Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman | Iran
**Dr. Baharak Akhtardanesh, DVM, DVSc, a board-certified small animal internist and accomplished professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, is a distinguished Iranian veterinarian whose career reflects exceptional contributions to clinical practice, academic instruction, and research in small animal internal medicine. Born in 1975 in Ahvaz, Iran, she completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in 2001, where her thesis focused on the bacteriological and serological assessment of brucellosis in buffaloes and its public health implications. She then advanced her academic training by earning a DVSc and board certification in small animal internal medicine from the University of Tehran in 2005, producing a doctoral thesis on the molecular detection of gastric Helicobacter-like organisms in domestic and stray cats. Throughout her career, Dr. Akhtardanesh has held several significant academic and administrative positions, including Head of the Small Animal Internal Medicine Ward (2006–2014, 2020–2024), Vice Director of the Clinical Sciences Department (2014–2018), and consulting veterinarian in laboratory animal science at Kerman University of Medical Sciences for 15 years. Since 2020, she has also been actively involved in training residents in a rigorous four-year small animal internal medicine residency program. As a clinician, she provides expert diagnosis and management of complex medical conditions in dogs, cats, rabbits, and rodents, while playing a central role in teaching clinical rotations to senior veterinary students and delivering postgraduate training in laboratory animal sciences. A prolific researcher, Dr. Akhtardanesh has authored 74 international scientific articles, presented her findings at 40 international congresses and 110 national symposia, and supervised or advised over 60 postgraduate theses, making her a leading academic figure in small animal medicine, zoonotic diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, dermatology, animal ethics, and laboratory animal science. Her research collaborations extend across national and international institutes, particularly in zoonosis, infectious diseases, and public health. She maintains an active scholarly presence through ORCID, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, and her university homepage. Recent international congress contributions include studies on canine toxoplasmosis and venereal transmission, detection of Rickettsia species in hedgehog-associated ticks, and molecular identification of Cytauxzoon felis in cats across multiple Iranian provinces. Known for her dedication to rigorous scientific inquiry, compassionate clinical care, and excellence in training the next generation of veterinary professionals, Dr. Baharak Akhtardanesh continues to be a highly respected authority in small animal internal medicine in Iran and beyond.
Featured Publications
Akhtardanesh, B., Ziaali, N., Sharifi, H., & Rezaei, S. (2010). Feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus and Toxoplasma gondii in stray and household cats in Kerman–Iran: Seroprevalence and correlation with clinical and … Research in Veterinary Science, 89(2), 306–310.
Khedri, J., Radfar, M. H., Borji, H., Azizzadeh, M., & Akhtardanesh, B. (2014). Canine heartworm in southeastern of Iran with review of disease distribution. Iranian Journal of Parasitology, 9(4), 560.
Akhtardanesh, B., Ghanbarpour, R., & Blourizadeh, H. (2010). Serological evidence of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis in Iran. Comparative Clinical Pathology, 19(5), 469–474.
Akhtardanesh, B., Sharifi, I., Mohammadi, A., Mostafavi, M., Hakimmipour, M., & others. (2017). Feline visceral leishmaniasis in Kerman, southeast of Iran: Serological and molecular study. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases, 54(1), 96–102.
Akhtardanesh, B., Moeini, E., Sharifi, I., Saberi, M., Sadeghi, B., Ebrahimi, M., & others. (2020). Leishmania infection in cats positive for immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus in an endemic region of Iran. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 20, 100387.
Baharak, A., Reza, K., Shahriar, D., Omid, A., Daruoosh, V., & Nasrin, A. (2012). Metastatic apocrine sweat gland adenocarcinoma in a terrier dog. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 2(8), 670–672.
Khalili, M., Rezaei, M., Akhtardanesh, B., Abiri, Z., & Shahheidaripour, S. (2018). Detection of Coxiella burnetii (Gammaproteobacteria: Coxiellaceae) in ticks collected from infested dogs in Kerman, Southeast of Iran. Persian Journal of Acarology, 7(1).
Nasrin, A., Baharak, A., & Reza, K. (2012). Concurrent cystic endometrial hyperplasia, ovarian luteoma and biliary cyst adenoma in an aged rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus): Case report and literature review. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 2(3), S1975–S1978.
Akhtardanesh, B., Ghanbarpour, R., Babaei, H., & Nazeri, M. (2011). Serological evidences of canine brucellosis as a new emerging disease in Iran. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease, 1(3), 177–180.