Sample records for jird pachyuromys duprasi
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Low-frequency sensitivity in a gerbilline rodent, Pachyuromys duprasi.
Plassmann, W; Kadel, M
1991-01-01
The contribution of the bulla to low-frequency hearing capability was studied in the gerbilline rodent Pachyuromys duprasi. In the frequency range of 0.6-3 kHz, the sound pressure behind the tympanic membrane is higher than the pressure in the meatus acusticus externus near the eardrum. Gradual augmentation of frequencies above 0.6 kHz gives rise to steadily increasing phase lag in the bulla relative to that in the meatus. Severing of the incudostapedial joint yields results indicating that the phase difference between meatus and bulla is caused by resonance properties of the bulla and resistance in the cochlea. Both destruction of the bulla and stiffening of the pars flaccida tympani lead to a sound pressure decrease in the frequency range around 2 kHz. This drop is accompanied by an amplitude decrease of the same magnitude in the cochlear microphonic potentials. These results support the hypothesis that the bulla functions like a Helmholtz resonator in the frequency range of 1-3 kHz, improving sound transduction to the cochlea. These experimental findings, in conjunction with theoretical considerations involving bulla volume, orifice area of the resonator, and resonance frequency of the bulla, suggest that the theoretically required area of the resonator's orifice is, in fact, of the same magnitude as the area of the pars flaccida tympani. The middle-ear system of P. duprasi thus consists of a resonating bulla in which the area of the pars flaccida tympani constitutes the resonator's opening towards the meatus and in which the pars tensa tympani functions as a pressure gradient receiver, due to phase differences caused by the resistance of the cochlea and by the resonance properties of the bulla. By these functional principles the peripheral auditory system of P. duprasi is capable of low-frequency perception despite the smallness of its structures. The middle ear in P. duprasi thus represents a prime example of a strategy: the dimensional constraints derived
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Lucius, R.; Textor, G.; Kern, A.
1991-08-01
Jirds (Meriones unguiculatus) were immunized with irradiated (35 krad) stage-3 larvae (L3) of Acanthocheilonema viteae. The induced resistance against homologous challenge infection and the antibody response of the animals were studied. Immunization with 3, 2, or 1 dose of 50 irradiated L3 induced approximately 90% resistance. Immunization with a single dose of only 5 irradiated L3 resulted in 60.8% protection while immunization with a single dose of 25 L3 induced 94.1% protection. The protection induced with 3 doses of 50 irradiated L3 did not decrease significantly during a period of 6 months. Sera of a proportion, but not all resistantmore » jirds, contained antibodies against the surface of vector derived L3 as defined by IFAT. No surface antigens of microfilariae or adult worms were recognized by the sera. Vaccinated animals had antibody responses against antigens in the inner organs of L3 and in the cuticle and reproductive organs of adult worms as shown by IFAT. Immunoblotting with SDS-PAGE-separated L3 antigens and L3-CSN revealed that all sera contained antibodies against two exported antigens of 205 and 68 kDa, and against a nonexported antigen of 18 kDa. The 205-kDa antigen easily degraded into fragments of 165, 140, 125, and 105 kDa which were recognized by resistant jird sera. Various antigens of adult worms, but relatively few antigens of microfilariae, were also recognized. To test the relevance of exported antigens of L3 to resistance, jirds were immunized with L3-CSN together with a mild adjuvant. This immunization induced 67.7% resistance against challenge infection and sera of the immunized animals recognized the 205- and 68-kDa antigens of L3.« less
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Khazaee, Manoochehr; Hamidian, Amir Hossein; Alizadeh Shabani, Afshin; Ashrafi, Sohrab; Mirjalili, Seyyed Ali Ashghar; Esmaeilzadeh, Esmat
2016-02-01
Rodents frequently serve as bioindicator to monitor the quality of the environment. Concentrations of 11 elements (Cd, Co, Ti, Fe, Mn, Cu, Sb, As, Sr, Ni, and Cr) were investigated and compared in liver, hair, femur, and lung of the Persian jird (Meriones persicus) from Darreh Zereshk copper mine, Iran. Metals were determined in different tissues of 39 individuals of Persian jird, collected by snap trap in 2014 from five areas of Darreh Zereshk copper mine. Samples were prepared by wet digestion method, and the contents of elements were analyzed with ICP-OES (VARIAN, 725-ES) instrument. Cadmium, Sb, and Co were below the limit of detection, and Mn and As were found only in hair and liver tissues. We detected the highest concentration of Cu, As, Ti, Fe, Mn, Cr, and Ni in hair in comparison with other tissues. Significant higher levels of Ti in femur and hair; Fe in liver and hair; Mn in liver; As in hair; Sr in lung; Cr in lung, hair, femur, and liver; Cu in femur; and Ni in liver and lung tissues were observed in females. Nearly all element concentrations in the tissues of Persian jird from flotation site, Darreh Zereshk and Hasan Abad villages and leaching site (mining areas) were higher than those from tailing dump site (reference site). We found the highest concentrations of As in liver and hair; Ni and Cr in liver, hair, and lung; and Sr in lung and hair tissues of Persian jird in leaching site. We tried to specify the status of elements before fully exploitation of Darreh Zereshk copper mine by using bioindicator species. Based on our achievements, initial activities did not strongly pollute the surrounded environment of the mine. The high abundance of Persian jird as well as their several proper features makes them a suitable species for biomonitoring programs especially for further studies will be performed after full exploitation of Darreh Zereshk copper mine.
