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Diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a concern in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Many studies have compared QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) for detecting LTBI and reported the κ statistic of agreement between QFT-GIT and TST in HD patients. The present study aimed to systematically review this literature and conduct meta-analysis of individual studies that estimated the κ between QFT-GIT with TST among HD patients. All relevant published studies that were available as full-text were obtained by searching Medline (1950), Web of Sciences (1945), Scopus (1973) through May 2016. The κ was re-estimated from the individual studies and pooled using random effect meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were applied to evaluate the effect of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, TST cut-off points, quality of studies, sample size and age on variation of κ estimate. Eight studies involving 901 HD patients were included in meta-analysis. The pooled κ estimate was 0·28 (I 2 = 18·4%, P = 0·239, 95% confidence intervals 0·22-0·34). The discordance of TST-/QFT-GIT+ was more than TST+/QFT-GIT-. History of BCG vaccination, TST cut-off points and age are related to variation of κ estimates. TST and QFT-GIT are not comparable in detecting LTBI in HD patients. The higher TST-/QFT-GIT+ ratio compared with TST+/QFT-GIT- ratio, may indicate the superiority of QFT-GIT over TST for detection LTBI in HD patients.
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Tuberculose Latente/diagnóstico , Teste Tuberculínico/métodos , Humanos , Tuberculose Latente/microbiologia , Diálise Renal/estatística & dados numéricosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral zoonotic disease with potentially fatal systemic effects on man. We aimed to determine the presence of CCHF virus among collected ticks from domestic livestock from October 2012 to September 2013. METHODS: A total of 1245 hard and soft ticks were collected from naturally infested ruminants in Marvdasht County, Fars Province, south of Iran. Nine tick species and one unidentified species in four disparate genera were detected. A total of 200 ticks were randomly selected and analysed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the presence of CCHF virus genome. RESULTS: The viral genome was detected in 4.5% (9 samples) of the studied tick population. The infected ticks belonged to the species of Hyalomma marginatum' Hyalomma anatolicum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The viruses detected in these three tick species were clustered in the same lineage as Matin and SR3 strains in Pakistan and some other Iranian strains. These results indicate that the ticks were wildly infected with a genetically closely related CCHF virus in the region. CONCLUSION: Regular controls and monitoring of livestock to reduce the dispersion of ticks and providing information to those involved in high-risk occupations are urgently required.
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Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/veterinária , Gado/parasitologia , Carrapatos/virologia , Animais , Bovinos/parasitologia , Bovinos/virologia , Feminino , Cabras/parasitologia , Cabras/virologia , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/genética , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/fisiologia , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/epidemiologia , Irã (Geográfico)/epidemiologia , Gado/virologia , Masculino , Filogenia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Rhipicephalus sanguineus/virologia , Ovinos/parasitologia , Ovinos/virologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Up to now, there has been no universal consensus on the agreement between the tuberculin skin test (TST) and the QuantiFERON-TB-Gold test (QFT) in the detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among high-risk populations. AIMS: To estimate the agreement between TST and QFT among health care workers (HCWs). METHODS: A meta-analysis in which all major electronic databases, including Medline, Scopus, Web of Sciences and Ovid, were searched until June 2014. All cross-sectional and cohort studies addressing the agreement between TST and the QFT were included. The extracted data were analysed and the results were reported using random effect models. RESULTS: The overall kappa statistic between TST and the QFT was 0.27 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22, 0.32] and the adjusted kappa statistic for prevalence and bias was 0.41 (95% CI 0.32, 0.50). The kappa for subjects with and without bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination was 0.27 (95% CI 0.18, 0.36) and 0.31 (95% CI 0.15, 0.46) respectively. The figures were 0.30 (95% CI 0.16, 0.43) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.74, 0.90) for prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted kappa, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall agreement between TST and QFT in the detection of LTBI among HCWs was poor. After adjusting for the prevalence and bias indices, kappa statistics reached fair agreement. The utility of each of these two tests is dependent on the prevalence and burden of tuberculosis as well as the BCG vaccination status.
