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BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most common chronic illnesses, but the etiology and pathogenesis of CRS are not well understood. Few studies have been carried out on the role of viruses in patients with chronic sinusitis so far. OBJECTIVES: Regarding the high number of patients, we intended to evaluate the prevalence of rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus in patients with CRS. Doing so, we may pave the way for definitely achieving the causes and factors of the disease and consequently definite treatment of this debilitating disease in future studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 76 patients. Sample of the study consisted of patients with CRS who were candidates for functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). The specimens were collected during FESS between February 2013 and December 2013. For this purpose, after entering into sinuses, the specimens were collected from their mucus. They were then placed in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's viral transport medium (DMEM). They were transferred to the virology lab of the university in a cold chain. The specimens were maintained in -70°C before examination. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to explore the presence of rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. RESULTS: In this study, 76 patients with rhinosinusitis underwent FESS as qualified candidates. The sample of the study consisted of 48 males (63.2%) and 28 females (36.8%) with the mean age of 44.3 years and an age range of 19-76 years. Among the 76 patients, 53 were with polyps and 23 without polyps. Among the patients, 66 were candidates of FESS for the first time. Other 11 patients had previously undergone the surgery. The results from PCR indicated that 22 (28.94%) patients had rhinovirus and 9 (11.84%) had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A total of 25 patients (32.89%) had one of the two viruses. In 6 (7.89%) specimens, both viruses were reported. CONCLUSIONS: CRS is a common disease with negative effects on the quality of patients' lives. This study showed the high prevalence of these two common respiratory viruses in patients with CRS.
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BACKGROUND: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered the most prevalent sexually transmitted virus infection. Human Papillomavirus 16 and 18 have been documented as high-risk HPV infections and responsible for 70% of all cervical cancers. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine HPV genotypes in patients with anogenital warts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study lesion samples were collected from 54 patients with an age ranged of 19 to 44 years. Initially, DNA extraction was carried out for all samples followed by detection of HPV DNA by the polymerase chain reaction. The positive PCR products were sequenced and the results were blasted to determine HPV genotypes. RESULTS: Out of 54 samples, 46 (85.18%) cases showed positive results for HPV DNA. A total of 26 (56.6%) samples were males and 20 (43.4%) females while eight (14.81%) showed HPV negative results. Overall, 37 (80%) patients had multiple sexual partners, and nine (20%) had one sexual partner. The frequency of anogenital warts was higher in married patients. The results of sequencing revealed that frequency of HPV16, HPV11 and HPV6 was 58.69%, 26.08% and 15.21%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Human Papillomavirus 16 as a high risk HPV was found to have the highest frequency among patients with anogenital warts.
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BACKGROUND: The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a common pathogen which usually remains asymptomatic in the healthy adults; however, it can cause a symptomatic disease in the immunocompromised patients. The risk of infection with HCMV increases in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients as a result of receiving immunosuppressive agents. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the glycoprotein B genotypes of HCMV among the patients with HCMV disease superimposed on an UC flare that required hospitalization in Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz, Iran, during 2010- 2012. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this case-control study, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded intestinal tissue samples were taken from 98 patients with UC disease including 53 males and 45 females (mean age ± standard deviation, 38.95 ± 17.93) and 67 control patients with noninflammatory disease who were referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital during 2010-2012. Detection of HCMV genome in intestinal samples was carried out by seminested polymerase chain reaction. Glycoprotein B genotypes were determined by sequencing. RESULTS: Among 98 patients with UC, only 12 (12.2%) patients were positive for HCMV genome, while the HCMV genome was not detected in any of the controls. (P = 0.002). The distribution of HCMV gB genotypes in 12 CMV-positive UC patients was as follow: gB1, 11 (91.7%) and gB3, 1 (8.3%). The most prevalent genotype in CMV-positive UC patients was gB1. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, high prevalence of 91.7% HCMV gB1 genotype was predominant among HCMV-positive UC patients, which suggests that there might be an association between HCMV gB genotype 1 and UC disease.
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BACKGROUND: The occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is defined as the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the sera or in the liver biopsy and the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by serological test. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to evaluate the occult HBV infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and determine HBV genotyping among the patients with abnormal alanine transaminase (ALT) in Ahvaz city, Iran. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sera of 120 patients, 54 (45%) females and 66 (55%) males, with abnormal ALT 40-152 IU were collected. All the patients were negative for HBsAg for more than one year. The patients` sera were tested by PCR using primers specified for the S region of HBV. Then the positive PCR products were sequenced to determine HBV genotyping and phylogenic tree. RESULTS: Of these 120 subjects, 12 (10%) patients including 6 (5%) males and 6 (5%) females were found positive for HBV DNA by PCR, which indicated the presence of occult HBV infection among these patients. The sequencing results revealed that genotype D was predominant with sub-genotyping D1 among OBI patients. CONCLUSIONS: Occult hepatitis B infection is remarkably prevalent in Ahvaz, Iran, and should be considered as a potential risk factor for the transmission of Hepatitis B Virus throughout the community by the carriers.