HIV/HBV Co-Infections: Epidemiology, Natural History, and Treatment: A Review Article.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, one of the major health priorities, accounts approximately for 350 million chronic cases and a global total of 33 million people were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the world.Co-infection with HIV and the HBV presents a significant challenge to health care providers, with different prevalence rates in different parts of the world. It is important to screen all HIV infected individuals for HBV infection and reverse. Infection with HBV becomes more violent in patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV/HBV co-infected individuals are at increased risk of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and of experiencing HAART toxicity. In this review, the latest statistics on epidemiology of HIV, HBV and their co-infection has been presented along with prominent characteristics of HBV. Transmission routes which are the common between HBV and HIV are described and the most important ones are described according to the regional and age features. Also, there is a series of actions being performed once HBV infections occur to prevent HIV or to diagnose if the HBV-infected individuals are also infected with HIV. As in treatment case, some of the frequent treatment methods including applying interferon and using nucleoside and nucleotide analogues have been discussed. Finally, we would explain the new recommendations for treating patients who were co-infected with HBV and HIV, including staging HBV and HIV treatment, based on the stage of each disease. It also outlines the optimal treatment options, whether the patient is treated for HBV first, HIV first, or HIV and HBV together.

Isolation of clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa harboring different plasmids.

Aim of this study was to investigate the presence of plasmids among the strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from clinically diagnosed cases in Tehran in 2006. A total of 38 strains of P. aeruginosa were isolated. With the exception of one isolate, all P. aeruginosa strains harbored at least one plasmid band. The electrophoretic analysis of plasmid DNAs showed different number of plasmid bands among the strains tested. The DNA band of 1.4 kbp was evident in 84.2% of the strains. Approximately 71 and 21% of the isolates harbored concomitantly two and three plasmids, respectively. Isolation of strains with diverse types of plasmids suggests the different cluster of P. aeruginosa might be disseminated during the current study period.

An outbreak of gastroenteritis of unknown origin in Tehran, July 2003.

Aim of this study was to determine the causative agent and source of a large gastroenteritis outbreak occurred in a national financial center (CBIRI) in July 2003. A patient definition was defined staff were interviewed in the clinic of the Bank and their information were collected by means of a standardized questionnaire. A total of 110 fecal specimens were collected within 48 h of symptom onset from 100 patients with symptoms of gastroenteritis and 10 restaurant staff. The specimens were processed within 12 h to detect ova and parasites by direct microscopy and common bacteria by standard methods. The outbreak started on 22 July 2003 lasted 4 days. From a total of 1300 staff. 535 persons experienced a severe gastrointestinal illness. None but one of tested fecal samples were positive for bacterial enteric pathogens. S. paratyphi B was isolated from the positive case. Definitive association between illness and isolated S. paratyphi B remained to be determined since it was isolated only from one case. There is a need, however, for increased awareness among both professionals and the public to implement appropriate prevention measures and monitoring of food and water.