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Testes de Liberação de Interferon-gama , Interferon gama , Tuberculose Latente/diagnóstico , Teste Tuberculínico , Tuberculina , Estudos Transversais , Ouro , Humanos , Interferon gama/sangue , Pele/efeitos dos fármacos , Tuberculina/farmacologiaRESUMO
There are few estimates of influenza burden in the WHO Region for the Eastern Mediterranean. In this study we estimated the burden of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and influenza-associated SARI (F-SARI) in selected provinces of Islamic Republic of Iran, the trends of SARI and confirmed cases of influenza (F-SARI) over 12 months (seasonality), and the age groups most at risk. Using the electronic Iranian influenza surveillance system and data of cases in sentinel hospitals of 3 selected provinces, we estimated the monthly trend (seasonality) of incidence for SARI and F-SARI, overall incidence of SARI and F-SARI and their disaggregation by age with the aid using the Monte Carlo technique. The age groups most at-risk were children aged under 2 years and adults older than 50 years.
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Influenza Humana , Infecções Respiratórias , Vigilância de Evento Sentinela , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Efeitos Psicossociais da Doença , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Lactente , Influenza Humana/epidemiologia , Irã (Geográfico)/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Infecções Respiratórias/epidemiologia , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Since free radicals and antioxidant enzymes may play an important role in the development of diabetes, the present study was designed to assess the effect of supplementation with vitamins A, E and C and ω-3 fatty acids on catalase and superoxide dismutase activity in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: A total of 64 male Wistar rats weighing 250 g were divided into four groups as normal control, diabetic control, diabetic supplemented with vitamin A, E and C and diabetic supplemented with ω-3 fatty acids. After four weeks the rats were anesthetized and catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were investigated in blood samples, liver and heart homogenates. RESULTS: In diabetic rats, the activity levels of heart SOD (p < 0.001) and heart and liver CAT (p < 0.001) were significantly lower than in normal control rats. Supplementation with vitamins A, E and C significantly increased heart CAT (p = 0.05). No significant change was observed in diabetic rats supplemented with ω-3 fatty acids. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with vitamins A, E and C and ω-3 fatty acids was found to increase heart CAT activity in diabetic rats and they can be valuable candidates in the treatment of the complications of diabetes (Tab. 6, Ref. 26).
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Ácido Ascórbico/administração & dosagem , Catalase/metabolismo , Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/metabolismo , Ácidos Graxos Ômega-3/administração & dosagem , Superóxido Dismutase/metabolismo , Vitamina A/administração & dosagem , Vitamina E/administração & dosagem , Animais , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Catalase/efeitos dos fármacos , Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/tratamento farmacológico , Suplementos Nutricionais , Glutationa Peroxidase/metabolismo , Peroxidação de Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Fígado/enzimologia , Masculino , Miocárdio/enzimologia , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Estreptozocina , Superóxido Dismutase/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Rodents act as reservoirs, intermediate hosts, or definitive hosts for various zoonotic helminths. Parasitic diseases are among the critical factors affecting the survival and composition of wild rodent populations. Wild rodents share their habitat with domestic free-grazing animals, mainly sheep, stray dogs, and cats, which allows the transmission of helminth infections, such as Toxocara and Trichinella, to these animals. This study investigated the helminth parasite fauna of wild rodents in East Azerbaijan province, north-western Iran, and discussed the possibility of parasite transmission among wild rodents. A total of 204 rodents of 17 different species (spp.) were collected in north-western Iran. Information about the genus, developmental stage, and rodent spp. was recorded for each animal. The gastrointestinal tract, liver, and diaphragm were examined for the presence of helminths. The recovered specimens were identified based on references. The prevalence rate of helminth infection among the captured rodents was 67.16%. Meriones persicus (M. persicus) showed the highest infection and diversity rates. This spp. harbored the zoonotic helminth Capillaria hepatica and some spp. belonging to the genera Toxocara, Syphacia, and Hymenolepis. M. persicus specimens from mountainous areas showed the highest infection rate. This study aimed at evaluating the potential role of wild rodent spp. as reservoirs of helminth infection in East Azerbaijan province, Iran. M. persicus was the most common spp. in our study and represented a higher proportion of the infected rodents in terms of helminth diversity and frequency. Harboring zoonotic helminths, M. persicus represents a health risk. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the prevalence of these parasites in the human community and inform people concerned about the risk of disease transmission to humans through rodents.
