Oral administration of bacterial probiotics improves Helicobacter pylori-induced memory impairment in rats: Insights from behavioral and biochemical investigations.

There are numerous evidence supporting the association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and the occurrence of cognitive deficits in humans. In this regard, treatment of H. pylori infection has been suggested as an effective strategy to decelerate the neurodegenerative processes of memory deficits in AD patients. Numerous studies support the beneficial effects of probiotics on various pathological conditions, particularly cognitive deficits, however, this concern has not been addressed in relation to the memory impairment induced by H. pylori infection. In the present study, we aimed to reveal whether oral administration of two bacterial probiotics (including Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum), could ameliorate H. pylori-induced memory deficits at behavioral level in rats. Besides, cellular mechanisms were investigated by biochemical methods to find out how probiotic effects are mediated in hippocampal circuitry. Male Wistar rats were infected by H. pylori for 3 consecutive days, then probiotic treatment was done for the next 3 days and after a drug-free period (12 days), animals were assessed by Morris Water Maze and Novel Object Recognition tests. Finally, rats were euthanized by CO2 and hippocampal tissues were excised for biochemical measurements. Results indicated that H. pylori infection markedly impairs memory function in rats which is associated with alterations of oxidative, inflammatory, neurotrophic, and cholinergic markers. Interestingly, treatment with either of the probiotics alone or in combination, significantly improved the H. pylori-induced memory deficits and this was associated with restoration of balance in biochemical factors within the hippocampal neurons.

Seroepidemiological survey of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever among sheep in Mazandaran province, northern Iran.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a disease prevalent among humans and animals and is endemic in Iran. Although CCHF has been reported in all of its neighboring provinces, in Mazandaran in northern Iran there have been no reports of any cases of human infection. This research has been carried out to clarify the epidemiological aspects of CCHF infection among sheep in various geographical regions of Mazandaran province. In this survey, 270 blood samples were collected from sheep in eastern, central, and western Mazandaran between 2010 and 2011, and the specific ELISA test for CCHF virus was carried out on the blood samples in the National Reference Laboratory in the Pasteur Institute, Tehran, Iran. The CCHF infection rate according to this study was 3.7%. A weak statistical relationship (p=0.063) was seen between the different geographical regions, with a gradual decrease in the infection rate noted, stretching from the eastern to the western portions of the province (eastern 6.8%, central 2.8%, and western 0%). Older sheep were 2.7 times more likely to be infected with the virus (OR 2.70; 95% CI 1.50,4.87; p<0.001). As the infection rate in Mazandaran is low among sheep, and as yet there have been no reports of human infection in this province, CCHF disease is not considered a serious health problem in Mazandaran. It is recommended that further research be carried out on other animals, high-risk human groups, and ticks, in order to more completely reveal the status of the disease in this province.