IBN AL- HAITHAM J. FOR PURE & APPL. S CI VOL.23 (1) 2010 Field Study of Ecological Factors Influencing Visceral Leishmaniasis Foci S. A. Salman and H. A. Mohammed Departme nt of Biology ,College of Sciences , Unive rsity of Baghdad College of Medicine Al -Nahrain , Unive rsity of Al-Nahrian Abstract The main elements of traditional foci of visceral leishmaniasis in the endemic area were st udied. The comp lex relationship s between biotic and abiotic factor in the st udy foci. Also the presence of possible reservoirs of disease with density of sandflies were examined. Introduction The central region of Iraq is a traditional endemic area with visceral Leishmaniasis [1,2,3,4]. Baghdad is considered as a center of a circle of this disease with a diameter of about 100-km [5,6]. The main traditional foci are Taji, Hooralbasha, in the north of Baghdad. Abougreb, Radwaniy a in the west of Baghdad. M oussiab, Latifiy a, M ahmodiya, in the sout hwest of Baghdad. Nomaniy a, Az izia, Sowera, M edain, in the sout h of Baghdad, Jasserdiala, in sout h east of Baghdad, and Khan Bani sa`ad in the east of Baghdad [1,2,5,7]. Also t he cases were reported in many districts in M eesan p rovince in the sout h east of Iraq, and Thi-Qar p rovince in the south of Iraq [1,5,6,8]. Incidences of cases were reported also in Ninava p rovince in the dist rict of Al-Shikhan in the north of Iraq. The epidemiological map of Visceral Leishmaniasis may be due to many ecological variables such as the distribution of p ossible vectors, soil st ructure, and kind of vegetation, p revalence of p ossible reservoir, climate, and man activities [8,9,10,11] The sp ecies of Iraqi sandflies are fifteen [1]. Their distribution is widely depending to the geographical features of Iraq [1,10,12,13,14,15]. The fauna of five zoogeographical zones exist in Iraq, this is because the vectors and reservoirs are p robably distinct from those of M editerranean basin [6,7,8,13]. Seven sp ecies of sandflies occurred in central region of Iraq [1,2,3]. These sp ecies belong to the genera Phlebotomus and Sergentomiya. The dominant sp ecies is phlebotomus papatasi with about 95% of the total density of sp ecies [1,2,5,6,11,13,14,15,16,17,18]. The sp ecies of P.papatasi is the first susp ected sp ecies as a vector of disease in this region [1,3,6,10,13,14]. Also flagellates were isolated from this sp ecies[19,20,21,22,23,24]. Recently the leishmania sp . was identified from a smear taken from the fore and mid guts of few infected females of the same sp ecies collected from traditional focus of infantile leishmaniasis in the central region of Iraq [25]. The central region of Iraq is a wide alluvial p lain with elevation varies from 36 – 300 m. a. s.l. The orchards of date p alms trees disp erse among the area covering many kinds of fruited trees. While the kinds of vegetation varies. Villager’s dwellings are mostly near the orchard in-group s or they are scatt ering in op en-land. Dwellings are mostly cements made; those of animal shelters are mainly of mud made. The climate is continental (very dry and hot in summer, wet and cold in winter). The mean average of annual rain full is about 200 mm. (Iraqi meteorological service) the y ears of1998, 1999,and 2000 are dry seasons in Iraq (M inist ry of Irrigation).In Two large rivers cross Iraq, Tigers and Euphrates; water level was decreased in the last p eriod. Villagers widely used p umps t o irrigate their farms and animals from canals and artisan wells. IBN AL- HAITHAM J. FOR PURE & APPL. S CI VOL.23 (1) 2010 M any invest igators p erformed st udies on p ossible reservoirs in 20 th century the results were negatives. The studies were oriented toward dogs, jackals, foxes and rodents [18]. Sp raying insecticides were st op p ed since 1991.Deficiency in medicaments, health facilities, quality of food and vitamins, deep ly influenced the life of children of the study area. Method and Materials Two stations were selected durin g 1998 and 1999 in the endemic area with both visceral and Cutaneous Leishman iasis. First one was Abougreb about 30-km west of Baghdad; second one was M ahmodiya about 50-km south of Baghdad. The st ations were selected because of the followings: 1-The high density of sandflies. 