2023 Impact Factor: 1.3
2023 CiteScore: 2.4
pISSN: 2008-3289
eISSN: 2008-4447
Chairman and Editor-in-Chief:
Mohammad Mehdi Feizabadi
This journal is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Vol 5 No 1 (2013)
Articles
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For the whole 20th century, bovine tuberculosis (BTB) challenged the international community efforts to control this zoonotic disease. Asia and Africa accommodate the largest BTB-infected zebu cattle in the world. Similar to other few Asian nations, Iran has been actively running its BTB-control plan for the last four decades. BTB however, is still a number-one health concern for Iranian veterinary practitioners and also farmers across the country. Why is that? Here we have addressed this question in the light of most recent epidemiological data as well as microbiology and molecular biology observations.
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Background and Objectives: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases in Iran and human brucellosis is endemic in all parts of the country. Because of the difficulty in the diagnosis of brucellosis, particularly in endemic areas, the use of new and feasible diagnostic tests seem to be of great importance for resolving the diagnostic obstacles. We evaluated the usefulness of a new serological test based on an immunocapture-agglutination technique in comparison with ELISA test for serological diagnosis of brucellosis.
Materials and Methods: A total of 11 patients with brucellosis, who had positive blood cultures for Brucella species, and 47 suspected patients were included in this study. Serum samples collected from these patients were tested by brucellacapt and ELISA and the results were, consequently, compared.
Results: In patients with positive blood culture, all the samples gave positive results with brucellacapt test while IgM ELISA, IgG ELISA and (IgG + IgM) ELISA tests were positive in 8, 9 and 11 patients, respectively. Out of the 46 suspected patients, (IgG + IgM) ELISA, Brucellacapt, IgG ELISA and IgM ELISA were positive in 37, 15, 34 and 37 patients, respectively.The best cut-off point of ELISA-IgG was 10.78 IU/ml which produced the maximal sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of human brucellosis.
Conclusion: Both the (IgG + IgM) ELISA and Brucellacapt tests demonstrate a high specificity in this study. According to the results of the current study, it is found that both tests are valuable tools for diagnosis of brucellosis in Iran as an endemic area of brucellosis. It is strongly suggested that a combination of both tests to be used for the diagnosis of brucellosis. -
Background and objectives: Brucella melitensis infection is still a major health problem for human and cattle in developing countries and the Middle East.
Materials and Methods: In this study, in order to screen immunogenic candidate antigens for the development of a Brucella subunit vaccine, a cytoplasmic protein (DnaK) and an outer membrane protein (Omp31) of B. melitensis were cloned, expressed in E.coli BL21 and then purified using Ni-NTA agarose. Immunized serum was prepared from a rabbit inoculated with attenuated B. melitensis.
Results and Conclusion: It was proved that immunized serum contains antibodies against recombinant Omp31 (rOmp31) and DnaK (rDnaK) by Western blot and ELISA assays. The results may suggest the importance of these proteins as subunit vaccines against B. melitensis as well as targets for immunotherapy. -
Background and Objective: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution and has great economic importance. Despite its control in many countries, it remains endemic in Iran. Brucellosis was investigated in many high risk occupational groups; however, few studies on the prevalence of brucellosis among blood donors are available. To determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis antibodies in blood donors, a serological study was carried out in central province of Iran.
Materials and Methods: A total of 897 healthy blood donors with mean age 37.23 ± 10.9 years were enrolled in the study. Laboratory tests including Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STA) and 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME) agglutination were checked in all samples. STA dilution ≥ 1:80, and in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME) agglutination ≥ 20 was considered positive.
Results: Out of 897 cases, 11.9% were inhabitants of rural areas. 41.5% had history of consumption of unpasteurized dairy products and 9.3% had history of contact with domestic animals. A very low level of Brucella agglutinins was present in 3(0.33%) of the samples and only one sample (0.11%) was found to be truly positive for Brucella agglutinins. 2ME was negative in all samples. None of these 4 subjects showed signs and symptoms of brucellosis in 6 months follow-up.
Conclusion: On the basis of our data, brucellosis has no epidemiological and clinical importance in our blood donors; therefore, it is not recommended to perform screening tests such as, STA and 2ME to identify brucellosis antibodies in the sera of blood donors. -
Background and Objectives: Alterations in CXCL10 (a Th1 chemokine) expression have been associated with various diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum CXCL10 levels in H. pylori-infected patients with peptic ulcer (PU), H. pylori-infected asymptomatic (AS) subjects and healthy H. pylori-negative subjects, and also to determine its association with bacterial virulence factor cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA).
