ABSTRACT
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the prevalent health problems in tropical and subtropical areas including Iran. Therefore, it is essential to identify the prevalence and new foci of this disease in different regions of Iran. This study aimed to determine the epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis by active case finding in elementary schools in Pakdasht city, Southeast of Tehran, Iran 2013-2014. This cross sectional study was carried out on 4800 students from 60 elementary schools in Pakdasht during October 2013 to March 2014. After examining the students, some epidemiological data such as age, gender, date, anatomic location of the lesion[s] in the body, number and size of lesion[s], lesion type, and travel history to endemic areas was recorded in a checklist. Students with active lesions were examined using parasitological and molecular methods [PCR]. Totally, 31 students [0.64%] had leishmaniasis, of which 15 [0.31%, 95% CI, 0.15%, 0.47%] had active lesions and 16 [0.33%, 95% CI, 0.17%, 0.49%] had leishmaniasis scars. Molecular testing showed that Leishmania major was the causative agent of leishmaniasis in all patients with active lesion. The highest frequency of cutaneous leishmaniasis was found in the age group 10-12 years [P=0.03]. There was a significant difference between the frequency of the disease in different months [P=0.04] and the anatomic location of the lesion/scar [P=0.04]. Moreover, t-test revealed that there was a significant relationship between number of lesions/scars and the age group [P<0.001]. The leishmanial type diagnosed in all patients was L. major. This finding suggests that Pakdasht might be a new focus for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis
ABSTRACT
Trichomonas vaginalis is the agent of urogenital tract infection that causes human trichomoniasis with some serious health complications. More under-standing about genetic features of the parasite can be helpful in the study of the pathogenesis, drug susceptibility and epidemiology of the infection. For this end, we conducted analysis of the actin gene of T. vaginalis by applying the PCR-SSCP [PCR-Single Stranded Conformational Polymorphism] and nucleotide sequencing method. Fifty T. vaginalis samples were collected from 950 women attending gynecology clinics in two cities of Iran, Hamadan and Tehran, from November 2010 to July 2011. After axenisation of isolates, all samples subjected to PCR-SSCP and nucleotide sequencing. According to the SSCP banding patterns and nucleotide sequencing, seven sequence types were detected among the isolates. Alignment of the nucleotide sequences showed five polymorphic sites in the different strain types. Amino acid substitution was not observed in the nucleotide sequence translation of the all sequences. The actin gene analysis represents genetic diversity of T. vaginalis and it suggests that various strains can be responsible for clinically different trichomoniasis in infected individuals. It is expected that further studies will be conducted to increase our knowledge about relationship between the actin gene polymorphism and different biological behavior of the parasite
ABSTRACT
Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease that is endemic in some areas of Iran, including East Azerbaijan. IFN- gamma is one of the cytokines that triggers cell-mediated immunity, thus initiating elimination of the infection. This case-control study was performed to investigate the association between the polymorphism of the IFN- gamma gene at the +874A/T locus and visceral leishmaniasis [VL]. In this study conducted during 2012-2013, 267 participants were selected from individuals living in an endemic area of VL. Subjects were divided into three groups; 86 patients with VL, 82 seropositive individuals without any history of leishmaniasis, and 99 seronegative healthy controls. Genotyping of the IFN- gamma +874A/T polymorphism was carried out using an Amplification Refractory Mutation System-PCR [ARMS-PCR]. The frequency of the +874A allele in the patient group [75.5%] was higher than in the seropositive individuals [54%]. The highest frequency of the +874T/T genotype was observed in seropositive individuals, while the patient group had the lowest frequency [34.1% vs. 24.5%]. However, these differences were not significant. There was no significant association between IFN- gamma +874A/T polymorphism and VL
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Male , Interferon-gamma/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite causes cryptosporidial diarrhea, which is typically a short-lasting benign infection, but can become severe and non-resolving in immunocompromised individuals. The aim of the present study was to determinate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in livestock and humans that were in contact with livestock in Hamadan district, Iran. In this cross sectional study a total of 660 fecal specimens were collected; 228, 195 and 237 from humans, whom raising livestock, their calves and lambs/goats, respectively in spring 2012. Samples were concentrated by formalin-ether concentration technique and examined using cold modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. Two [0.87%] out of 228, 25 [12.8%] out of 195 and 6 [2.5%] out of 237 fecal samples of humans, calves and lambs/goats were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts, respectively. There was no significant relationship between the infection to Cryptosporidium and demographic variables of humans. However, Cryptosporidium infection rate was higher in diarrheic calves [OR=3.81; 95% CI: 1.30, 11.21; P=0.010]. Despite studies conducted in some regions of Iran that resulted in a relatively high rate of infection in humans in contact with livestock, our results showed low prevalence and low carrier status in the asymptomatic persons in Hamadan region. Because the infection in calves and lambs/goats was relatively high, these animals could be probable reservoir of infection for humans in this area