No abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of Leptospira species in Mazandaran Province of Iran by using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods and sequencing analysis. Blood samples (n = 119) were collected from humans suspected of having leptospirosis from different parts of the province in 2007. By using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), we determined that 35 (29.4%) of 119 suspected cases had leptospiral antibody titers ≥ 1:80, which confirmed the diagnosis of leptospirosis. Nested PCR assay also determined that 60 (50.4%) of 119 samples showed Leptospira infection. Furthermore, 44 (73.3%) of 60 confirmed leptospirosis amplified products were subjected to sequencing analysis. Sequence alignment identified L. interrogans, L. kirschneri, and L. wolffii species. All positive cases diagnosed by IFAT or PCR were in patients who reported contact with animals, high-risk occupational activities, and exposure to contaminated water. Therefore, it is important to increase attention about this disease among physicians and to strengthen laboratory capacity for its diagnosis in infected patients in Iran.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), is a staple food and cash crop in many countries and studies on geneticstructure and differentiation patterns of rice land races along with the cultivated rice, provide important data for future rice breeding. Therefore, the aims of present investigation were 1-To study the genetic diversity present withinIranian rice genotypes, 2-To study genetic relatedness of these rice genotypes, and 3-To providebarcoding of the rice genotypes based on SSR molecular markers and produce data for rice varieties authentication. In total, 201 rice samples originated from 10 geographical regions of Iran were studied in this project. All rice samples underwent fragment analysis in every 64 SSR loci and different clustering and ordination methods performed. In general four major clusters were formed. Both landraces as well as rice cultivars were distributed in different clusters due to their genetic difference. STRUCTURE analysis of the studied genotypes followed by Evanno test produced the optimal number of genetic groups K = 2. The mean Nm = 13.6, for the studied genotypes indicates that a high degree of gene flow/ancestral common alleles are present in the rice genotypes studied. Mantel test indicated a significant positive association between genetic distance and geographic distance of the rice genotype studied and presence of an overall isolation by distance (IBD) model of differentiation across the geographical regions of Iran. Overall, the significant genetic difference observed between rice landraces and rice cultivars ofthe country may be used in future hybridization and breeding of rice in the country. The landracerice genotypes may contain useful genes to be transferred to the popular rice cultivars. Moreover, SSR loci that can differentiate rice genotypes are identified and can be used in rice cultivars authentication.