Seroprevalence of Hepatitis A and E Virus Infections Among Healthy Population in Shiraz, Southern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Enterically-transmitted acute viral hepatitis is caused predominantly by hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV). The prevalence of HEV and HAV infections varies in different geographical regions. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HEV and HAV infections among Iranian healthy individuals in southern Iran. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Totally, 1030 samples were collected from healthy subjects in schools, those referred to tertiary outpatient clinics and health centers in Shiraz between November 2011 and May 2012. Their ages ranged between six months and 95 years. The presence of total anti-HAV and anti-HEV immunoglobulin M (IgM) in plasma was assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: The results showed that 66.2% and 0.6% of the general population in this area were positive for total anti-HAV and IgM antibodies by ELISA, respectively. As seen, 13.4% and 0.9% were positive for total anti-HEV and IgM antibodies, respectively. The difference in total anti-HAV and anti-HEV antibodies was significant among the age groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the prevalence rates of HAV and HEV antibodies were positively correlated with age. The results demonstrated that the infection with these two viruses in the region was high and some high-risk individuals including females at child-bearing age were more susceptible. HAV vaccination could be recommended for antibody-negative adults.

The incidence of epstein-barr virus primary infection among suspected patients referred to namazi hospital of shiraz, iran.

BACKGROUND: Many children become infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) during their childhood. Since the clinical profile of EBV primary infection is challenging, it is important to use the best diagnostic clinical means. Detection of IgM against viral capsid antigen (VCA) by ELISA has been shown to be a reliable method. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to demonstrate the incidence of EBV primary infection, among suspected patients referred to Namazi hospital, Shiraz, Iran. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sample included 346 patients with an age range of 0 to 20 years (6.31 ± 4.66: 10.97 years). A volume of 5 mL of blood was collected from each case. The patients were divided to four age groups. The sera were tested for the presence of VCA-IgM by commercially available Anti-EBV-VCA ELISA kit. RESULTS: The results indicated that 104 (30.0%) of the patients were EBV VCA IgM positive, with no significant difference in the incidence of EBV primary infection between males and females. However, the incidence of infection was significantly different between age group I (0 - 5 years) and III (11 - 15 years), and also between age group I (0 - 5 years) and IV (16 - 20 years) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the results, accurate and on time diagnosis of EBV primary infection in both children and adolescents will help prevent unnecessary hospitalization, medication and incorrect medical decisions. In addition, this will decrease further treatment costs and related medical procedures.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) Infection Rate among Seronegative Hemodialysis Patients Screened by Two Methods; HCV Core Antigen and Polymerase Chain Reaction.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease patients on chronic hemodialysis are among high risk groups for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection for whom routine HCV screening is recommended. Anti-HCV antibody (ab) testing may not be reliable to detect all infected cases because of the blunted ab response due to depressed immune state in these patients. Using a more reliable, cost-effective and non-complex HCV screening test may be necessary in this group of patients for case finding and management, and also for prevention of infection spread. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of HCV infection in HCV ab negative hemodialysis patients by Real time PCR and total HCV core antigen (ag) test and comparing the results of the two tests. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From a single hemodialysis center, 181 anti- HCV ab negative patients were screened by total HCV core ag using an ELISA kit. Real time PCR was used for determination of the virus and viral load quantity. RESULTS: Among the 181 anti-HCV ab negative patients, 13 (7.2%) were positive for HCV core ag and 11 (6%) had detectable HCV RNA with a range of 40-336543 IU/ml by PCR. The two tests had a high measurement agreement (Kappa=0.82, P<0.001). Of the 13 patients with positive HCV core ag test results, 3 were negative for HCV RNA. Considering real time PCR for HCV RNA as the gold standard for HCV infection determination in this patient population, HCV core ag assay yielded a sensitivity of 90.9%, specificity of 98.2%, positive predictive value of 76.9% and negative predictive value of 99.4%. DISCUSSION: The rate of HCV infection among HCV ab negative hemodialysis patients was high. HCV core ag testing could be used as a sensitive method for HCV infection screening in this group of patients.

Antifungal susceptibility of the aspergillus species by Etest and CLSI reference methods.