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Weissbrod, Lior; Tepper, Yotam; Bar-Oz, Guy
2018-01-01
It is widely believed that Byzantine agriculture in the Negev Desert (fourth to seventh century Common Era; CE), with widespread construction of terraces and dams, altered local landscapes. However, no direct evidence in archaeological sites yet exists to test this assumption. We uncovered large amounts of small mammalian remains (rodents and insectivores) within agricultural installations built near fields, providing a new line of evidence for reconstructing anthropogenic impact on local habitats. Abandonment layers furnished high abundances of remains, whereas much smaller numbers were retrieved from the period of human use of the structures. Digestion marks are present in low frequencies (20% of long bones and teeth), with a light degree of impact, which indicate the role of owls (e.g. Tyto alba) as the principal means of accumulation. The most common taxa—gerbils (Gerbillus spp.) and jirds (Meriones spp.)—occur in nearly equal frequencies, which do not correspond with any modern Negev communities, where gerbils predominate in sandy low-precipitation environments and jirds in loessial, higher-precipitation ones. Although low-level climate change cannot be ruled out, the results suggest that Byzantine agriculture allowed jirds to colonize sandy anthropogenic habitats with other gerbilids and commensal mice and rats. PMID:29410856
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Ceballos, Laura; Mackenzie, Charles; Geary, Timothy; Alvarez, Luis; Lanusse, Carlos
2014-01-01
The goal of elimination of the human filariases would benefit greatly from the use of a macrofilaricidal agent. In vivo trials in humans and many experimental animal models suggest that flubendazole (FLBZ) is a highly efficacious macrofilaricide. However, since serious injection site reactions were reported in humans after parenteral FLBZ administration, the search for alternative pharmaceutical strategies to improve the systemic availability of FLBZ and its metabolites has acquired urgency in both human and veterinary medicine. The goal of the current work was to compare the systemic exposure of FLBZ formulated as either an aqueous hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (CD) or aqueous carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) suspension or a Tween 80-based formulation (TWEEN) in rats and jirds (Meriones unguiculatus). Healthy animals of both species were allocated into four experimental groups of 44 animals each: FLBZ-CDoral and FLBZ-CDsc, treated with the FLBZ-CD formulation by the oral or subcutaneous routes, respectively; FLBZ-TWEENsc, dosed subcutaneously with the FLBZ-TWEEN formulation; and FLBZ-CMCoral, treated orally with the FLBZ suspension. The FLBZ dose was 5 mg/kg. FLBZ and its hydrolyzed (H-FLBZ) and reduced (R-FLBZ) metabolites were recovered in plasma samples collected from rats and jirds treated with the different FLBZ formulations. In both species, FLBZ parent drug was the main analyte recovered in the bloodstream. In rats, FLBZ systemic exposure (AUC0-LOQ) was significantly (P<0.05) higher after the FLBZ-CD treatments, both oral (4.8±0.9 µg.h/mL) and subcutaneous (7.3±0.6 µg.h/mL), compared to that observed after oral administration of FLBZ-CMC suspension (0.93±0.2 µg.h/mL). The same differences were observed in jirds. In both species, parenteral administration of FLBZ-TWEEN did not improve the systemic availability of FLBZ compared to FLBZ-CDoral treatment. In conclusion, formulation approaches that enhance the availability of flubendazole in the rat and jird
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Plague from Eating Raw Camel Liver
Al-Hamdan, Nasser A.; Fontaine, Robert E.
