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First report of Lophomonas spp. in German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) trapped in hospitals, northern Iran

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Abstract

Cockroaches are considered to be important reservoirs for protozoan and helminth parasites,particularly an emerging Lophomonas spp., protozoan parasite. German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (B. germanica), are domestic pest distributed worldwide. However, little information is available regarding the burden of Lophomonas spp. infestation among domestic cockroach population worldwide. The present study investigated parasitic agents, emphasizing Lophomonas spp. infestation among B. germanica in northern Iran. During spring and summer 2018, a total of 496 adults B. germanica (265 males and 231 females) were trapped by hand and glass traps from the teaching hospitals in Mazandaran, Sari, northern Iran. All cockroaches were identified using taxonomic keys. Each cockroaches was anesthetized with chloroform and the alimentary tract removed. Each section was smeared onto a glass slide. All the smears were examined under light microscopy to determine the presence of the parasites. Ten genera of parasites were identified from the trapped B. germanica; overall, 233 (47%) were found to be positive for helminths (n = 135) and protozoa (n = 98). The helminths included Aspiculuris tetraptera egg (67/233, 28.7%), Oxiuros sp. (39/233; 16.7%), Dentostomella translucida (17/233; 7.3%), and nematodes Ova (12/233; 5.2%). The protozoan parasites identified Gregarina sp. (61/233; 26.2%), Entamoeba sp. (19/233; 8.2%), Blastocystis sp. (5/233; 2.1%), Lophomonas (4/233; 1.7%), Nyctotherus sp. (4/233; 1.7%), unclassified flagella (5/233; 2.1%). Lophomonas spp. was detected within the gut of B. germanica, for the first time, in Iran. It has previously been identified in the gut of cockroaches a long time ago, however, this is the first attempt to detect Lophomonas in cockroaches housing in hospitals. Thereby, it possibly presenting pose a serious respiratory infection risk for patients and health care personnel.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Vice Chancellor of Research of the MAZUMS for providing financial support of the present study (Grant no: 3259). Also, the authors thank all colleagues for their kind contribution in the Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis (INRCL), and Toxoplasmosis Research Centre at MAZUMS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Seyyed Farzad Motevalli-Haghi, Atyeh Shemshadian, Omid Dehghan & Seyed Hassan Nikookar

  2. Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis (INRCL), Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Maryam Nakhaei, Roghiyeh Faridnia, Mehrasa Nejadi Kelarijani & Mahdi Fakhar

  3. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Immunogenetic Research Center (IRC), Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Majid Malekzadeh Shafaroudi

  4. Infectious Diseases Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

    Hamed Kalani

Authors
  1. Seyyed Farzad Motevalli-Haghi
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  2. Atyeh Shemshadian
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  3. Maryam Nakhaei
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  4. Roghiyeh Faridnia
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  5. Omid Dehghan
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  6. Majid Malekzadeh Shafaroudi
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  7. Mehrasa Nejadi Kelarijani
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  8. Seyed Hassan Nikookar
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  9. Hamed Kalani
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  10. Mahdi Fakhar
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Contributions

MF, SFM and MN designed all steps of the project. MN, SFM, MMS, HK and RF writing the original draft. ASH, OD, SHN, and MNK trapped of the cockroaches, isolated and examined the parasites. All authors read, revised, and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Maryam Nakhaei, Roghiyeh Faridnia or Mahdi Fakhar.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.MAZUMS.REC.1398.537). This research was conducted humanely, in line with the “Guidelines for Ethical Treatment of Animals in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research” that have been developed by the International Society for Applied Ethology.

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Motevalli-Haghi, S.F., Shemshadian, A., Nakhaei, M. et al. First report of Lophomonas spp. in German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) trapped in hospitals, northern Iran. J Parasit Dis 45, 937–943 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-021-01381-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-021-01381-2

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