BACKGROUND: Because resistance to antifungal drugs is seen in patients, susceptibility testing of these drugs aids in choosing the appropriate drug and respective epidemiology. This study has investigated and compared susceptibility patterns of the Aspergillus species isolated from patients by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) reference broth microdilution (MD) assay and Etest method. METHODS: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of various antifungal agents (amphotericin B, ketoconazole, itraconazole, and voriconazole) for 108 Aspergillus species isolated from patients were determined by CLSI M38-A broth MD and Etest. The isolates were obtained from clinical samples that included tissues, sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage, abdominal tap, and cerebrospinal fluid. RESULTS: As revealed by the MD method, 63.9% of the isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B and 36.1% were resistant.Etest revealed that 61.1% were sensitive to amphotericin B and 38.9% were resistant. As for ketoconazole, 108 isolates (100%) were shown to be sensitive through the MD method; while the Etest revealedan 88.9% sensitivity and 11.1% were resistant. All species were susceptible to voriconazole, according to both methods. The measure of agreement (Kappa Index) for these three drugs was satisfactory (≥0.6). According to the MD method, 69.4% of the species were susceptible to itraconazole, whereas 30.6% were not.For this drug, the Etest showed 86.1% susceptible and 13.9% resistant. CONCLUSION: Voriconazole was the most effective agent against isolates. Using RPMI agar, we found the Etest to be helpful, readily available, and easy to use for determining invitro susceptibilities of Aspergillus species to voriconazole, amphotericin B, ketoconazole, and itraconazole in the region of this study.

Pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection among 2009 Hajj Pilgrims from Southern Iran: a real-time RT-PCR-based study.

BACKGROUND: Hajj is a mass gathering undertaken annually in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The 2009 Hajj coincided with both the pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 (A(H1N1)pdm09) and seasonal types of influenza A viruses. The interaction between pandemic influenza and Hajj could cause both a high level of mortality among the pilgrims and the spread of infection in their respective countries upon their return home. OBJECTIVE: The present study attempted to determine the point prevalence of A(H1N1)pdm09 among returning Iranian pilgrims, most of whom had been vaccinated for seasonal influenza but not A(H1N1)pdm09. METHODS: Pharyngeal swabs were collected from 305 pilgrims arriving at the airport in Shiraz, Iran. RNA was extracted from the samples and A(H1N1)pdm09 and other seasonal influenza A viruses were detected using TaqMan real-time PCR. For A(H1N1)pdm09-positive samples, the sensitivity to oseltamivir was also evaluated. RESULTS: Subjects included 132 (43.3%) men and 173 (56.7%) women, ranging in age from 24 to 65 years. The A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was detected in five (1.6%) pilgrims and other influenza A viruses in eight (2.6%). All the A(H1N1)pdm09 were sensitive to oseltamivir. CONCLUSIONS: Only five cases were found to be positive for A(H1N1)pdm09, and it seems unlikely that the arrival of infected pilgrims to their homelands would cause an outbreak of a new wave of infection there. Thus, the low morbidity and mortality rates among the pilgrims could be attributed to the characteristics of A(H1N1)pdm09, which causes morbidity and mortality in a way similar to the seasonal influenza infections, absence of high-risk individuals among the Iranian pilgrims, and the instructions given to them about contact and hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.

Diagnosis and quantitative detection of HSV DNA in samples from patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis.

Diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is based on the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in patients' CSF samples. HSV DNA quantitation has the potential for estimating the effects of antiviral therapy. The aim of this study was to diagnose HSV DNA in HSE suspected patients and the quantitative analysis of its genome using real-time PCR to assess the value of the viral load in the course of antiviral treatment. The CSF samples were collected from 236 consecutive HSE suspected patients from November 2004 to May 2008. Upon DNA extraction, the samples were analyzed by Real-Time PCR assay. A set of primers amplified a common sequence of HSV glycoprotein B gene. The copy numbers of unknown samples were expressed via a standard curve drawn with a known amount of amplified cloned plasmid. Of the 236 samples, 137 (58%) came from males and 99 (42%) from females. The HSV genome was detected in 22 (9.3%) patients by PCR, 13 males/ 9 females. Serial CSF samples were available from 10 of the 22 patients. The range of the HSV DNA copy numbers in the clinical samples ranged from 2.5 × 10² to 1.7 × 106 copies/mL of CSF. Quantitative PCR results can be helpful in evaluating the efficacy of antiviral therapy in the above-mentioned patients. There is an association between the initial viral load and the duration of treatment course.

