P

age1

Report of Scientific Meeting on

Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and

Rodent-Borne Diseases

17-19 May 2016; Pasteur Institute of Iran

Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran

Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging infectious diseases

(National Reference center for diagnosis and research on Plague, Tularemia and Q fever)

This was a three-day meeting held in the Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging

Infectious Diseases, Akanlu, Iran. Participants included scientists from Pasteur Institute of Iran,

National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France, Iranian CDC, Ferdowsi University in

Mashhad and some of Iran Medical Universities (Tehran, Kerman, Lorestan, AJA).

The meeting provided a basis for exchange of ideas, both scientific and practical, among the

Iranian and the French sides. Its primary goal was to provide a forum for professional scientific

growth, introduce the Akanlu center’s laboratory, scientific, and research capacities, and

evaluate potentials for joint programs.

Attendees were expert in the field of rodentology, taxonomy, systematics, bacteriology,

epidemiology, virology, parasitology, evolutionary biology, genetics, or public health.

The meeting consisted of a series of lectures, which were followed by free discussion sessions.

Participants also visited the field and laboratories. During field visits, the type of species living in

the predator and the methods of animal trapping and testing were described.

At the end of the meeting, a joint proposal between the Iranian and the French sides was

drafted.

Scientific Organizers

Pasteur Institute of Iran, Iran Ehsan Mostafavi National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France Jean-Pierre Hugot

Sponsors

Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging infectious diseases Attaché for scientific and university cooperation, French Embassy in Iran

P

age2

Speakers National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France Jean-Pierre Hugot Aude Lalis Christiane Denys Violaine Nicolas-Colin Pasteur Institute of Iran, Iran Ehsan Mostafavi Navid Dinparast Djadid Mostafa Salehi Vaziri SaeedReza Naddaf Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran Jamshid Darvish Rouhollah Siahsarvie Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran GholamReza Mowlavi Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran Sana Eybpoosh

Partners

- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran - Department of Virology

- Department of Microbiology

- Department of Parasitology

- Department of Epidemiology

- Department of Malarial and Vector Research

- Department of Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

- Centre for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Deputy

of Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

- Rodentology Research group, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad,

Mashhad, Iran

- School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences,

Tehran, Iran

- School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences,

Tehran, Iran

- School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

- School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences,

Khorramabad, Iran

P

age3

Venue

The course was held in the Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging infectious diseases,

which is the national reference center for diagnosis and research on Plague, Tularemia and Q

fever in Iran. It is a branch of Pasteur Institute of Iran located in West of the country (Akanlu

village, Kabudrahang district, Hamadan province, Iran).

Duration

The meeting took place in three working days (17-19 May 2016).

Participants and Sessions

There were 22 participants from Paris (4), Mashhad (3), Kerman (1), Khorram-Abad (1), and

Tehran (13).

Throughout the meeting, 15 lectures were presented, focusing on the taxonomy, systematics,

evolution, population genetics, and phylogeography of rodents, and/or rodent-borne diseases.

Events

Visiting the field

Participants were taken by cars to the hills and

plains of the region. This provided an

opportunity for them to get familiar with the

nature and ecosystem of the village, to identify

the types of species living in this predator, and

to get familiar with the trapping and testing

methods.

Visiting the Rural Homes of the Region

Visiting a house in Akanlu village, participants

got familiar with the lifestyle of the villagers and

their agricultural products.

P

age4

Alisadr Cave

At the end of the course, participants visited the

Alisadr Cave.

This cave is the world's largest water cave which

attracts millions of visitors every year. The cave

is located 75 kilometers northwest of Hamadan

and is 70 kilometers away from Akanlu village.

Traditional Restaurant

Participants took last day lunch in a traditional

restaurant eating Dizi. Dizi is a Persian and

Mesopotamian stew. It refers to the traditional

stone crocks it is served in. Dizi is usually made

with lamb, chickpeas, white beans, onion,

potatoes, and tomatoes, turmeric, and dried

lime.

