Determination of molecular epidemiologic pattern of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) in Alborz province, Iran.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is linked to two debilitating diseases, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and HTLV-1 associated myelopathy tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), which are prevalent in various parts of the world, including the Alborz province in Iran. Understanding the prevalence and evolutionary relationships of HTLV-1 infections in these endemic areas is of utmost importance. In the realm of phylogenetic studies, long terminal repeat (LTR) region of HTLV-1 stands out as highly conserved, yet more variable compared to other gene segments. Consequently, it is the primary focus for phylogenetic analyses. Additionally, trans-activator of transcription (Tax), an oncoprotein, holds a pivotal role in the regulation of gene expression. This cross-sectional study delved into the phylogenetic analysis of HTLV-1 among individuals in Alborz province of Iran. To confirm infection, we amplified partial sequence LTR (PLTR) and HTLV-1 bZIP factor (PHBZ). For phylogenetic analysis, we sequenced the full sequence LTR (FLTR) and full Tax sequence (FTax). The FLTR and FTax sequences underwent analysis using BioEdit, and phylogenetic trees were constructed using MEGA-X software. Out of the roughly 15,000 annual blood donors in Alborz, 19 samples tested positive for HTLV-1, indicating a 0.13% HTLV-1 positivity rate among blood donors. Furthermore, the HTLV-1 virus prevalent in the Alborz province belongs to subtype A (cosmopolitan) subgroup A. The findings revealed that while mutations were observed in both the LTR and Tax genes, they were not significant enough to bring about fundamental alterations. Despite positive selection detected in three Alborz isolates, it has not led to mutations affecting Tax function and virulence.

Neurological complications after COVID-19: A narrative review.

COVID-19 is primarily classified as a respiratory disorder; however, various neurological symptoms have been reported in COVID-19 patients. Neurological manifestations may be the initial signs of COVID-19 and can develop in patients of different age groups and with or without underlying disease. COVID-19 causes a broad range of complications in the central nervous system. These include headaches, altered mental status, dizziness, seizures, cerebrovascular events, encephalitis, and other encephalopathies. Moreover, a broad spectrum of peripheral nervous system symptoms such as olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions, neuropathy, visual impairments, neuralgia, cranial nerves palsy, and muscle involvement could manifest as symptoms. Despite various efforts, the exact pathogenesis of the COVID-19 neurological complications has not been clarified yet. Moreover, the reason for the development of neurological manifestation in only some COVID-19 patients has not been determined. This review focuses on the different neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19 and the possible pathological mechanisms hoping to provide new insights for diagnosis, therapies, or other forms of intervention.

COVID-19 and coronary artery disease; A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background and aim: Patients with underlying cardiovascular disorders such as coronary artery disease (CAD) are more prone to severe forms and multiple complications of COVID-19. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the impact of CAD on patients with COVID-19. Methods: Main electronic databases, including Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, and Web of Science, were carefully searched and reviewed for original research articles published between 2019 and 2021. One hundred nine studies that address CAD in patients with COVID-19 were selected and analyzed. Results: Following search and screening processes, 109 relevant publications were selected for analysis. The meta-analysis of prevalence studies indicated that the frequency of CAD among patients with COVID-19 was reported in 10 countries with an overall frequency of 12.4% [(95% CI) 11.1-13.8] among 20079 COVID-19 patients. According to case reports/case series studies, 50.9% of COVID-19 patients suffered from CAD. Fever was the most common symptom in these patients (47%); 36.5% also had hypertension. Conclusion: The results obtained during the present study show that the simultaneous presence of COVID-19 and CAD, especially in men and elderly patients, can increase the risks and complications of both diseases. Therefore, careful examination of the condition of this group of patients for timely diagnosis and treatment is strongly recommended.