Diagnosis and quantitative detection of HSV DNA in samples from patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis

Diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is based on the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in patients' CSF samples. HSV DNA quantitation has the potential for estimating the effects of antiviral therapy. The aim of this study was to diagnose HSV DNA in HSE suspected patients and the quantitative analysis of its genome using real-time PCR to assess the value of the viral load in the course of antiviral treatment. The CSF samples were collected from 236 consecutive HSE suspected patients from November 2004 to May 2008. Upon DNA extraction, the samples were analyzed by Real-Time PCR assay. A set of primers amplified a common sequence of HSV glycoprotein B gene. The copy numbers of unknown samples were expressed via a standard curve drawn with a known amount of amplified cloned plasmid. Of the 236 samples, 137 (58 percent) came from males and 99 (42 percent) from females. The HSV genome was detected in 22 (9.3 percent) patients by PCR, 13 males/ 9 females. Serial CSF samples were available from 10 of the 22 patients. The range of the HSV DNA copy numbers in the clinical samples ranged from 2.5 × 10² to 1.7 × 10(6) copies/mL of CSF. Quantitative PCR results can be helpful in evaluating the efficacy of antiviral therapy in the above-mentioned patients. There is an association between the initial viral load and the duration of treatment course.

Viral etiology of aseptic meningitis among children in southern Iran.

Aseptic meningitis refers to a clinical syndrome of meningeal inflammation in which bacteria cannot be identified in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The viral etiology and the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of aseptic meningitis among children aged 2 months to 15 years in Shiraz, southern Iran were determined. From May 2007 to April 2008, 65 patients were admitted to the hospital with aseptic meningitis. Seven viruses, non-polio human enteroviruses, mumps virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Viruses were detected in 30 (46.2%) patients in whom non-polio human enterovirus and mumps virus were detected in 13 (43.3%) and 11 (36.7%), respectively. The remaining 6 (20%) of the cases were caused by HSV, VZV, HCMV, and HHV-6. Haemophilus influenzae and non-polio human enterovirus were detected in one patient simultaneously. Viral meningitis was found to be more frequent during spring and summer. The majority (66.6%) of the patients were treated in the hospital for 10 days and had received antibiotics in the case of bacterial meningitis. Rapid diagnosis of viral meningitis using PCR testing of CSF can help shorten hospitalization, and avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics.

Viral etiology of acute respiratory infections among Iranian Hajj pilgrims, 2006.

BACKGROUND: Every year more than 2 million pilgrims from different countries in the world including Iran participate in the annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Respiratory diseases have been the most common cause of illnesses among Iranian pilgrims. METHODS: Direct fluorescent staining and viral culture were performed on nasal wash specimens of Iranian Hajj pilgrims with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infections at Shiraz (a city in southern Iran) airport on return from the Hajj during December 2006 to January 2007. They were screened for influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1 to 3, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by viral culture and immunofluorecent staining. Rhinovirus and enterovirus were diagnosed based on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction methods. RESULTS: The patients aged between 19 and 82 years (mean: 52.4 years) consisting of 135 females and 120 males. Cough in 213(83.5%) and sore throat in 209 (82%) were the most common symptoms. Eighty-three patients (32.5%) had viral pathogens: influenza in 25 (9.8%), parainfluenza in 19 (7.4%), rhinovirus in 15 (5.9%), adenovirus in14 (5.4%), enterovirus in 5 (2%), and RSV in 4 (1.6%) and coinfection with two viruses in 1 patient (0.4%). Influenza virus was identified more in unvaccinated than in vaccinated pilgrims (16.5% vs. 9.2%) but statistically insignificant (p= 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results, each of the above-mentioned viruses played a role in the development of respiratory diseases among Iranian pilgrims, with influenza virus as the commonest one. Because influenza vaccine could not prevent respiratory infections in Hajj pilgrims statistically, the possibility of the appearance of new drift variants not included in vaccine and also inappropriate vaccine handling and storage might be considered. So it is also advisable to check if the circulating influenza strains were different from the vaccine strains.