Materials and Methods: Serum samples from 90 H. pylori infected patients with PU (70 were anti-CagA+, 20 were anti- CagA-), 65 AS carriers (40 were anti-CagA+, 25 were anti-CagA-) and 30 healthy H. pylori-negative subjects (as a control group) were tested for concentrations of CXCL10 by using the ELISA method.
Results: The mean serum levels of CXCL10 in PU patients (96.64 ± 20.85 pg/mL) were significantly lower than those observed in AS subjects (162.16 ± 53.31 pg/mL, P < 0.01) and the control group (193.93 ± 42.14 pg/mL, P < 0.02). In the PU group, the serum levels of CXCL10 in anti-CagA+ subjects was significantly higher in comparison to anti-CagA- patients (P < 0.04).
Conclusion: These results showed that the mean concentrations of CXCL10 in H. pylori-infected-PU patients was lower than AS carriers and control group. In the PU group, the serum levels of CXCL10 were associated with bacterial factor CagA. -
Antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa remains a major problem in burn patients. The main objective of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern and frequency of class 1 integrons among P. aeruginosa strains isolated from patients with burn wound infections in a new Burn Centre in Guilan, Iran.The bacterial isolates were collected from 182 patients with burn wound infections and P. aeruginosa species were identified by standard bacteriological methods. The drug susceptibility test, using 11 antimicrobial agents, was performed for all the isolates via agar disk diffusion method. PCR was carried out for the detection of integrons.Out of a total of 182 hospitalized patients in the burn center assessed, 86 (47%) found to have P. aeruginosa in their isolates. Resistance rates to various antibiotics were as follows: cloxacillin (91.8%), cotrimoxazole (86%), cephazolin (83.7%), carbenicillin (74.4%), piperacillin (69.9%), ceftazidime (68.8%), ciprofloxacin (66.3%), tobramycin (58.2%), amikacin (48.8%) and gentamicin (37.2%), while the most effective antibiotic was imipenem with a resistance rate of 23.3%. Thirty nine (45.3%) isolates were detected as multi-drug resistant. The PCR results showed that 37 (43%) P. aeruginosa isolates and 27 (69.2%) multi-drug resistant strains harbored class 1 integrons. A significant correlation was obtained between the presence of integrons and resistance against imipenem, ceftazidime, piperacillin and ciprofloxacin (P <0.001).Optimization of using antimicrobial agents and control of infection is recommended to prevent the increasing population of drug resistant organisms in the new burn centre setting in this study. Furthermore, the high frequency of class 1 integrons among multi-drug resistant strains might be responsible for dissemination of antibiotic resistance gene.
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Background and Objectives: Pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli are a common cause of acute infectious diarrhea. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, virulence markers and antibiotic resistance patterns of diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) isolated from adolescents and adults in Hamadan, west of Iran.
Materials and Methods: A total of 187 stool samples were collected from adults with acute diarrhea. Stool culture was performed by conventional methods for enteropathogenic bacteria. Virulence factor genes for DEC were detected by polymerase chain reaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using the disk diffusion method.
Results: Among the 187 patients, 40 (21.4%) were positive for DEC. The most frequently identified DEC was enteropathogenic E. coli (47.5%), followed by enteroaggregative (20%), enterotoxigenic (17.5%) and shiga-toxin producing E. coli (15%). No isolates of enteroinvasive E. coli were detected. All STEC strains were stx+ / eaeA-. Out of the seven ETEC strains, five (71.4%) produced ST, one (14.3%) produced only LT and one (14.3%) of the isolates produced both ST and LT encoded by est and elt genes, respectively. Among the 40 DEC strains 27(67.5%) were multidrug resistant.
Conclusion: DEC contribute to the burden of diarrhea in adults in Hamadan. Enteropathogenic E. coli was the most commonly identified DEC strain in the region studied. -
Background and objectives: Klebsiella species are of the most common bacteria involved in nosocomial and urinary tract infections. Genetic elements such as class 1 integrons have an important role in the resistance development. In this study, the share of class 1 integrons, the genetic characterization of the integron cassettes and PFGE profiles of the clinical Klebsiella isolates are evaluated in Besat University hospital of Sanandaj, Iran.
Methods: Isolates from 17890 clinical specimens were identified by API20E. Antibiotic susceptibility testing and MIC were done for MDR isolates. For investigating class 1 integrons and gene cassettes, PCR by intI1 integrase and 5΄-CS/3΄-CS were performed. Integrated gene cassettes were analyzed by PCR-RFLP and sequencing. Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis was carried out for studying of clonality outbreak of isolates.