2- The post and p resent rep orted cases of Viscer al Leishmaniasis. 3-The possible canine Leishmaniasis and high number of Rod ents 4- To use all the p revious studies, which were conducted in this area as a base line data. Entomological st udies p erformed by using st icky p apers, and CDC light traps of malaria. Sticky traps offered very imp ortant information about density , feeding, resting- p laces, and behavior, in/outdoor. The collection of sand flies was achieved in human dwellings, and animal shelters. Identifications of male sp ecimens were based on the genitalia; those of female were identified on sp ermathecae, cibrium, and pharynx. Females p assed about 24 h in 1% solution of detergent, t o remove fat and ova. Dissection of females were done to search for p ossible natural infection with p arasites, this technique is long and delicate. Using 25 live traps, with bread and onion for trapp ing rodents. Identification, blood, liver, sp leen smears were taken off, in addition to small portions of sp leen and livers in NNN- media. M eteorological information was p rovided from Iraqi meteorology (Baghdad st ation), in addition to p ortable thermo-hy grograph meter. Also the main sp ecies of vegetation was identified by a sp ecialist . All children less than 15 y ears were examined by a p hy sician, also blood samples were taken off from 10% of them during two sep arated visits. Hist ory of one of the focus from 1965 was reported carefully during the visits, in addition to the names and ages of all the p ositive cases including the dead (unfortunately two new clinical cases were reported in February and M arch 2000 in two neighbour dwellings in Al-M ahmodiya focus). Results and Discussion The comp lex p athogen (p arasite –vector- reservoir) was influenced by the ecological factors in this traditional endemic area of infantile visceral leishmaniasis science 1967[14]. Also the p ossible biotic and a biotic factors were examined during this st udy . Variations in temp eratures in summer were very wide from day to night, when it p assed (45 o c) in shaded p laces during the day of July and August .The variations were also very wide between winter and summer. However the RH% ranged from 10 %to 80%. Also it varies from day to night, the maximum values were (00 h-4h). These extreme variations of temp erature select t he biota of the area [6,15]. Therefore mesop hilic sp ecies are found in scatt er microclimate area out from these factors [14] only the euy retherme sp ecies as Phlepotomus papatasi existing in high numbers T able (1) [6,8]. The climate is continental and the rainfall in the area is less than 200 mm. few rainy days were registered during the last three y ears. Dry season limit the cultivated area across the country . Thus the wild rodents migrated toward the dwellings of villagers, where are a favorable p laces for survival and breeding. If the reservoirs is one or more of the sp ecies of these rodents, its very imp ortant to exp lain the sensible increasing of incidences during 2000 in the area Unfort unately in central Iraq the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis IBN AL- HAITHAM J. FOR PURE & APPL. S CI VOL.23 (1) 2010 not influenced by this natural phenomena and the number of cases still high. This is due to the increasing of new artisan wells in the area to grow the p lantations and the arbored area with different kinds of fruited trees. As a result of that the numbers of