2023 Impact Factor: 0.9
2023 CiteScore: 1.8
pISSN: 1735-7020
eISSN: 2008-238x
Editor-in-Chief:
Gholamhossein Edrissian, Pharm. D.
This journal is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Vol 2 No 4 (2007)
Articles
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Background: The aim of this study was determination of antibodies (IgG, IgM) against Toxoplasma in malignant patients in order to refer the patients on time to the physician for treatment.
Methods: This study was carried out on 252 malignant patients and 252 healthy normal subjects (as control) obtained from Shafa Hospital and Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (Iran-Zamin), in Ahwaz city. Patient's information was recorded in a questionnaire before sampling. Serum samples of patients were examined for IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA technique using Trinity kits.
Results: The results of this study revealed the presence of Toxoplasma antibodies in 114 (45.2%) cases of patients who were positive for Toxoplasma IgG antibodies, and 26 (10.3%) cases were confirmed to be positive for Toxoplasma IgM antibodies and also 17 (6.7%) of cases had both IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii. In control group 92 (36.5%) cases and 15 (6%) cases revealed seropositive for IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. There were no significant differences between sex, close contact with cat, living region, chemotherapy, and seropositivity rate of toxoplasmosis in patients. Comparing the age groups, the highest seropositive rate showed in the age of 51 years or higher, and their rates had tendency to increase with age in both groups. No seropositivity significant relationship was found between patients and control group.
Conclusion: According to the prevalence of positive cases in these patients, it is necessary to examine the patients for toxoplasmosis before, during and after chemotherapy.
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Background: Hydatid disease is a major world health problem and pulmonary hydatidosis is a widespread disease. It is presented with different clinical manifestations. In order to determine the most clinical manifestation, diagnostic methods and clinical outcome in our patients, we conducted this study.
Methods: Forty-nine patients with pulmonary hydatid cysts who were admitted to our hospital in Zahedan (Southeast of Iran) between 1990 and 2005, evaluated. We retrospectively reviewed the patients' symptomatology, diagnostic studies, treatment options, and morbidity as well as mortality rate.
Results: The ages of the patients ranged from 16 to 68 years (mean 43 years). Seventy-five percent of patients were from male gender. Hemoptysis was one of the most common clinical presentations in our patients. Radiological studies were the main diagnostic tool. The correct preoperative diagnosis was made in 92% of the patients by chest roentgenogram plus chest CT-Scan. Eighty seven percent of patients were treated by surgical route. Only one patient was expired during surgery.
Conclusion: Upon the results emerged from this study, hemoptysis is one of the most prevalent clinical manifestation in patients with pulmonary hydatidosis and it can mimic pulmonary tuberculosis in endemic area.
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Background: To use different methods for serodiagnosis of ruminants' haemonchosis is important because detection of egg in the faeces is not so reliable.
Methods: Peptide bands of 5 different crude antigens of intestine, uterus, cuticle, whole male and whole female of Haemonchus contortus were determined using SDS-PAGE and western blotting. Five lambs were infected with 10,000 third stage larvae of H.contortus and 2 parasites free were kept as control. Positive and negative sera collected from infected and no infected animal were tested using western blotting for immunodiagnostic antigens.
Results: In electrophoresis the major peptide bands of crud antigens of uterus, intestine, cuticle, whole male and whole female of H. contortus were 7, 2, 6, 8 and 5, respectively at molecular weights of 15 to 110 kDa. In immunoblotting positive and negative sera were compared and the molecular weight of specific protein bands for Haemonchus in sheep was determined. Two major peptide bands belong to intestine and uterus with 35 and 40 kDa molecular weight, respectively, were specific for diagnosis of the parasite infection.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest the use of these antigens with different molecular weights for immunodiagnosis of haemonchosis in sheep as a primary screening test is promising.
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Background: Besides of transmitting several diseases to animals, and tick paralysis, Ornithodoros lahorensis induce skin lesions. This experiment was done to determine histopathological features of adult O. lahorensis bite on rat.
Methods: In this investigation adult male rats were infested with O. lahorensis ticks. Animals were divided into two groups and euthanized two days and two weeks after infestation. The skin samples were fixed in 10% buffer formal saline and processed and sections were stained with hematoxylin & eosin.