Results: Thirty five Klebsiella spp. were isolated and included 29 K. pneumoniae and six K. oxytoca. All the isolates were susceptible to carbapenems while other antibiotics showed high resistant profile. In all Klebsiella spp. PCR for intI1 integrase and 5΄-CS/3΄-CS were positive (100%). Sequencing for prevalent bands of internal variable regions between 5΄-CS/3΄-CS showed arr-5, orfD-aacA4 and aad5- dfrA17. PFGE Analysis showed 18 clusters in K. pneumoniae with clonality relatedness in some cases but no relatedness among K. oxytoca isolates.
Conclusion: High prevalence of class 1 integron carrying gene cassettes confirms that integron-mediated antimicrobial gene cassettes are important in Klebsiella spp. resistance profile. Clone diffusions of MDR Klebsiella spp. which harbor class 1 integrons have threaten the potential in the resistance development in our clinical settings. -
Background and Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile organism causing mild to life threatening infections. The major threat of this organism is its multidrug resistance. The present study was carried out to investigate in - vitro activity of conventional antibiotics routinely prescribed for methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) infections in the Northwest of Iran and other alternating therapeutic agents which are recommended for Gram positive organisms.
Materials and Methods: Clinical isolates of S. aureus were subjected to multiplex PCR for simultaneous speciation and detection of methicillin resistance. Antibacterial susceptibility pattern was determined using disk diffusion. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) were determined using E-test strips.
Results: The results revealed presence of nuc gene in all S. aureus isolates detected phenotypically earlier whereas, mecA gene was observed in 54% of strains. On disk diffusion and MIC determination assay, all MRSA and MSSA strains were susceptible to mupirocin (except one MRSA strain), linezolid and teicoplanin. Six vancomycin intermediate S. aureus strains were detected (VISA) with MIC = 4 µg/mL, 5 of them being MRSA. In disk diffusion assay, 17.3% and 3.7% of isolates showed resistance to rifampin and fusidic acid, respectively. However, MIC and MIC tests shows promising in – vitro impact.
Conclusion: In – vitro mupirocin was found as an effective prophylactic ointment for nasal S. aureus eradication. Our data emphasize the performance of surveillance exercises to outline the existing antibiotics prescription policies and to slow down the emergence of multidrug resistant strains. -
Background and Objectives: Chronic infection in childhood is a leading cause of adeno-tonsillectomy. The aim of this study was to determine the role of M. pneumoniae in children with rhino sinusitis and adenoid hypertrophy.
Materials and Methods: This case - control study was carried out in the pediatric and ENT wards of Hazrat Rasul Hospital, Tehran, Iran (2007-2009). In this trial, we investigated 40 cases with adenoid surgery and 32 controls.We looked for M. pneumoniae -DNA (PCR) in adenoid tissues resected from cases and 31 nasopharyngeal swabs in controls and IgM & IgG antibodies (ELISA) were compared between the 2 groups, P < 0.05 was considered to show a significant value.
Results: Positive PCR results were observed in 35% of cases and none of controls, positive-IgG was seen in 20% of cases and 6.4% of controls (P = 0.71) which was higher in older cases (6 vs. 4 years, p < 0.05). Positive –IgM was seen in 10% of cases vs. 9.7% of controls, (P = 0.74); without any difference for age (6.2/ 5.3 years, p = 0.1). A positive PCR result was not related to positive IgG (p = 0.014), but to a positive IgM (p = 0.1).
Conclusion: M. pneumoniae infection was found serologically (IgM & IgG) in10% and 20% of cases, respectively. These numbers along with positive PCR in adenoid tissue of cases (30%) indicates the prominent role for M. pneumoniae in adenoid hypertrophy. We concluded that children in Iran will have been infected with M. pneumoniae and would have obtained immunity between the ages of 6 and 8. Adenoid tissue might act as a reservoir for M. pneumoniae and cause rhino sinusitis concomitant with adenoid hypertrophy in infected children. Theoretically, suitable M. pneumoniae eradicating antibiotics before adenoid surgery (with rhino sinusitis or chronic ear infection) might be helpful treatment, but it needs future RCT studies to be proven. -
Background and Objectives: Dengue has re-emerged as an important arboviral disease causing significant morbidity. It has become hyperendemic in the Indian subcontinent with all four known dengue serotypes circulating.
Materials and Methods: Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees of DENV-3 were constructed to determine the extent of the isolated dengue virus genetic heterogeneity and phylogeny.
Results: Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the C-prM gene junction revealed an active circulation of a new lineage of DENV-3 (genotype III) in this region of India.
Conclusion: Continuous epidemiological surveillance to monitor the incursion and spread of dengue virus genotypes in this region of India is needed. -
Background Objectives: The risk of adefovir dipivoxil resistance emergence has increased in lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B infected patients. The mutations known as causing adefovir resistance, rtN236T and rtA181V/T, are detected within the D and B functional domain of the HBV polymerase, respectively. In this study, we intended to determine the pre-existing adefovir-resistance mutations in patients infected with LAM resistant mutants prior to starting adefovir therapy.