rodent’s p op ulations are relatively st able. Also the p ossible reservoirs in central Iraq may be different from north region Table (2) [1,6,15]. It was found also that the canine p op ulations don’t influenced by the dryness. T hus the vectors density (sand flies) st ay without change in the study area [2,3] . Phlepotomus papatasi can be found with a very high density in the open land (not cultivated) invaded by Alhagi sp. and others wild sp ecies, where are many new rodents barrows can be seen easily [6,7,14]. Henceforth any epidemiological st udy concerning this disease in Iraq should take in p riority the ecolo gical factors in different re gions as a main controllin g factor [12,17]. Re ferences 1.Abul-Hab, J. Ahmed, S.A. (1984).Revision of the Family Phlepotominae (Dip tera) in Iraqi. J.Biol. Scie.Res .7,1-64, 2.Abul-Hab, J. Al-Baghdadi, R. (1972 a),Seasonal occurrence of man biting Phlebotomus (Dip tera, Psy chodidae) in the Baghdad Area. Iraqi. Annl. Trop . M ed. Parasitol .66: 165- 166, 3.Aul-Hab, J&Al-Baghdadi, R , (1972b) Seasonal occurrence of five sp ecies, Phlebotomus (Dip tera p sy chodidae) sand fly in Baghdad area. Iraq. Bull. End. Dis. Baghd.13 (4), 55-75. 4.Abul-Hab ,J. and Al-Hashimi, W. (1988)Night –biting activities, Phlibotomus papatasi Scolp i. (Diptera Phlibotomidae) In Suwira Iraq. Bull. End. Dies. Baghd.29, 5-16. 5.Abul-Hab, J.& M ehdi,T.(1970). Seasonal occurrence of Phlebotomus (Dip tera, Psy chodidae) sandfly of Baghdad area. Iraq.Bull. End. Dis. Bagh.12, 81-94 6.Adler, S. & Theodor, O. (1929 a), The distribution of sandfly and Leishmaniasis in Palest ine, Sy ria and M esop otamia.Ann. T rop . M ed. Parasitol. 23, 269-303. 7.Adler ,S.; Theodor, O.& Lourie, E.M .(1930)., Sand fly from Persia &Palestine. Bull .End. Res. 21: 529-539 8.M esghali, A. (1965), Phlebotomina (Dip ) in Iran. 111 st udies on sand flies in the area of Bandr Abbass and Jaks. Bull.Soc. Path. Exotic 58:259-276. 9.M ohsen, Z.H. and Abul- Hab J. (1975).Lab.st udies on the bio of P.papatasi scolpiDiptra Psy chodidae) Bull .end. Dis, 16:33-26. 10.M arinkelle, G . (1975) Visceral Leishmania in central Iraq. (WHO, EM .DD 17.P.S) 11.Pringel, G. (1952) T he sand flies (Phlebotominae) of Iraq. Bull.Ent.Res 43:707-734, 12.Pringel, G. (1956). Kala-azer in Iraq: Preliminary epidemiological Consideration. Bull.End.Dis.Bagh. (4): 275-294. 13.Pringel, G. (1957),Oriental sore in Iraq. Hist orical and epidemiological Problems. Bull.End.Dis.Bagh, 2:44-294. 14.Sukker, F. (1972),Visceral Leishmaniaes in Iraq. Bull.End.Dis.Bagh.13 (4) :77-83, 15.Sukker, F. (1974),Study on sandflies as vectors Kala-azar in Iraq Bull.End.Dis.Bagh. 15(2): 85-104, 16.Sukker, F.AL-M ahdawi, S. (1981),Isolation of Leishmaniaes from the sp leen of a dog in Iraq. 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M ust .Uni .J.Sci.12(2):25-29 Table (1) : S andflies species collected during the study SPECIES DENSITY 1NDOOR OUTDOOR Phlebotomus papatasi +++ + + P.alexendri ++ + + P.sergenti + ? + Sergentomiya sinton i + + + S. palestinensis + + + S. baghdadis ++ + + S. sequamiploris + + + Table (2): S pecies and numbers of Rodents were trapped in this study S pecies Numbers % 1-Tatera indica 192 31.3 2-Merionus lybicus 32 5.2 3-M.crusus 29 4.6 4-Rattus rattus 164 26.7 5-R. norvogicus 166 27 6-Nesokia indica 6 0.9 7-Mus musculus 24 3.9 TOTAL 613 100% 2010) 1( 23مجلة ابن الھیثم للعلوم الصرفة والتطبیقیة المجلد اللشمانیا االحشائیة لمرض بؤر فيدراسة میدانیة للعوامل البیئیة المؤثرة ، حمید عبد محمد شهاب احمد سلمان جامعة بغداد،كلیة العلوم ، قسم علوم الحیاة كلیة طب النهرین ،جامعة بغداد لخالصةا إضــافة . شـمانیا االحشـائیة للالمـرض التقلیدیـة العوامـل البیئیـة التـي تـؤثر علـى العناصـر األساسـیة فـي البـؤرسـت در كثافـة و الخازنـة العالقـة الموجـودة بـین القـوارض و، ر هذه البـؤلللعالقات المعقدة القائمة بین العوامل الحیاتیة و الالحیاتیة . له الحشرات الناقلة