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 3 No 3 (2008)
Articles
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Background: This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Meshkin-Shahr district as endemic areas of human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) for presenting control program of HVL to health authorities.
Methods: A seroepidemiological study to determine seroprevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) among ownership dogs using direct agglutination tests (DAT) in 21 villages of Meshkin-Shahr district, Ardabil Province was carried out from June 2006 to August 2007. Three hundred and eighty four ownership dogs were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to compare seroprevalence values relative to gender, age and clinical signs.
Results: Of the 384 serum samples tested by DAT, 17.4 %( 95%C.I, 13.2%-20.8%) were positive (1:320 and higher). No statistical significant difference was found between male (16.5%) and female (20.2%) seroprevalence (P=0.416). The highest seroprevalence rate (64.2%) was observed among the ownership dogs of three years age and above. Only 25.4% of the seropositive dogs had clinical signs and symptoms. The most clinical signs among symptomatic dogs were cachexia (75%) and alopecia (36.5%).
Conclusion: The majority of seropositive dogs (74.6%) lived in endemic areas of Meshkin-Shahr district were asymptomatic. It seems that all symptomatic and asymptomatic infected dogs are the most important risk factors for human infection in VL endemic areas. -
Background: Trichomoniasis, caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the world. Diagnosis of T. vaginalis is performed by different methods, including wet mount, culture, serological methods and PCR, which required laboratory equipments and expert laboratory personnel. The aim of this study was evaluation of immunochromatographic strip test (Xenostrip-Tv) for diagnosis of vaginal trichomoniasis compared with wet mount and PCR assay.
Methods: In this prospective study vaginal swabs were obtained from 100 women with genital complaints demanding a speculum examination, referred to Imam Khomeini and Amir Kabir hospitals in Ahwaz, Khuzestan Province. Samples were first examined by wet mount and Xenostrip-Tv. PCR assay was performed in the next step using TVK3 and TVK7 primers initially. The positive samples were then confirmed by the second PCR assay using TVA5-1 and TVA6 primers.
Results: PCR with TVA5-1 and TVA6 primers was determined as gold standard. The wet mount as well as Xenostrip-Tv sensitivity and specificity were 73.3% and 100%, respectively in comparison with gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of PCR with primers TVK3 and TVK7 were also determined as 100% and 96.6%, respectively. The infection rates were 14% for wet mount and Xenostrip-Tv, 21% for PCR with primers TVK3 plus TVK7 and 19% with the gold standard PCR using TVA5-1 and TVA6 primers.
Conclusion: Xenostrip- Tv could be used for diagnosis of vaginal trichomoniasis in regions with no laboratory diagnostic facilities. -
Background: Our objectives were to investigate whether immunomodulatory cytokines, TGF-β and IL-10, are stimulated in response to cystic echinococcosis (CE) components in mice model, and whether major hydatid fluid antigens or live protoscoleces could equally contribute to such cytokines.
Methods: Protoscoleces were obtained by aseptic puncture of fertile sheep hydatid cysts. Hydatid fluid antigens (HFAgs) and Antigen B (AgB) were prepared by partial purification and electroelution, respectively. Of the 25 Balb/c mice assigned in four groups, the first group was inoculated ip with 2000 live protoscoleces; the second and the third groups were injected ip with 50 µg HFAgs and 50 µg AgB in 200 µl of PBS, respectively. Control group was only injected with PBS. The sera concentration of TGF-ß and IL-10 were determined by ELISA. Data were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA and Tukey-HSD tests to compare differences between means.
Results: The mean concentration of TGF-ß in those groups injected with protoscoleces, HFAgs and AgB were significantly higher than control group. However, in the case of IL-10 such differences were only detected in mice that were inoculated with protoscoleces (356±11 pg/ml) compared to control (207±9 pg/ml), HFAgs and AgB groups.