2005-01-01
We investigated a cluster of 5 plague cases; the patients included 4 with severe pharyngitis and submandibular lymphadenitis. These 4 case-patients had eaten raw camel liver. Yersinia pestis was isolated from bone marrow of the camel and from jirds (Meriones libycus) and fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) captured at the camel corral. PMID:16229781
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Faiman, Roy; Abbasi, Ibrahim; Jaffe, Charles; Motro, Yoav; Nasereddin, Abdelmagid; Schnur, Lionel F.; Torem, Moshe; Pratlong, Francine; Dedet, Jean-Pierre; Warburg, Alon
2013-01-01
In 2006/7, 18 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) were reported for the first time from Sde Eliyahu (pop. 650), a village in the Beit She'an valley of Israel. Between 2007–2011, a further 88 CL cases were diagnosed bringing the total to 106 (16.3% of the population of Sde Eliyahu). The majority of cases resided in the south-western part of the village along the perimeter fence. The causative parasite was identified as Leishmania major Yakimoff & Schokhor, 1914 (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae). Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli), 1786 (Diptera: Psychodidae) was found to be the most abundant phlebotomine species comprising 97% of the sand flies trapped inside the village, and an average of 7.9% of the females were positive for Leishmania ITS1 DNA. Parasite isolates from CL cases and a sand fly were characterized using several methods and shown to be L. major. During a comprehensive survey of rodents 164 Levant voles Microtus guentheri Danford & Alston, 1880 (Rodentia: Cricetidae) were captured in alfalfa fields bordering the village. Of these 27 (16.5%) tested positive for Leishmania ITS1 DNA and shown to be L. major by reverse line blotting. A very high percentage (58.3% - 21/36) of Tristram's jirds Meriones tristrami Thomas, 1892 (Rodentia: Muridae), found further away from the village also tested positive for ITS1 by PCR. Isolates of L. major were successfully cultured from the ear of a wild jird found positive by ITS1 PCR. Although none of the wild PCR-positive voles exhibited external pathology, laboratory-reared voles that were infected by intradermal L. major inoculation, developed patent lesions and sand flies became infected by feeding on the ears of these laboratory-infected voles. This is the first report implicating M. guentheri and M. tristrami as reservoirs of Leishmania. The widespread co-distribution of M. guentheri and P. papatasi, suggests a significant threat from the spread of CL caused by L. major in the Middle East, central Asia and southern
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Ventilation of multi-entranced rodent burrows by boundary layer eddies.
Brickner-Braun, Inbal; Zucker-Milwerger, Daniel; Braun, Avi; Turner, J Scott; Pinshow, Berry; Berliner, Pedro
2014-12-01
Rodent burrows are often assumed to be environments wherein the air has a high concentration of CO₂. Although high burrow [CO₂] has been recorded, many studies report burrow [CO₂] that differs only slightly from atmospheric concentrations. Here, we advocate that one of the reasons for these differences is the penetration into burrows of air gusts (eddies), which originate in the turbulent boundary layer and prevent build-up of CO₂. We have characterized the means by which burrows of Sundevall's jird, which are representative of the burrows of many rodent species with more than one entrance, are ventilated. Our results demonstrate that, even at low wind speeds, the random penetration of eddies into a burrow through its openings is sufficient to keep the burrow [CO₂] low enough to be physiologically inconsequential, even in its deep and remote parts. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
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Guimarães-Costa, Raquel; Guimarães-Costa, Maria Beatriz; Pippa-Gadioli, Leonardo; Weltson, Alfredo; Ubiali, Walter Adriano; Paschoalin-Maurin, Tatiana; Felippotti, Tatiana Tocchini; Elias-Filho, Daoud Hibrahim; Laure, Carlos Júlio; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne
2007-09-15
