Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Parasitology 1735-7020 12 4 2017 12 26 482 489 Alaleh RAKHSHANPOUR Dept. of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Abdolali MALMASI Dept. of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Mehdi MOHEBALI Dept. of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Sedigheh NABIAN Dept. of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Hossein MIRHENDI Dept. of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Dept. of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran Zabihollah ZAREI Dept. of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Meshkin-Shahr Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abdolhossein DALIMI Dept. of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Anita MOHAMMADIHA Dept. of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Behnaz AKHOUNDI Dept. of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Amrollah AZARM Dept. of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran 2017 12 26 2017 12 26 Background: Rhipicephalus sanguineus is the most widely distributed tick in the world, which is partly due to its biological flexibility and the global distribution of its major host, the domestic dog. In Mediterranean region it could be principal reservoir host for Leishmania infantum, usually transmitted by the phlebotomine sand flies. In this study, we evaluated the vector potential of R. sanguineus in transmitting L. infantum to uninfected dogs. Methods: During 2014, five dogs with clinical manifestations of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), high anti-Leishmania antibody titers and tick infestation, were selected from CVL endemic areas (Tehran and Alborz provinces). At least, twenty live ticks were removed from each infected dog. After morphological identification, the ticks were divided into two groups; ticks belonging to the first group were dissected for parasitological examinations and semi-nested PCR assay, and those of the second group were selected for the transmission of CVL caused by L. infantum to uninfected dogs. Following tick infestation, all uninfected dogs were kept for 9 months and examined monthly for clinical and serological tests. Results: Nearly, 67% of ticks were infected by L. infantum using the semi-nested PCR. All other parasitological tests of ticks were negative. Clinical examinations and serological tests of the investigated dogs revealed negative results. Nested-PCR test results performed on splenic biopsy samples of dogs were also negative. Conclusion: L. infantum-positive R. sanguineus ticks were unable to transfer L. infantum from infected dogs to healthy ones. The detection of L. infantum DNA in ticks collected from naturally infected dogs by semi-nested PCR does not prove their vectorial competence. https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/1921 https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/download/1921/782