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Helmintíase Animal , Doenças dos Roedores , Roedores , Animais , Irã (Geográfico)/epidemiologia , Helmintíase Animal/epidemiologia , Helmintíase Animal/parasitologia , Prevalência , Doenças dos Roedores/epidemiologia , Doenças dos Roedores/parasitologia , Animais Selvagens/parasitologia , Helmintos/isolamento & purificação , Helmintos/classificaçãoRESUMO
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus which circulates in birds, horses and humans. An estimated 80% of WNV infections are asymptomatic. Fewer than 1% of infected persons develop neuroinvasive disease, which typically presents as encephalitis, meningitis, or acute flaccid paralysis. This study was conducted from January 2008 to June 2009 in Isfahan, Iran. Patients attending the emergency department with fever and loss of consciousness were consecutively included. Cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) were initially analysed through bacteriology and biochemistry examinations, resulting in those with evidence of meningitis being excluded. Patients' CSF and serum were diagnosed by serological and molecular assays. A total of 632 patients with fever and loss of consciousness were tested by CSF analyses. Samples of the remaining patients (39·4%) were referred for WNV investigation. Three (1·2%) of the patients were positive for both serum and CSF by RT-PCR, and six (2·4%) were positive only for IgG antibodies. History of insect bite, and blood transfusion and transplantation were risk factors for being positive by RT-PCR (P=0·048) and being IgG positive (P=0·024), respectively. The results of this study showed that the prevalence of West Nile fever is low in patients with encephalitis.
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Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Genoma Viral , Febre do Nilo Ocidental/epidemiologia , Febre do Nilo Ocidental/virologia , Vírus do Nilo Ocidental/genética , Adolescente , Adulto , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática/veterinária , Feminino , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Imunoglobulina M/sangue , Irã (Geográfico)/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Febre do Nilo Ocidental/sangue , Febre do Nilo Ocidental/líquido cefalorraquidianoRESUMO
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral zoonotic disease with a high mortality rate in humans. The CCHF virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of Ixodid ticks or contact with blood or tissues of CCHF patients or infected livestock. In December 2008, a re-emerging outbreak of CCHF occurred in the southern part of Iran. Five people were hospitalised with sudden fever and haemorrhaging, and CCHF was confirmed by RT-PCR and serological assays. One of the cases had a fulminant course and died. Livestock was identified as the source of infection; all animals in the incriminated herd were serologically analysed and more than half of them were positive for CCHFV. We demonstrated that two routes of transmission played a role in this outbreak: contact with tissue and blood of infected livestock, and nosocomial transmission. Phylogenetic analyses helped to identify the origin of this transmission. This outbreak should be considered as a warning for the national CCHF surveillance system to avoid further outbreaks through robust prevention and control programmes.
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Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/genética , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/isolamento & purificação , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/diagnóstico , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/transmissão , Gado/virologia , Animais , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Infecção Hospitalar/epidemiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/transmissão , Surtos de Doenças , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/classificação , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/imunologia , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/mortalidade , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/virologia , Humanos , Irã (Geográfico)/epidemiologia , RNA Viral/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Testes Sorológicos , Carrapatos/virologia , ZoonosesRESUMO
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus is a tick-borne member of the genus Nairovirus, family Bunyaviridae. CCHFV has been isolated from at least 31 different tick species. The virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick, or by direct contact with CCHFV-infected patients or the products of infected livestock. This study was undertaken to study the genetic relationship and distribution of CCHFV in the tick population of Hamadan province of Iran. METHOD: In this study, RT-PCR has been used for detection of the CCHFV genome. RESULTS: This genome was detected in 19.2% of the ticks collected from livestock of different regions of the Hamadan province in western Iran. The infected species belonged to Hyalomma detritum, H. anatolicum, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Argas reflexus. With one exception, genetic analysis of the virus genome isolates showed high sequence identity to each other. Even though they clustered in the same group with the strain circulating in Iran, they had a closer relationship to the Matin strain. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Vector control programs should be applied for reducing population density of potential tick vectors in this province. Further surveys are indicated in this region to provide a better view of the distribution and epidemiology of the virus.
