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Background & objectives: Several studies have shown that pentoxifylline is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Pentoxifylline (PTX), has been shown to exert protective effects on autoimmune disorders. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of pentoxifylline on histopathology of pancreas in diabetic mice.
Methods: Diabetes was induced by multiple injection of low-dose streptozotocin (40 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days) in male C57BL/6 mice. After induction of diabetes, mice were treated with pentoxifylline (100 mg/kg/day i.p.) for 21 days. The nitric oxide levels were evaluated in spleen cell culture supernatant. Pancreases were isolated and stained by hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) and Gomori aldehyde fuchsin (GAF).
Results: Pentoxifylline treatment significantly inhibited the production of nitric oxide (p<0.05). In addition, PTX improved the pancreas tissue. It increased the mean diameter of islets and the number of islets and beta cells. (p<0.05).
Conclusion: These findings indicated that pentoxifylline might have a therapeutic effect against the autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta-cells during the development of STZ-induced type 1 diabetes in mice.
 

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Background & objectives:  Fleas are clinically important parasites for affecting human health. These insects are carriers of some pathogens such as Yersinia pestis, Rickettsia typhi, Q fever, Tularemia and Bartonella henselae which are infectious for humans and animals. The aim of this cross –sectional study was to detection of Rickettsia, Bartonella and Wolbachia pathogens in infected Ctenocephalides canis and Pulex irritans using molecular method in West and Northwest of Iran.
Methods: The present study is a, descriptive, cross-sectional study (prevalence rate=10%, confidence level=95%,  error rate=5%) which  performed on samples collected from five provinces including  Kermanshah, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan Western, Lorestan and Hamedan for 13 months from May 2018 to June 2019. In this study, samples were collected by optical trap, human prey and direct isolation of the sample from the host and identified in the parasitology laboratory using valid diagnostic keys. The prevalence of Rickettsia, Bartonella and Wolbachia in the collected samples was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplification and sequencing of gltA, pap31 and 16SrRNA genes were used for molecular diagnosis of  Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Wolbachia respectively.
Results: The collected samples included 918(47.39%) fleas of C.canis and 1019 (52.60%) fleas of P.irritant. The PCR products of each gene was subject to sequencing. In this study, 12.9% , 5.21% and 5.21% of fleas were positive for  Wolbachia , Rickettsia and Bartonella, respectively .
Conclusion: Bartonella, Rickettsia and Welbachia are vector borne infectious agent. Due to their high pathogenicity and easily transmission among insect and human, monitoring of insects is essential for the controlling of the infection and preserving the public health in endemic area.