Results: The lesions reflected the clinical and gross findings, with hyperemia, edema and vacuolation in the early stages, cellular infiltrations, principally lymphocyte accompanied vascular changes. Newly formed fibrous tissue with large number of hyperemic capillaries and active inflammatory process in which lymphocytes and eosinophils were the predominant cells, were seen after two weeks. Foci of necrosis in the epithelium with remnant of infiltration of polymorphonucular cells with sever hemorrhages were also evident. Vascular changes included prevascular infiltration of lymphocyte and fibrinoied necrosis on the vessel walls.
Conclusion: This study well documented the different pathological changes of skin of rats with O. lahorensis.
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Background: Cats play a crucial role in the epidemiology of gastrointestinal helminthic parasites and also play a major role in transmitting of these parasites through faecal contamination of soil, food or water. The aim of this study was to determine the species of gastrointestinal helminthes parasites in stray cats from a rural area of Bandar-e-Anzali, Iran.
Method: Gastrointestinal helminthes were collected from 50 necropsied stray cats (Felis catus) after capturing them by trapping from different regions of the city and humanely euthanatized in Bandar-e-Anzali, a port in the Caspian Sea in northern Iran, from March to November 2003.
Results: The prevalence of infection was 90%, with those of individual parasites being Diplopylidium nolleri 54%, Physaloptera praeputialis 32%, Ancylostoma tubaeforme 20%, Joyeuxiella pasqualei 10%, Toxocara cati 8%, Pterygodermatites affinis 6%, Ancylostoma caninum 4%, and Taenia taeniaeformis 2%. Concurrent infections with two or more parasites were recorded in 34% of the individuals. In relation to the sex, the differences were not significant.
Conclusion: P. praeputialis, T. cati, D. nolleri and sometime J. pasqualei are the commonest Helminthes in cats. This is the first reported isolation of P. affinis and A. caninum infections from cats in Iran.
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Background: Leishmaniasis is caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania which, in the infected host are obligate intracellular parasite. TSA is the immuno-dominant antigen of Leishmania major which is considered as the most promising molecule for a recombinant or DNA vaccine against leishmaniasis.
Methods: Genomic DNA of TSA protein was extracted and amplificated as a template. Then the PCR product was cloned into pTZ57R/T vector. Finally, the recombinant plasmid was extracted from transformed Escherichia coli (TG1 strain) and sequenced.
Results: MRHO/IR/75/ER (an Iranian strain) of L. major and TSA gene (Accession number LmjF15.1080) were used. Sequence analysis of cloned TSA gene into pTZ57R/T vector showed high homology of 90% with LmjF15.1080 (TSA gene) and strain "LV39" (Accession no. AF069386) and strain "Friedlin" (Accession no.AF044679).
Conclusion: We cloned TSA gene of L. major successfully. Recombinant plasmid was confirmed. It is ready to express recombinant protein for further studies.
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Background: Rooks are distributed all over Iran and no information is available in the literature on their parasitic infections.
Methods: One hundred twenty five rooks were examined at post-mortem for parasitic infections.
Results: Two species of cestodes, 5 species of nematodes and 4 species of protozoa were found of which all were new host and distribution record.
Conclusion: Rooks have several parasites of which some are common with other domestic birds and some have zoonotic importance.
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Pachysentis canicola (Meyer, 1931) is an acanthocephalan belonging to the class Oligacanthorhynchida. These species parasitize canids and other carnivores as definitive hosts which are followed by ingestion of an infected arthropod as its biological intermediate host. We present here a natural occurrence of P. canicola in fox from Iran with special attention to its morphological characteristics.
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Fascioliasis is a worldwide but unevenly distributed zoonosis caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica that infects domesticated herbivores. Fasciolosis also occurs accidentally in humans by ingestion of metacercaria-laden freshwater or water plants. Human infections are common in developing countries and are not rare in Europe. The clinical course has been conventionally described in two phases: an acute phase of hepatic parenchymal invasion of an immature worm larva (parenchymal phase) and a stationary phase after residence in the bile duct and production of eggs (ductal phase). We report a 34 years old woman from Ilam, western Iran with hepatic disorder, RUQ pain, and jaundice. The diagnosis was made by sonography, CT scan and serologic studies. Serologic exam (ELISA) was positive & CT findings were compatible with fascioliasis.