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Vetores Aracnídeos/virologia , Genoma Viral , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/genética , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/isolamento & purificação , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/epidemiologia , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/veterinária , Carrapatos/virologia , Animais , Vetores Aracnídeos/classificação , Feminino , Vírus da Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia-Congo/classificação , Febre Hemorrágica da Crimeia/virologia , Humanos , Irã (Geográfico)/epidemiologia , Masculino , Epidemiologia Molecular , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Filogenia , Ovinos , Doenças dos Ovinos/epidemiologia , Doenças dos Ovinos/virologia , Carrapatos/classificaçãoRESUMO
AIM: Dendrimers dendritic structural design holds vast promises, predominantly for drug delivery, owing to their unique properties. Dendritic architecture is widespread topology found in nature and offers development of specific properties of chemical substances. Dendrimers are an ideal delivery vehicle candidate for open study of the effects of polymer size, charge, and composition on biologically relevant properties such as lipid bilayer interactions, cytotoxicity, bio-distribution, internalization, blood plasma retention time, and filtration. This article reviews role of dendrimers in advanced drug delivery and biomedical applications.
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Dendrímeros/uso terapêutico , Sistemas de Liberação de Medicamentos , Técnicas de Transferência de Genes , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Dendrímeros/classificação , Humanos , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/fisiopatologia , RNA Interferente Pequeno/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Yersinia pestis which is the causative agent of pneumonic plague and distributed in all continents has led to many deaths during the history. Because of its high mortality rate, it must be diagnosed and treated at the earliest time post infection and therefore, rapid diagnostic tests are required. In the present study, we cloned the coding sequence of F1 capsular antigen of the bacteria in the pBAD/gIII plasmid for later expression and purification of the protein to produce poly and monoclonal antibodies against this antigen, and subsequently to develop rapid and efficient diagnostics tools for Y. pestis infections.
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Background. Globin chain synthesis (GCS) analysis is used in the diagnosis of thalassemia. However, the wide reference range limits its use as a decisive diagnostic tool. It has been shown that α and ß globin mRNA increase through stimulation of cells by interleukin-3 (IL-3). Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between plasma IL-3 and the ß/α globin ratio. Methods. Blood samples were collected from 32 healthy participants on two occasions one month apart. GCS analysis, real-time PCR, and ELISA tests were conducted to determine the ß/α globin ratio, globin mRNA expression and stability rate, and IL-3 levels. Results. On the basis of IL-3 levels, the participants were divided in two groups. One group included participants who showed a significant increase in IL-3 as indicated by a significant rise in mean values of α, ß, and γ globin mRNA, α and ß globin, RBC, and hemoglobin. The other group included participants who showed no difference in IL-3 levels with no significant variations in the above-mentioned parameters. Conclusion. The results of this study indicate that IL-3 has an equivalent positive effect on α and ß globin chain synthesis. Therefore, IL-3 levels do not explain the wide reference range of the α/ß globin ratio.
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During 1 year (April 2009-April 2010), the prevalence of Linguatula serrata (L. serrata) nymphs in liver and mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN) of 740 native goats of different sex and ages were examined in Tabriz, north west of Iran. Initially the organs were macroscopically examined for nymphal stage of L. serrata and then were digested by acid-pepsin method to further investigation. The prevalence rate was obtained 55.27%. The mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) in 334 (45.13%), the lymph nodes (LN) in 102 (13.78%) and the livers in 8 (1.08%) goats out of 740 were infected with L. serrata nymphs. The results indicated a high rate of infection of LN in goats in this region of Iran.
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BACKGROUND: Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is an acute febrile haemorrhagic disease. This study was conducted to ascertain the infection status amongst slaughterhouse workers in Iran's north-eastern provinces (Razavi and northern and southern Khorasan), so that analysis of the results could help clarification of the epidemiology of this disease in the aforementioned provinces and eastern regions of Iran. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, conducted in 2004 and 2005, 108 slaughterhouse workers from 24 cities of the three previously mentioned provinces were randomly entered into the study. An IgG specific ELISA test was carried out on the participants' serum samples. RESULTS: Sixteen out of 108 (14.8%) participants under study were shown to have IgG against CCHF. The highest rate of infection was seen in Razavi Khorasan and southern Khorasan at 17.5% and 16.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The study showed a relatively high frequency of this disease amongst slaughterhouse workers in these provinces. Taking into account the small number of reported cases from these provinces, it would seem that more focus is required on primary diagnosis and on referral of suspected patients.