Genomic and serological assessment of asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in child labor.

Since working children have limited access to testing and monitoring for COVID-19, we decided to measure SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among them and compare it to non-working children. Our objective is to compare the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 genome and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody among working and non-working children. Volunteer child labor studying at Defense of Child Labor and Street Children and randomly selected 5-18-year-old (same range as child labor group) unemployed children participated in this study. The groups, respectively, had 65 and 137 members. This is an analytical cross-sectional study that surveys molecular prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection by RT-PCR, and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody by ELISA in working and non-working children. The IBM SPSS statistics software version 25 was used for data analysis. The χ2 or Fisher's exact test was used to analyze categorical dependent variables, for calculating odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Among the children enrolled in this study, molecular prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 turned out to be 18.5% in working children while it was 5.8% in unemployed children [aOR: 3.00 (CI95%: 1.00-7.00); P value: 0.003] and seroprevalence turned out to be 20% in working children vs 13.9% in non-working children [aOR: 1.000 (CI95%: 0.00-2.00); > P 0.001]. Equal SARS-CoV-2 viral load as adults and no symptoms or mild ones in children, coupled with working children's strong presence in crowded areas and their higher rate of COVID-19 prevalence, make them a probable source for spread of the virus.

Detection of JC Polyomavirus tumor antigen in gastric carcinoma: a report from Iran.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Factors contributing to development of gastric cancer are still under investigation. The JC Virus (JCV), as an oncogenic virus, has been indicated to play a possible role in gastric carcinogenesis. Theoretically, tumor antigen (T-Ag), the viral transforming protein, is capable of binding and inactivating tumor suppressor proteins p53 and pRb, there by promoting cancer development although such a role in gastric cancer is still controversial and additional data is needed to reach a definite conclusion. The prevalence of the virus varies in different geographic regions, therefore, we aimed to investigate JCV presence in cancerous gastric tissues of Iranian patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one paired samples were included in this study (total of 62 samples). T-Ag sequences were investigated using real-time PCR in formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from the tumor site and relevant adjacent non-cancerous tissues (ANCT). In positive samples, JCV copy number (viral load) was also measured using real-time PCR. To evaluate T-Ag protein expression, immunohistochemistry examination was performed using an anti-T-Ag specific antibody. RESULTS: JCV sequences were detected in 17 out of 31 gastric cancer tissue samples (54.84%) and in 10 out of 31 of the non-cancerous adjacent gastric mucosa (32.25%) (Odds ratio of 2.4). Viral load in tumoral and adjacent tissue samples was not statistically different (p=0.88). Immunohistochemical study confirmed presence of JC T-Ag in the nuclear compartment. CONCLUSION: We showed the presence of the JC virus in gastric carcinoma tissue samples in our geographic region. This finding provides supportive data for a possible contribution of JCV in gastric cell transformation to malignancy. However, we highly recommend additional investigations to further explore JC virus and gastric cancer in order to reach a conclusion.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C among Patients Looking for Hospital Care; Five Years' Study in Mashhad, Iran.

This study was conducted to find out the prevalence, viral load and co-infection of HBV and HCV infection among patients seeking to hospital care in Mashhad, Iran. A total of 402 samples (349 samples for HBV and 53 for HCV) were received and were screened for hepatitis B and C during 2004 to 2014. Viral loads of HBV DNA and HCV RNA were quantified by real-time PCR. Among 349 collected samples, 229 (65.61%) were positive for HBV DNA and 36 (67.92%) for HCV RNA. Among the ones positive for HBV DNA and HCV RNA, HCV was more prevalent (86.11% Vs 58%) ,in male patients, a higher incidence was attributed to HBV than HCV (34.42 Vs 13.88%%). The incidence of co-infection of HBV and HCV was in 5 (1.88%) patients. Association of age and load of HBV, HCV showed that higher marginal viral loads found to be more common in the age groups of upper 30 years old (P=0.064, P=0.079, respectively). The present study provides the preliminary information about high HCV and HBV prevalence. Findings from the current study will be helpful for the better management and control of viral hepatitis among patients looking for hospital care.

Evaluation of HTLV-1 activity in HAM/TSP patients using proviral load and Tax mRNA expression after In Vitro lymphocyte activation.

OBJECTIVES: HTLV-1 is the first human retrovirus that has been recognized and is associated with HAM/TSP and ATLL. Studies have shown that less than five percent of HTLV-1 infected carriers develop HAM/TSP or ATLL and about ninety-five percent remain asymptomatic. Therefore, the proviral load with Tax may affect cellular genes such as cytokines and oncogenes, as well as involve in pathogenicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty HAM/TSP patients, thirty HTLV-1 healthy carriers, and MT-2 cell line were evaluated for HTLV-1 activity. PBMCs were isolated and activated using PMA and ionomycine. Real-time PCR and TaqMan methods were performed using specific primers and fluorescence probes for Tax expression and proviral load assessment. B2microglobulin (ß2m) and albumin were used as controls in Tax expression and in proviral load, respectively. RESULTS: An insignificant increase in Tax expression was observed in rest PBMCs of HAM/TSP patients compared to healthy carriers. However, after lymphocyte activation there was a significant increase in Tax expression in HAM/TSP patients (P=0.042). The Proviral load in patients was significantly higher than in carriers. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between Tax mRNA expression in activated PBMCs and proviral load (R=0.37, P=0.012). CONCLUSION: Although proviral load had been addressed as a valuable index for monitoring HTLV-1 infected subjects, the results of this study demonstrated that Tax expression in activated PBMCs along with proviral load assessment in HAM/TSP patients are a more reliable factor for determining the prognosis and monitoring healthy carriers and HAM/TSP patients.