Conclusion: TGF-ß and IL-10, two important immunomudulatory cytokines are induced by different molecules or components of CE, so that AgB could induce TGF-ß and components of protoscolex, other than AgB and Ag5, could induce IL-10. -
Background: The visceral larva migrans (VLM) is a syndrome observed in human infection with helminth larval eggs such as the Toxocara spp. that usually infects dogs and cats. Among the risk factors involved in the occurrence of VLM, particularly importance of these animal populations, an investigation was carried out for the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks in the city of Urmia, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran.
Methods: Samples were collected from total 26 existing public parks in Urmia from December 2003 to March 2004. Soil samples were collected from 3-4 distinct sites in the same area. The floating material was analyzed under the light microscope.
Results: Toxocara spp. eggs were found in 8 samples of total 102 taken samples from 26 public parks showed a contamination rate of 7.8%. The number of observed Toxacara eggs in each microscopic field was varied from 1-8.
Conclusion: Low rate of contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs in Urmia parks might be due to lower dog population and cultural differences of present study in this city in comparison of other cities of the world. -
Background: Cryptosporidium is an intracellular apicomplexan parasite that infects a wide range of vertebrates including humans. Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of diarrhea in children with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in developing countries. More recently, the molecular methods for identification of morphologically indistinguishable species have been developed. The aim of this study was to determine the characterization of various species of this coccidian among children with diarrhea by using molecular methods.
Methods: Fecal samples were collected from 1263 children with diarrhea who referred to Pediatrics Medical Centers in Qazvin and Tehran, two central provinces of Iran. Initial identification of Cryptosporidium was carried out by Zeihl-Neelsen acid-fast staining method of stool samples. DNA was extracted from positive microscopically samples and were subjected to a two step nested PCR-RFLP based on SSU-rRNA gene.
Results: Out of 1263 collected samples, 31 (2.5%) were found to be contained Cryptosporidium oocysts. RFLP analysis showed that 80.6% of the positive isolates were Cryptosporidium parvum, 16.1% C. hominis and 3.2% had mix infection pattern of both C. parvum and C. hominis.
Conclusion: Our results showed that the zoonotic pattern of transmission is predominant and has considerable significance in epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis in the study areas. -
Background: To identify intestinal parasites among restaurant workers in Mukalla, Yemen in 2007.
Methods: Stool specimens were collected and examined from a total of 500 restaurant workers at Hadhramout University Health Center .Three types of techniques were used: direct examination, saline sedimentation and formol-ether concentration.
Results: The positivity in majority of them was single infection whereas 6 cases were double infection that constituted 1.3% of the prevalence. The prevalence was 14.8 % for Entamoeba histolytica/dispor, and 5.2 % for Giardia lamblia, while it was 4.4% for Hymenolepis nana. Other intestinal parasites including Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodinale were also detected. Additionally, the blood parasite Schistosoma mansoni was also detected in 4 cases. The double infection was only with E. histolytica/dispor and Giardia. The infection with these parasites was also accompanied by abdominal troubles "diarrhea, constipation", nausea and vomiting.
Conclusion: These results lead to understand that sanitary measurements are not effective, and this hazardous situation facilitate parasitic agents' distribution among clients. The effectiveness of current pre-employment screening policy must be annual and systematic surveillance is needed in addition to health education. -
We describe a 61-year-old man who developed a mild gastrointestinal discomforts including diarrhea associated with feces containing many larvae similar to rhabditiform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis diagnosed finally as Diploscapter coronata, a free-living nematode. This case is unusual infection in human and there are a few reports of this worm as a real parasite. Microscopically, Diploscapter larvae in feces should be considered in the differential diagnosis of Strongyloididasis and hook worm disease in endemic area. This was the first reported occurrence of human D. coronata infection in Iran. Most of the clinical manifestations of human infection are not yet known due to limited information; thus, there is a need for more studies.
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A 32-year-old man was attacked by flies while camping around Khorram Abad, Lorestan Province, western Iran. Pruritic dermatitis with marked edema and considerable discomfort appeared mainly on the lower legs. The flies were identified as Simulium. Simuliids are tiny bloodsucking flies, popularly known as blackflies or buffalo flies, belonging to the dipterous, family Simulidae. They are occurred worldwide, breed in fast-flowing streams, and are a major animal pest.
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