List of Participants

Name Country Major Institute

Aude Lalis France Rodent Systematics National of Museum of Natural History in Paris

Violiane Nicolas-Colin France Systematics National of Museum of Natural History in Paris

Christiance Denys France Rodentology National of Museum of Natural History in Paris

Jean-Pierre Hugot France Parasitology National of Museum of Natural History in Paris

Mahmoud Soroush N. Iran Physician Iranian CDC

Jamshid Darvish Iran Zoology Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Rouhollah Siahsarvie Iran Zoology Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Elham Rezazadeh Iran Biosystematics Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

GholamReza Mowlavi Iran Parasitology Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Mohammad M. Homayouni Iran Parasitology AJA University of Medical Sciences

Ehsan Mostafavi Iran Epidemiology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Saied R. Naddaf Iran Entomology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Mahdi Rohani Iran Microbiology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Manijeh Y. Behzadi Iran Microbiology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Saber Esmaeili Iran Microbiology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Mostafa Salehi Vaziri Iran Virology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Ahmad Ghasemi Iran Microbiology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Navid Dinparast Djadid Iran Entomology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Arash Arashkia Iran Virology Pasteur Institute of Iran

Hamed Hanifi Iran Rodentology (Experimental) Pasteur Institute of Iran

Sana Eybpoosh Iran Epidemiology Kerman University of Medical Sciences

Mohammad H. Kayedi Iran Entomology Lorestan University of Medical Sciences

P

age5

Photos

P

age6

Meeting schedule

16 May

9:00 – 12:00 Visiting Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran

12:00 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 18:00 Going to Hamadan, Akanlu by bus

17 May Lectures Speaker

8:00 – 9:00 Welcome Event and Introduction E. Mostafavi

9:00 – 9:20 Evolution of the Old World Arenaviridae and their Rodent hosts: Generalized host-transfer or association by descent?

JP. Hugot

9:20 – 9:30 Question and Answer section

9:30 – 9:45 Coffee Break

9:45 – 10:05 The importance of spatial scale for taxonomic and systematic studies. Joined forces of genetic samples and museum specimens: systematic revision of the genus Praomys.

V. Nicolas

10:05 - 10:15 Question and Answer section

10:15 – 10:35

Laboratory Facilities of Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Department: Focus on Diagnosis and Research Projects on Hantaviruses

M. Salehi Vaziri

10:35 – 10:45 Question and Answer section

10:45 – 11:05 Compared phylogeography and population genetic structure of 10 widespread small vertebrate' species in Morocco.

A. Lalis

11:05 – 11:15 Question and Answer section

11:15 – 11:35 Biosystematic Problems of Central Iranian Rodents J. Darvish

11:35 – 11:45 Question and Answer section

11:45 – 12:00 Morphological and Molecular Evolution of the House Mouse (Mus musculus) R. SiahSarvieh

12:00 – 12:10 Question and Answer section

12:10 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 14:20 Skull and teeth Morphometric studies: the examples of Mus & Meriones

C. Denys

14:20 – 14:30 Question and Answer section

14:30 – 16:00 Discussions about writing a joint-proposal

16:00 – 16:15 Coffee Break

16:15 – 19:00 Going to the field

P

age7

18 May Lectures Speaker

8:00 – 8:20 Trapping and sampling Micro Mammals: use and misuse C. Denys

8:20 – 8:30 Question and Answer section

8:30 – 8:50 The impact of human conflicts on the genetics of Mastomys natalensis

and Lassa virus in West Africa. Host evolution in Mastomys natalensis

(Rodentia: Muridae): an integrative approach using geometric

morphometric and genetics.

A. Lalis

8:50 – 9:00 Question and Answer section

9:00 – 9:20 Relapsing fever in south Iran: is the causing agent a haplotype of

African Borrelia duttonii spirochete?

S.R. Naddaf

9:20 – 9:30 Question and Answer section

9:30 – 9:45 Coffee break

9:45 – 10:00 Constructing area cladograms and producing dispersion scenarios:

questions and suggested solutions.

JP. Hugot

10:00 – 10:10 Question and Answer section

10:10 – 10:30 Spatiotemporal history of HIV-1 CRF35_AD in Afghanistan and Iran

S. Eybpoosh

10:30 – 10:40 Question and Answer section

10:40 – 11:00 Rare and unusual human helminthic infection recorded in Iran GR. Mowlavi

11:00 – 11:10 Question and Answer section

11:10 – 11:30 Molecular Epidemiology of Malaria: MVRG Experience of Regional and

International Collaboration in Iran, WHO/EMR and IPs Malaria Network

N. Dinparast

Djadid

11:30 – 11:40 Question and Answer section

11:45 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 14:20 Usefulness and limits of barcoding for identifying species V. Nicolas

14:20 – 14:35 Question and Answer section -

14:35 – 15:30 Discussions about writing a joint-proposal

15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break

15:45 – 18:00 Discussions about writing a joint-proposal

19 May Program

8:00 – 9:00 Drafting the proposal

9:00 – 13:00 Alisadr Cave

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00-19:00 Coming back to Tehran by Bus