Defensive behaviour has been extensively studied, and non-invasive methodologies may be interesting approaches to analyzing the limbic system function as a whole. Using experimental models of animals in the state of anxiety has been fundamental in the search for new anxiolytic and antipanic compounds. The aim of this present work is to examine a new model for the study of affective behaviour, using a complex labyrinth consisting of an arena and galleries forming a maze. Furthermore, it aims to compare the defensive behaviour of Wistar rats, Mongolian gerbils and golden hamsters in a complex labyrinth, as well as the defensive behaviour of Meriones unguiculatus in aggressive encounters with either Epicrates cenchria assisi or Boa constrictor amarali in this same model. Among species presently studied, the Mongolian gerbils showed better performance in the exploration of both arena and galleries of the labyrinth, also demonstrating less latency in finding exits of the galleries. This increases the possibility of survival, as well as optimizes the events of encounter with the predator. The duration of alertness and freezing increased during confrontation with living Epicrates, as well as the duration of exploratory behaviour in the labyrinth. There was an increase in the number of freezing and alertness behaviours, as well as in duration of alertness during confrontations involving E.c. assisi, compared with behavioural reactions elicited by jirds in presence of B.c. amarali. Interestingly, the aggressive behaviour of Mongolian gerbils was more prominent against B.c. amarali compared with the other Boidae snake. E.c. assisi elicited more offensive attacks and exhibited a greater time period of body movement than B.c. amarali, which spent more time in the arena and in defensive immobility than the E.c. assisi. Considering that jirds evoked more fear-like reaction in contact with E.c. assisi, a fixed E.c. assisi kept in a hermetically closed acrylic box was used as
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Transient-state mechanisms of wind-induced burrow ventilation.
Turner, J Scott; Pinshow, Berry
2015-01-15
Burrows are common animal habitations, yet living in a burrow presents physiological challenges for its inhabitants because the burrow isolates them from sources and sinks for oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor and ammonia. Conventionally, the isolation is thought to be overcome by either diffusion gas exchange within the burrow or some means of capturing wind energy to power steady or quasi-steady bulk flows of air through it. Both are examples of what may be called 'DC' models, namely steady to quasi-steady flows powered by steady to quasi-steady winds. Natural winds, however, are neither steady nor quasi-steady, but are turbulent, with a considerable portion of the energy contained in so-called 'AC' (i.e. unsteady) components, where wind velocity varies chaotically and energy to power gas exchange is stored in some form. Existing DC models of burrow gas exchange do not account for this potentially significant source of energy for ventilation. We present evidence that at least two AC mechanisms operate to ventilate both single-opening burrows (of the Cape skink, Trachylepis capensis) and double-opening model burrows (of Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus). We propose that consideration of the physiological ecology and evolution of the burrowing habit has been blinkered by the long neglect of AC ventilation. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
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Sekour, Makhlouf; Souttou, Karim; Guerzou, Ahlem; Benbouzid, Noureddine; Guezoul, Omar; Ababsa, Labed; Denys, Christiane; Doumandji, Salaheddine
2014-06-01
The study of the diet of the Barn Owl in two steppic regions (M'Sila and Djelfa) located in the Algerian highlands is based on the analysis of the pellets of rejections collected in six stations. The analysis of 706 pellets resulting from the various stations made it possible to count 1380 individuals, represented by seven classes, 12 orders, 32 families, and 76 species of preys. The mammals are consumed with variable abundance rates between 59.1 % and 90.0 % whose predominance is assigned to the rodents (relative abundance: AR > 58 %). The latter constitute the most advantageous preys in biomass (61.4 ≤ B % ≤ 99.2). The most consumed prey is Meriones shawii, with variable rates between 31.9 % and 76.6 %. Generally, Tyto alba presents a diversified diet in the majority of the stations (0.69 ≤ E ≤ 0.76), except the station of Ain El-Hadjel (E = 0.35), with a low diversity and dominance of M. shawii (AR = 76.6 %). Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.
