ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) as a cause of morbidity and mortality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients by ELISA method and to investigate toxoplasmosis-associated risk factors. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted with 385 patients with HIV/AIDS referred to the behavior disease consultation center in Kermanshah, Iran between May 2012 and June 2013. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were measured by using the ELISA method. Also, the relationship between the infection and age, gender, education, occupation, antiretroviral status, CD4+ cell counts and some other factors of the patients were assessed. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among the HIV-positive patients, 40.8% (157/358) and 2.6% (10/358) patients were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. The mean CD4+ count in the patients with HIV was 327 cells/µL. A significant correlation was observed between the toxoplasmosis infections with the age group (P<0.05). Nevertheless, no statistically significant difference was found between gender, living area, educational level, occupational, marital status, antiretroviral status, prophylaxis, CD4+ cell count and toxoplasmosis. Conclusions: This study revealed that the patients with HIV infection were at the high risk of developing toxoplasmosis disease especially those patients who do not receive antiretroviral therapy and prophylaxis. The development and use of the effectiveness-based guidelines for controlling and the prevention reactivation of the latent T. gondii infection is required.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To determine Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) as a cause of morbidity and mortality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients by ELISA method and to investigate toxoplasmosis-associated risk factors.Methods:This cross sectional study was conducted with 385 patients with HIV/AIDS referred to the behavior disease consultation center in Kermanshah, Iran between May 2012 and June 2013. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were measured by using the ELISA method. Also, the relationship between the infection and age, gender, education, occupation, antiretroviral status, CD4+ cell counts and some other factors of the patients were assessed. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Among the HIV-positive patients, 40.8% (157/358) and 2.6% (10/358) patients were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. The mean CD4+ count in the patients with HIV was 327 cells/μL. A significant correlation was observed between the toxoplasmosis infections with the age group (P<0.05). Nevertheless, no statistically significant difference was found between gender, living area, educational level, occupational, marital status, antiretroviral status, prophylaxis, CD4+ cell count and toxoplasmosis.Conclusions:This study revealed that the patients with HIV infection were at the high risk of developing toxoplasmosis disease especially those patients who do not receive antiretroviral therapy and prophylaxis. The development and use of the effectiveness-based guidelines for controlling and the prevention reactivation of the latent T. gondii infection is required.
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and viremic infection of hepatitis delta virus [HDV] in Kermanshah
Background: Hepatitis delta is one of the most complex viral infections of liver that along with hepatitis B virus could lead to fulminant hepatitis, progressive chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma
Methods: Referrals with positive HBs Ag were included and tested for HDV Ab using ELISA. Seropositives were subsequently evaluated for viremia by assaying HDV RNA and HBV DNA using real-time PCR. Viremia-related variables were also assessed
Results: From 1749 patients included, 30 had positive HDV Ab, which makes HDV seroprevalence 1.7%. Twenty-nine out of 30 seropositives were assayed for viremia. Fourteen cases [48.3%]had positive HDV PCR, 18 [62.1%] had positive HBV DNA. Eight patients [27.6%] had simultaneous replication of HBV and HDV, six [20.7%] only had HDV replication, ten [34.5%] only had HBV replication and five [17.2%] had no replication of either viruses
Conclusion: Kermanshah seems to be a low prevalent area in Middle East. Viremic HDV infection was lower compared to Europe and Africa, probably due to genetic variations of the hosts or the differences in genotypes or sub-types of hepatitis B and D viruses
ABSTRACT
Background: Herpes simplex virus type 2 [HSV-2] is a common infection in human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] patients and may accelerate HIV progression by rising HIV viral load and decreasing CD4 count. However, the available data regarding the influence of HSV-2 seropositivity on HIV progression in HIV individuals are inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to determine HSV-2 seroprevalence in naive HIV patients and normal controls and also investigate the relation of HIV viral load and CD4 count with HSV-2 seropositivity. Subsequently, we investigated the association of HSV-2 serostatus with changing in CD4 count and HIV viral load in our subjects, after one year follow-up
Methods: In this study, 116 naive HIV patients and 85 healthy controls from Tehran, Iran were enrolled. HSV-2 IgG antibody was detected by ELISA. CD4 count was determined by flowcytometry, and serum HIV RNA copy numbers were determined using real-time PCR
Results: The prevalence of HSV-2 IgG was 18.1% in naive HIV patients and 0% in the control group [P = 0.000]. HSV-2 seroconversion was observed in 2.43% of HIV patients after one year. There was no significant difference regarding HSV-2 serostatus with CD4 count and HIV RNA viral load in our study cohort at baseline and after one year
Conclusion: Our results revealed that the prevalence and incidence of HSV-2 infection are low in our HIV cases, and it is negligible in the control group. However, it seems that HIV/HSV2 co-infection has no role on HIV infection acceleration
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , HIV Infections , Herpesvirus 2, Human , Herpes Genitalis , Disease Progression , Viral Load , CD4 Lymphocyte CountABSTRACT
Although leprosy is an endemic disease in Iran, it has been reduced rate over recent years. The present study has been conducted to investigate epidemiology of incident cases over last 6 years. A descriptive study designed to investigate all reported cases of leprosy in Kermanshah Province from 2003-2008. Data was collected from leprosy referral center in Kermanshah. Data was analyzed using descriptive methods and Stata software. The incidence of leprosy was calculated by dividing the total number of new cases in each year to total population of Kermanshah Province. Overall, 41 cases of leprosy have been diagnosed over the period of study. From total of 41, three cases referred from outside of Kermanshah province and excluded from analysis. The mean age of patients was 49.6 +/- 13.9. The highest and the lowest number of cases were diagnosed in 2004 [14 cases] and 2005 [3 cases] respectively. Most of lesions occurred in upper and lower limbs [10 cases] 32 cases diagnosed as lepromatous leprosy. Kermanshah city, Javanroud and Salas-Babajani had the highest number of patients. Overall, the incidence of this condition was less than 1/100,000 in each year. We concluded that leprosy has been eliminated in Kermanshah province and even adding the undiagnosed patients does not change this conclusion
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Leprosy/diagnosisABSTRACT
Influenza is a world-wide public health concern. It is one of the most important viral causes of acute respiratory illness, affecting all age groups, recurring several times during a lifetime. We assessed the antibody titers after vaccination against influenza among HIV-infected patients and health care workers [HCWs]. During this before-after study, the antibody responses were assessed in 60 HCW and 60 HIV-infected patients vaccinated with split influenza vaccine [influvac 2005/2006 Solvay's influenza vaccines for the influenza season 2005/2006 in the northern hemisphere]. Although all participants had protective antibody levels against A [H1N1], A [H3N2], and B components of trivalent influenza vaccine [before vaccination], HIV-infected patients showed seroconversion against A [H1N1], A [H3N2], and B components in 75%, 45%, and 28.3% of cases, respectively. The corresponding values were 70%, 33.3%, and 53.3% among HCWs, respectively. There were no repots of any vaccine adverse reaction. A comparable rise in antibody titers against influenza antigens without any adverse reaction supports the previous recommendations for influenza vaccination. Such programs can effectively decrease the probability of influenza infection in both HCWs and HIV-infected patients who are not seriously immune compromised