ABSTRACT
Background: Despite continued and comprehensive planning of the world health organization [WHO], intestinal parasitic infections are a serious public problem in developing countries. Due to the high prevalence of cancers in Ardabil province and subsequently the high possibility of intestinal parasitic infections among the people, the aim of this study was to assess the frequency of intestinal parasites in patients with malignancy in this area
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 fecal samples were collected from patients with cancer during February to September 2015. The specimens were examined for intestinal parasites using direct smear, formol-ethyl acetate concentration, agar plate culture and Ziel-Neelsen staining technique
Results: The overall frequency of intestinal parasitic infections in studied cancer patients was 10%. The infection rates of detected intestinal parasites were Cryptosporidium spp. oocyst 4%, Blastocystis hominis 3%, Giardia lamblia 2% and Taenia spp. 1%
Conclusion: Despite the low frequency of intestinal parasites, there is a need to screen cancer patients for some important parasitic infections such as Cryptosporidium spp. and Strongiloides stercoralis because of irreparable effects of those parasites on thepatients and to increase awareness among clinicians regarding the occurrence of parasitic infections in these patients
ABSTRACT
Background: There are many genera of free-living amoeba in the environment, but members of only four genera [Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia and Sappinia] have an association with human infection. Water, soil and air are main sources of infective types of these pathogenic organisms for human
Methods: Totally, 30 samples were collected from the surface water sources of Shiraz city, the capital of Fars province, during July and August 2009. The samples were filtered and their sediments were cultured on non-nutrient agar medium and seeded with non-pathogen Escherichia coli. Then, they were incubated at three different temperatures, 22[degree]C, 37[degree]C, and 44[degree]C. The media were checked with invert microscopy and amoebae were recognized by phase-contrast microscopy and observed by light microscopy after Trichrome staining. Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] was performed for molecular detection
Results: Of the 30 samples, 29 were recognized morphologically as Acanthamoeba, the characteristics of 20 of which were confirmed by PCR. The growth rate of amoeba in 22[degree]C was more than 37[degree]C. Eight of the samples grew at 44[degree]C, but flagellate forming test and PCR were negative for Naegleria fowleri. Two of them were identified morphologically as Balamuthia and Sappinia
Conclusion: Since Fars province is located in the subtropical region where there are a lot of parks and green areas with surface water, the potential risk of diseases caused by free-living amoebae should be considered. Further investigations about various aspects of these important opportunistic protozoa are recommended especially for establishment of appropriate prevention tools
ABSTRACT
Visceral leishmaniasis [VL] is caused by Leishmania infantum in Mediterranean basin and is an endemic disease in some parts of Iran. Canines are the main reservoirs of VL in most of the endemic areas. Different serological methods have been introduced for diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis [CVL]. In this survey a Fucose-Mannose Ligand [FML] ELISA, using native L. infantum antigen, was developed and its validity for detection of infected dogs in comparison with direct agglutination test [DAT] and PCR was evaluated. Blood samples of sixty ownership dogs [/= 1/320] in DAT while seven of the 60 [11.66%] samples were positive by FML-ELISA. Nine out of 60 [15%] buffy coat samples showed a band about 680 bp indicative of L. infantum in PCR. Three out of 60 dogs had Kala-azar symptoms and were positive by PCR and FML-ELISA, while two of these three dogs had antibody titers >/= 1/320 in their serum samples. The sensitivity and specificity of FML-ELISA for the detection of CVL in both symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs were found to be 77.8% and 100%, respectively. Considering the acceptable sensitivity and high specificity of FML-ELISA, use of this serological method can be recommended for epidemiological surveys of CVL