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Elgot, Abdeljalil; El hiba, Omar; Gamrani, Halima
2012-10-01
Dehydration is a powerful stimulus causing disequilibrium in homeostasis of water and electrolytes resulting from depletion in total body water. Most studies have focused on domestic and laboratory animals; however, the study of desert animals allows improved understanding about water balance and resistance to dehydration and associated behavioral changes, including those related to mood disorders. Meriones shawi (Shaw's Jird) is a desert rodent characterized by its resistance to long periods of thirst that can extend for several months. In the present study, M. shawi were subjected to water deprivation for 1 and 3 months. We used 5-HT immunohistochemistry to evaluate the effects of prolonged dehydration on the serotoninergic system in both dorsal and median raphe nuclei (DRN, MRN), which are the main sources of 5-HT input to several brain areas. In addition, a dark/light box was used to evaluate the anxiolytic-like or anxiogenic-like effects of dehydration on M. shawi. The results showed a reduction in the 5-HT immunolabelling in both DRN and MRN following 1 and 3 months of dehydration. This diminution of serotonin immunoreactivity was accompanied by noticeable changes in anxiety behavior of Meriones, with animals spending more time in the light box, suggesting anxiogenic-like effects caused by dehydration. Overall, the results indicate that dehydration is able to reduce serotoninergic neurotransmission, which might be involved in generating anxiety behavior in this desert animal. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
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Elgot, Abdeljalil; El Hiba, Omar; Gamrani, Halima
2012-07-01
Dehydration is a powerful stimulus causing disequilibrium in homeostasis of water and electrolytes resulting from depletion in total body water. Most studies have focused on domestic and laboratory animals; however, the study of desert animals allows improved understanding about water balance and resistance to dehydration and associated behavioral changes, including those related to voluntary movements. Meriones shawi (Shaw's Jird) is a desert rodent characterized by its resistance to long periods of thirst that can extend for several months. In the present study, M. shawi were subjected to water deprivation for 1month. We used tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry (TH: the key enzyme of catecholamine biosynthesis) to evaluate the effects of prolonged dehydration on the dopaminergic system in both substancia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area (SNpc and VTA), which are the main sources of dopamine input to several brain areas; the immunolabelling was performed also in both the medial forebrain bundle and the caudate putamen (striatum). In addition, the open-field test was used to evaluate the effect of dehydration on locomotor activity in M. shawi. The results showed an increase in TH immunolabelling in both SNpc and VTA following 1month of dehydration compared to control levels. The same results were obtained with fibers in both MFB and striatum. This augmentation of TH immunoreactivity was accompanied by noticeable changes in locomotor activity behavior of Meriones, the recording test shows the hyperactivity of animals which is probably caused by dehydration. Overall, the results indicate that dehydration is able to increase dopaminergic neurotransmission, which might be involved in generating hyperactivity in this desert animal. Copyright © 2012 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.
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Review of anthraquinone applications for pest management and agricultural crop protection.
DeLiberto, Shelagh T; Werner, Scott J
2016-10-01
We have reviewed published anthraquinone applications for international pest management and agricultural crop protection from 1943 to 2016. Anthraquinone (AQ) is commonly found in dyes, pigments and many plants and organisms. Avian repellent research with AQ began in the 1940s. In the context of pest management, AQ is currently used as a chemical repellent, perch deterrent, insecticide and feeding deterrent in many wild birds, and in some mammals, insects and fishes. Criteria for evaluation of effective chemical repellents include efficacy, potential for wildlife hazards, phytotoxicity and environmental persistence. As a biopesticide, AQ often meets these criteria of efficacy for the non-lethal management of agricultural depredation caused by wildlife. We summarize published applications of AQ for the protection of newly planted and maturing crops from pest birds. Conventional applications of AQ-based repellents include preplant seed treatments [e.g. corn (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), wheat (Triticum spp.), millet (Panicum spp.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), pelletized feed and forest tree species] and foliar applications for rice, sunflower, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), turf, sugar beets (Beta vulgaris L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), sweet corn and nursery, fruit and nut crops. In addition to agricultural repellent applications, AQ has also been used to treat toxicants for the protection of non-target birds. Few studies have demonstrated AQ repellency in mammals, including wild boar (Sus scrofa, L.), thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus, Mitchill), black-tailed prairie dogs (Cyomys ludovicainus, Ord.), common voles (Microtus arvalis, Pallas), house mice (Mus musculus, L.), Tristram's jirds (Meriones tristrami, Thomas) and black rats (Rattus rattus L.). Natural sources of AQ and its derivatives have also been identified as insecticides and insect repellents. As a natural or synthetic biopesticide, AQ
