Incidence of hepatitis B and HIV virus at cadaver of IV drug abusers in Tehran

Injection drug use has been the most growing route of drug abuse in Iran in the past decade and it has been responsible for the transmission of HIV virus in more than two third of cases. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B in a group of IDU cadavers and to compare the results to a group of cadavers of the normal population. In a case-control study the blood samples of the cadavers of 400 randomly chosen IDUS and 400 other cadavers as control group were checked for HBS antigen and Anti HIV antibody in the forensic medicine center of Tehran. The prevalence of HIV and HBV infection was compared in two groups according to their demographic characteristics. The number of HIV and HBV positive cadavers was significantly higher in the IDU group than the controls [6.25% vs 0.5%, P<0.001, 27.5% vs 3%, P<0.001]. The risk of getting infected by HIV virus was 13.27 times greater in the IDU group and the risk of HBV infection was 12.26 times greater in this group as compared to the control group. The age distribution of IDU cadavers indicated that the percentage of IDU cadavers in the reproductive [21-40 years old] age was 80%. The greater prevalence of the HIV and HBV infection especially in the reproductive age of IDUS indicates a greater concern to the authorities for more attention to prevention and harm reduction programs

Prevalence and distribution study of sella turcica tumors in 20 years and more old cadavers dissected in the Legal Medicine Center of Tehran in 1383-1384

The tumors of sella turcica are among the common causes of pituitary enlargement. In selected autopsy series up to 25% of pituitaries have a small incidental micro adenoma. No comprehensive study concerning the prevalence of these tumors has been conducted in Iran previously. In this article the prevalence and distribution of sella turcica tumors in 20 years and more old cadavers dissected in the legal medicine center of Tehran in 1383-1384 have been studied. In this cross-sectional and descriptive observational study, 186 pituitary glands from cadavers dissected during the second half of1383 and throughout 1384 were studied with a view to presence of tumor, type of tumor and size of adenomas and in relation to the age and sex of cadavers. The overall prevalence of pituitary tumors was 10.2% [19 of 186 glands] among which was 4.3% adenoma [8 cases], 4.3% craniopharyngioma [8 cases], and 1.6% meningioma [3 cases]. Maximum prevalence of pituitary tumors [6 cases] was in 3rd decade and then in 8th decade afterwards [5 cases]. The prevalence of pituitary tumor was 11.26% [8 Cases] of 71 cadavers in females and 9.56% [11 Cases] of 115 codavers in males. Among 8 observed tumors in females 5 were craniopharngioma, and 3 adenoma.Among 11 observed tumors in males 5 were adenoma, 3 meningioma, and 3 craniopharyngioma. Among 8 observed adenoma, 7 were microadenoma [diameter less than 10mm] and 1 was macro adenoma [diameter more than I Omm]. In this study, no statistically significant relationship was observed between sex of the cadavers and the prevalence and type of tumors. The overall prevalence of adenoma and craniopharyngioma was equal .The relationship between tumor prevalence and age was statistically significant .Microadenoma was significantly more prevalent than macroadenoma