The key role in forensic entomology is the study of entomofauna composition through species identification, succession, colonization, and developmental rate. In this study, rabbit carcasses were used as a model to identify the forensic insect species in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia. The appearance and succession of these insects can help in the estimation of the minimum postmortem interval (mPMI) and in many other applications in this region. During the decomposition process, the most important forensic insects observed were from the orders Diptera and Coleoptera. Seven species in five families of Diptera and four families of Coleoptera were identified. The most abundant species in the area that colonized the carcasses were Chrysomya albiceps Widemann (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Dermestes maculatus De Geer, which can be used for mPMI estimations. This study was the first conducted in Al-Madinah Region to provide a qualitative assessment of forensically important necrophagous species in this region.

The efficacy of the bio-insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti), and four plant-ethanol extracts Cinnamomum osmophloeum, Matricaria chamomilla, Seasamum indicum, and Nigella sativa was tested against larvae of filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus, under laboratory conditions. The Bti and extracts of N. sativa and C. osmophloeum showed the highest insecticidal activity, with LC 50 values of 7.18, 14.59, and 28.87 mg/l 24 and 48 h post treatments, respectively. The extracts of M. chamomilla and S. indicum were effective. The tested extracts altered some biological aspects of Cx. quinquefasciatus, i.e., developmental periods, pupation rate, and adult emergence. Pupation rate was suppressed by Bti at 7.5 mg/l and by C. osmophloeum at 75 mg/l. In addition, the tested plant extracts exhibited various morphological abnormalities of larvae, pupae, and adults.

No abstract

Studies on the distribution of sand flies are important for the control of leishmaniasis in endemic and neighboring areas. In the present study polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to identify the distribution of sand flies in Al-Madinah and Asir Regions of Saudi Arabia using PCR–RFLP of 18S ribosomal RNA gene. Based on the morphological characteristics, the sand flies were differentiated into seven species viz., Phlebotomus papatasi, Phlebotomus sergenti, Phlebotomus bergeroti, Sergentomyia clydei, Sergentomyia antennata, Sergentomyia fallax and Sergentomyia schwetzi. PCR–RFLP of 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes with eight different restriction enzymes resulted in species-specific agarose gel electrophoresis banding patterns. Of the eight restriction enzymes used, not a single restriction enzyme by itself could separate species belonging to the same genera (like P. papatasi and P. sergenti by AseI) as well as those belonging to different genera (like P. papatasi and S. clydei by AseI). We therefore conclude that the genetic diversity within sand fly species based on PCR–RFLP technique was nonspecific. Studies are in progress to study the viability of alternate techniques like low-stringency single specific primer polymerase chain reaction which can be used for molecular typing.

No abstract