Material and Methods: The study included 30 patients with chronic hepatitis B with lamivudine resistance mutations in the YMDD motif that experienced viral breakthrough.
Results: After alignment of protein coding sequences, the rtN236T mutation was observed in two (6.6 %) patients, while twenty-eight others had neither rtN236T, nor rtA181V/T mutation. All 30 patients were infected with genotype D of hepatitis B virus.
Conclusions: The early detection of LAM-resistance mutations may allow a timely chance of therapy to avoid hepatitis flare- up. This data suggests that monitoring of ADV-resistance mutations in ADV naïve patients can be considered in selecting the appropriate anti-viral regimen. -
Background: The antifungal activity of selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) prepared by Klebsiella pneumoniae has been reported previously for different fungi. In the present study, freshly prepared Se NPs produced by K. pneumoniae were purified and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and its post antifungal effects for two fungi were evaluated.
Materials and Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of Se NPs, determined by serial dilution were 250 µg/ml for Aspergillus niger and 2,000 µg/ml for Candida albicans. The effect of exposure of A. niger and C. albicans to Se NPs on later growth was evaluated by incubating the fungi for 1 hour at 25 oC in media containing 0, 1, 2 and 4 x MIC of Se NPs and diluting the cultures 100 times with Se free medium. The kinetics of growth of the fungi in control cultures and in non-toxic Se NPs concentration of, 0.01 × MIC, 0.02 × MIC or 0.04×MIC were measured.
Results: The exposure of A. niger and C. albicans to 2 and 4 x MIC of Se NPs stimulated the growth of both fungi in the absence of toxic concentrations of Se. The strongest stimulation was observed for A. niger.
Conclusions: It is concluded that exposure to high concentration of the Se NPs did not have any post-inhibitory effect on A. niger and C. albicans and that trace amounts of this element promoted growth of both fungi in a dose- dependent-manner. The role of nanoparticles serving as needed trace elements and development of microorganism tolerance to nanoparticles should not be dismissed while considering therapeutic potential. -
Background and Objectives: Vaginal candidiasis is a common disease in women during their lifetime and occurs in diabetes patients, during pregnancy and oral contraceptives users. Although several antifungals are routinely used for treatment; however, vaginal candidiasis is a challenge for patients and gynecologists. The aim of the present study was to evaluate terbinafine (Lamisil) on Candida vaginitis versus clotrimazole.
Materials and Methods: In the present study women suspected to have vulvovaginal candidiasis were sampled and disease confirmed using direct smear and culture examination from vaginal discharge. Then, patients were randomly divided into two groups, the first group (32 cases) was treated with clotrimazole and the next (25 cases) with Lamisil. All patients were followed-up to three weeks of treatment and therapeutic effects of both antifungal were compared.
Results: Our results shows that 12 (37.5%) patients were completely treated with clotrimazole during two weeks and,6(18.8%) patients did not respond to drugs and were refereed for fluconazole therapy. Fourteen (43.8%) patients showed moderate response and clotrimazole therapy was extended for one more week. When Lamisil was administrated, 19 (76.0%) patients were completely treated with Lamisil in two weeks, and 1 (4.0%) of the patients did not respond to the drug and was refereed for fluconazole therapy. Five (20.0%) of our patients showed moderate response and Lamisil therapy was extended for one more week.
Conclusion: Our results show that vaginal cream, 1% Lamisil, could be suggested as a first-line treatment in vulvovaginal candidiasis. -
Background and Objective: Nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in thermoregulation and growth of protozoa. This work aimed to add the molecule NO in physiology of protozoa in contact with abused narcotic substances.
Materials and Methods: A sedative drug, morphine, was infused into a cell chamber containing Paramecia. The cell response to the drug was recorded promptly after drug infusion using a potency protocol provided for the first time at this laboratory. A precursor of NO, L-arginine, was treated jointly with drug to involve the NO system in protozoan performance to drug exposure. Marking of NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) was followed to provide data to explain the mechanisms.
Results: Morphine, particularly 0.5 to 60 μg/μl, aggregated the Paramecia. The infusion of L-arginine (1 to 8 µg/µl) together with morphine potentiated this effect, though, pre-usage of L-NAME (1 to 8 µg/µl), a blocker of NO production, reversed the response. Notably the activation of NADPH-d in solely morphine or L-arginine plus morphine samples was revealed. However, the expression of marker was attenuated upon pre-infusion with L-NAME.
Conclusion: This study introduces a new approach to involve NO in physiology of aggregation of Paramecia following exposure to the misused sedative drug, morphine.
