Abstract Background: Coccidiosis in birds, including ostriches, is a major concern for animal health and productivity worldwide. There is limited data on Eimeria infections in farmed ostriches (Struthio camelus). Therefore, this research aims to investigate the species of Eimeria in ostriches using molecular methods. It is considered the first detailed molecular study of Eimeria species in Iraqi ostrich farms. Methods: A total of 150 ostrich feces samples from farms in three regions of Iraq using both microscopy and molecular methods. Statistical analysis of the positive samples was performed using the chi-square test, with the significance level set at a p-value < 0.05. Results: Initial testing showed a high prevalence rate of 51.33%. Five samples, out of a total of 77 suspected cases, underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for confirmation followed by sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. Sequencing results revealed two species of Eimeria: E. praecox and E. tenella. Notably, this is the first report of E. tenella infection in Iraqi ostriches. Genetic analysis of their sequences was performed and deposited in GenBank under accessions NO PV078121.1 to PV078125.1). Conclusions: These results have important implications, including understanding the host specificity of Eimeria and the parasite's transmission between other hosts. They also contribute to identifying coccidiosis control strategies in Iraqi ostrich farms. Furthermore, our molecular findings provide a foundation for future comparative research on the epidemiology of Eimeria in birds.
An investigation was provided in this work for the host range of brown soft scale Coccus hesperidum Linnaeus in Baghdad Province. Five plant species were found infected by this insect, three of these species, Citrusaurantium L. (Rutaceae); Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae); Ficuscarica L. (Moraceae) reported earlier, and the remaining two, Dahlia pinnata Cav. (Asteraceae) and Myrtuscommunis L. (Myrtaceae) are recordedhere for the first time as host plants for this pest.
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Bacterial meningitis is a leading cause of illness and death worldwide. It is crucial for clinical and public health care, as well as disease control, to identify the meningitis-causing agent promptly. Between June 2021-February 2022, a total of 100 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples were collected from suspected cases of meningitis admitted to Raparin Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Erbil city-Iraq. Cytochemical, cultural, and biochemical tests were conducted, and confirmed by molecular techniques. Bacterial culture findings were positive in 7% of CSF samples and just one positive among blood samples. The most common pathogens found by cultural characteristics and VITEK 2 Compact System were Staphylococcus sciuri in two
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In the present survey 18 species of endo and ecto-parasites were recorded during the examination of 50 Mus musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) among 10 localities in Erbil city, of which 7 species were protozoan and as follows : Chilomastix bettencourti (da Fonseca 1915)82%; Giardia muris (Filice, 1952) 68%; Tritrichomonas muris (Grassi,1879)36%; Entamoeba histolytica (Schaudinn,1903) 24%; Entamoeba coli (Grassi,1879)32%; Eimeria sp. 28% and Trypanosoma musculi (Kendall,1906)2%; and 8 species were helminthes as follows: 4 Cestodes: Rodentolepis nana (von Siebold, 1852) 8%; Hymenolepis diminuta (Rudolphi, 1819)2%; larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus (Batsch, 1786)8%, Cysticercus fasciolaris (Rudolphi, 1808)6%, 4 Nematodes: Aspiculuris tetrapter
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Leuciscidae species are the abundant and widely distributed fish species in Iraq's inland waters. They are complex species, and morphology makes them difficult to identify. Molecular analysis achieved and confirmed the morphological characters. Twenty specimens of Acanthobrama marmid were collected from two localities at Tigris River, in the middle of Iraq; 15 specimens from the Al-Zubaydia sub-district and five specimens from Al-Tharthar Lake. We used the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (cytb) gene to sequence the DNA of A. marmid. The following analysis are compared the sequences with those of other fish genera and species found in the Gene Bank. The barcoding result (DNA sequencing) in fishes found in the same family (Leuciscidae) showed
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The ascaroid nematode Contracaecum rudolphii was recovered in large numbers from the
digestive tract of Phalacrocorax carbo collected in Baghdad area, Central Iraq. The infection
rates of the two sexes of the bird and some meristic and morphometric characters of the
parasite that allowed species determination of the nematode Contracaecum rudolphii were
discussed. This finding represents a new host record for this nematode in Iraq.
Ten species of whiteflies (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) representing six genera were studied from a collection from different localities in the middle of Iraq. These species are Acaudaleyrodes rachipora (Singh, 1931); Bemisia afer (Priesner and Hosny,1934); Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889); Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead,1885); Dialeurodes kirkaldy (Kotinsky, 1907); Neomaskellia andropogonis Corbett, 1926; Siphoninus phillyreae (Haliday, 1835); Trialeurodes ricini (Misra, 1924); Trialeurodes vapovariorum (Westwood,1856) and Trialeurodes irakeensis (Al-Malo and Abdul-Rassoul, 2000). Notes are given on their localities, date of c
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A survey of chrysidid wasps and an identification key to the genera from different localities in Iraq are provided. The genus Pseudomalus Ashmead, 1902 with Pseudomalus auratus (Linnaeus) and Omalus timidus (Nurse), are new records from Iraq. As well, a preliminary checklist of Iraq’s Chrysididae is suggested. Twenty species within nine genera in two subfamilies have been included in the current list. Historical information is provided together with remarks on the current taxonomic status and the particular validity for some species.
Cyprinidae species are the most abundant and widely distributed fish species in the inland waters of Iraq. Cyprinids are complex species, and it is difficult to identify them on the basis of morphology. Thus, the morphological characteristics must be achieved and confirmed by molecular analysis. Twenty specimens of Cyprinion kais Heckel, 1843 (Piscies, Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae) were collected from two localities at Tigris River in the middle of Iraq: five specimens from Al-Tharthar Lake, Saladin Province, and 15 specimens from Al- Zubaydiyah sub-district, Wasit Province