Comparative study of CNR1 and CNR2 cannabinoid receptors expression levels in COVID-19 patients with and without diabetes mellitus: Recommendations for future research targets.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted researchers to look for effective therapeutic targets. The effect of endocannabinoid system against infectious diseases is investigated for several years. In this study, we evaluated the expression level of CNR1 and CNR2 genes in patients with COVID-19 with and without diabetes to provide new insights regarding these receptors and their potential effect in COVID-19 disease. METHODS: In this study, peripheral blood monocytes cells (PBMCs) were isolated from eight different groups including COVID-19 patients, diabetic patients, and healthy individuals. RNA were extracted to evaluate the expression level of CNR1 and CNR2 genes using real-time PCR. The correlation between the expression levels of these genes in different groups were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 80 samples were divided into 8 groups, with each group consisting of ten samples. When comparing severe and moderate COVID-19 groups to healthy control group, the expression levels of the CNR1 and CNR2 genes were significantly higher in the severe and moderate COVID-19 groups. There were no significant differences between the mild COVID-19 group and the healthy control group. It was found that the expression levels of these genes in patients with diabetes who were infected with SARS-COV-2 did not differ across COVID-19 groups with varying severity, but they were significantly higher when compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests the possible role of endocannabinoid system during SARS-COV-2 pathogenicity as the expression of CNR1 and CNR2 were elevated during the disease.

Human Herpesvirus 6 Infection and Risk of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a neurological disease that is accompanied by excessive fatigue or tiredness. There are several reports confirming the association between human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection and CFS illness. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to integrate the information of published studies with regard to this association until May 2021. METHODS: The literature search was based on keywords including "chronic fatigue syndrome and HHV 6," "chronic fatigue syndrome and HHV-6," "chronic fatigue syndrome and HHV6," "chronic fatigue syndrome and Herpes virus 6," and "chronic fatigue syndrome and Herpesvirus6" in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and EMBASE. RESULTS: The literature search identified 17 studies to be included in the systematic review and 11 studies in meta-analysis. The symmetry funnel plot and Egger's test (p value = 0.2) identified no publication bias among studies. Moreover, the low level of I2 revealed homogeneity across studies. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, the association between the HHV-6 infection and CFS incidence was substantiated. However, the results of this study also suggest that further comprehensive studies are needed to solidify the association between HHV-6 and CFS. Future studies should consider additional factors that may have affected the significance of such a correlation.

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analysis of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 in the tax gene and it association with adult t-cell leukemia/lymphoma disorders.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) belongs to retrovirus family that causes the neurological disorder HTLV-1 adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). Since 1980, seven subtypes of the virus have been recognized. HTLV-1 is prevalent and endemic in some regions, such as Africa, Japan, South America and Iran as the endemic regions of the HTLV-1 in the Middle East. To study HTLV-1 subtypes and routes of virus spread in Iran, phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses were performed and for as much as no previous phylogenetic studies were conducted in Tehran, we do this survey. To this purpose, the Tax region of HTLV-1 was used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study 100 samples were collected from blood donors in Tehran. All samples were screened for anti-HTLV-I antibodies by ELISA. Then, genomic DNA was extracted from all positive samples (10 people), and for confirmation of infection, ordinary PCR was performed for both the HBZ and LTR regions. Moreover, the Tax region was amplified and purified PCR products were sequenced and analyzed, and finally, a phylogenetic tree was constructed using Mega X software. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that isolates from Iran, Japan, Brazil, and Africa are located within the extensive "transcontinental" subgroup A clade of HTLV-1 Cosmopolitan subtype a. The Japanese sequences are the closest to the Iranian sequences and have the most genetic similarity with them. CONCLUSION: Through phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses HTLV-1 strain in Tehran were characterized in Iran. The appearance of HTLV-1 in Iran was probably happened by the ancient Silk Road which linked China to Antioch.

Global genotype distribution of human clinical isolates of New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae; A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The global rise of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial strains is a rapidly growing challenge and is becoming a major public health concern. This study documents the worldwide spread and genotype distribution of human clinical isolates of New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (NPKP). METHODS: Several international databases, including Web of Science, Embase and Medline were searched (2010 - 2019) to identify studies addressing the frequency of NPKP regionally or worldwide. RESULTS: Of 4779 articles identified, 202 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in our analysis. The frequency of NPKP in Asia, Europe, America, Africa and Oceania was 64.6%, 20.1%, 9.0%, 5.6% and 0.4%, respectively. The most prevalent sequence types (STs) among NPKP were ST11, ST290, ST147, ST340, ST15, ST278 and ST14 based on published studies. CONCLUSION: The dissemination of blaNDM variants in different STs among NPKP in the various region of world is a serious concern to public health. The prevalence of NPKP should be controlled by comprehensive infection control measures and optimization of antibiotic therapy.