz1 aJafari, Abbas1 aDashti_Khavidak, Kamal1 aToloza, Ariel, Ceferino1 aGholizadeh, Saber uhttps://academic.oup.com/jme/article-abstract/58/6/2321/629545801933nas a2200193 4500008004100000245013700041210006900178300000900247520125000256653001701506653000901523653002401532100002301556700002301579700003301602700002701635700002201662856005501684 2020 eng d00aWolbachia Endosymbiant Was Not Detected in Field Collected Population of Head and Body Lice From Iran Using Molecular Markers0 aiWolbachiai Endosymbiant Was Not Detected in Field Collected Pop a7 pp3 a

Objectives Head lice infection can lead to inferiority, depression, insomnia, and lack of education, loss of social status, secondary infections, hair removal, and allergies. Body lice can carry dangerous diseases such as typhus, trench fever, and recurrent fever. Studies on lice control due to pesticides, inappropriate drug use, pesticide risks, and pesticide resistance in the lice population are needed. The study of insect symbiotic microorganisms such as Wolbachia is a new approach to control the vector-borne disease.

ResultsThe presence of this bacterium was investigated in head and body lice collected from the Iranian lice population. Genomic DNA was extracted from both lice specimens and PCR assay was performed to the detection of Wolbachia infection by using Wsp, coxA, and gatB primers. All PCR results were negative for Wolbachia in comparison with positive controls. Further studies should be performed using new molecular markers to determine the Wolbachia infection of lice.

10aEndosymbiant10aIran10aMolecular Detection1 aFirooziyan, Samira1 aSadaghianifar, Ali1 aGhahvechi_Khaligh, Fereshteh1 aOshaghi, Mohammad, Ali1 aGholizadeh, Saber uhttps://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-78236/v102303nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001400041245012300055210006900178260001200247300001600259490000700275520139600282653001501678653001501693653002501708653004801733653002201781100002301803700002301826700002201849700002201871700002001893700002201913856010201935 2017 eng d a0022-258500aIdentification of Novel Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Mutations in Human Head and Body Lice (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae)0 aIdentification of Novel VoltageGated Sodium Channel Mutations in c05-2019 a1337 - 13430 v543 a

In recent years, the increase of head louse infestation in Iran (7.4%) and especially in West-Azerbaijan Province (248%) has raised the hypothesis of insecticide resistance development. There are different mechanisms of re- sistance to various groups of insecticides, and knockdown resistance (kdr) is a prominent mechanism of resis- tance to pyrethroids, an insecticide group which is used conventionally for pediculosis control. For detection of kdr-type well-known amino acid substitutions (M815I–T917I–L920F) and additional sodium channel mutations potentially associated with kdr resistance in head and body lice, louse populations were collected from West- Azerbaijan and Zanjan Provinces of Iran. Six novel mutations were found to be located in the IIS1-2 extracellular loop (H813P) and IIS5 (I927F, L928A, R929V, L930M, and L932M) of the a-subunit. Genotyping results showed that all specimens (100%) have at least one of these or the well-known mutations. Therefore, the presence of kdr-related and novel mutations in the sodium channel is likely to be the reason for the frequent use of pyre- throid insecticides due to treatment failure against lice. Further studies are now required to evaluate the preva- lence of the kdr-like mutant allele for monitoring of insecticide resistance and the management of head and body lice in other provinces of the country.

10abody louse10aHead louse10aknockdown resistance10anovel voltage-gated sodium channel mutation10asequence analysis1 aFirooziyan, Samira1 aSadaghianifar, Ali1 aTaghilou, Behrooz1 aGalavani, Hossein1 aGhaffari, Eslam1 aGholizadeh, Saber uhttp://academic.oup.com/jme/article/54/5/1337/3855130/Identification-of-Novel-VoltageGated-Sodium