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Orshan, Laor; Elbaz, Shirly; Ben-Ari, Yossi; Akad, Fouad; Afik, Ohad; Ben-Avi, Ira; Dias, Debora; Ish-Shalom, Dan; Studentsky, Liora; Zonstein, Irina
2016-01-01
Background Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis has long been endemic in Israel. In recent years reported incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis increased and endemic transmission is being observed in a growing number of communities in regions previously considered free of the disease. Here we report the results of an intensive sand fly study carried out in a new endemic focus of Leishmania major. The main objective was to establish a method and to generate a data set to determine the exposure risk, sand fly populations' dynamics and evaluate the efficacy of an attempt to create "cordon sanitaire" devoid of active jird burrows around the residential area. Methodology/Principal Findings Sand flies were trapped in three fixed reference sites and an additional 52 varying sites. To mark sand flies in the field, sugar solutions containing different food dyes were sprayed on vegetation in five sites. The catch was counted, identified, Leishmania DNA was detected in pooled female samples and the presence of marked specimens was noted. Phlebotomus papatasi, the vector of L. major in the region was the sole Phlebotomus species in the catch. Leishmania major DNA was detected in ~10% of the pooled samples and the highest risk of transmission was in September. Only a few specimens were collected in the residential area while sand fly numbers often exceeded 1,000 per catch in the agricultural fields. The maximal travel distance recorded was 1.91km for females and 1.51km for males. The calculated mean distance traveled (MDT) was 0.75km. Conclusions The overall results indicate the presence of dense and mobile sand fly populations in the study area. There seem to be numerous scattered sand fly microsites suitable for development and resting in the agricultural fields. Sand flies apparently moved in all directions, and reached the residential area from the surrounding agricultural fields. The travel distance noted in the current work, supported previous findings that P. papatasi like P
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The Fleas (Siphonaptera) in Iran: Diversity, Host Range, and Medical Importance.
Maleki-Ravasan, Naseh; Solhjouy-Fard, Samaneh; Beaucournu, Jean-Claude; Laudisoit, Anne; Mostafavi, Ehsan
2017-01-01
infested by 11 flea subfamilies in the arid, rocky, mountainous regions and Xenopsyllinae were hosted by at least 43 mammal species. These findings place the Persian jird (M. persicus) and the Xenopsyllinae as the major vertebrate and vector hosts of flea-borne diseases in Iran including Yersinia pestis, the etiological agent of plague. We found records of at least seven vector-borne pathogenic agents that can potentially be transmitted by the 117 flea species (or subspecies) of Iran. Herein, we performed a thorough inventary of the flea species and their associated hosts, their medical importance and geographic distribution throughout Iran. This exercise allowed assessing the diversity of flea species with the potential flea-borne agents transmission risk in the country by arranging published data on flea-host associations. This information is a first step for issuing public health policies and rodent-flea control campaigns in Iran as well as those interested in the ecology/epidemiology of flea-borne disease.
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The Fleas (Siphonaptera) in Iran: Diversity, Host Range, and Medical Importance
Maleki-Ravasan, Naseh; Solhjouy-Fard, Samaneh; Beaucournu, Jean-Claude; Laudisoit, Anne
2017-01-01
Amphipsyllinae (n = 17). Meriones persicus was infested by 11 flea subfamilies in the arid, rocky, mountainous regions and Xenopsyllinae were hosted by at least 43 mammal species. These findings place the Persian jird (M. persicus) and the Xenopsyllinae as the major vertebrate and vector hosts of flea-borne diseases in Iran including Yersinia pestis, the etiological agent of plague. We found records of at least seven vector-borne pathogenic agents that can potentially be transmitted by the 117 flea species (or subspecies) of Iran. Conclusions/Significance Herein, we performed a thorough inventary of the flea species and their associated hosts, their medical importance and geographic distribution throughout Iran. This exercise allowed assessing the diversity of flea species with the potential flea-borne agents transmission risk in the country by arranging published data on flea-host associations. This information is a first step for issuing public health policies and rodent-flea control campaigns in Iran as well as those interested in the ecology/epidemiology of flea-borne disease. PMID:28068343