ABSTRACT
Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to assess the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in hemodialysis patients compared with healthy individuals in central Iran from August 2014 to January 2015
Background: Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of acute and persistent diarrhea with significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients such as those undergoing renal dialysis
Methods: Three stool samples were collected from 330 hemodialysis patients and 150 healthy individuals on 3 consecutive days. The samples were screened for Cryptosporidium infection using formalin-ether sedimentation and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Demographic variables as well as risk factors were recorded
Results: Out of 330 dialysis patients and 150 healthy individuals, 10 [3%] and 1 [0.7%] were infected with Cryptosporidium, respectively. We found statistically significant differences between infection and place of residency, hygiene status, education level, diarrhea, and abdominal pain in the two groups [p<0.05]. On the other hand, there was no relationship between infection and sex, contact with domestic animals, fever, vomiting, nausea, flatulence, anorexia, duration of dialysis and underlying disorders in the two groups. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between age and infection in hemodialysis patients [p=0.003]. A higher infection rate was observed in patients under 20 years of age
Conclusion: Risk factors for Cryptosporidium infection must be controlled. We strongly recommended that stool samples from such patients, especially those with severe or prolonged diarrhea, should be examined with modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining for appropriate and timely treatment
ABSTRACT
Aim: To evaluate the effect of active T. gondii tachyzoites and its products on the gene expression level of IFN-gammaR1 and IFN-gammaR2 in a murine model
Background: Many studies have shown that the parasite Toxoplasma gondii utilizes different mechanisms to inhibit the function of IFN-gamma, but the parasite effect on the function of IFN-gammaR1 and IFN-gammaR2 is still unclear
Patients and methods: Toxoplasma lysate product [TLP], excretory/secretory products [ESPs] obtained from cell free and cell culture media as well as active tachyzoites were injected separately to their respective group each consisted of 10 BALB/c mice. One control group of 10 mice received phosphate buffered saline [PBS]. All of the mice were euthanized three days after the last injection and then their peritoneal leukocytes were harvested separately. The total RNA was extracted from the samples, converted to cDNA, and the gene expression level of IFN-gammaR1 and IFN-gammaR2 was assessed in all of the treated groups relative to the control one
Results: There was no significant difference between each of the treated groups relative to the control group concerning the gene expression level of IFN-gammaR2 [P> 0.05]. Furthermore, the gene expression level of IFN-gammaR1 in two groups of TLP [P= 0.04] and ESP obtained from cell free medium [P= 0.008] showed a significant difference relative to the control group
Conclusion: Findings of this study revealed a new aspect of host-T. gondii interaction in that this parasite is able to downregulate IFN-gammaR1 to reduce the IFN-gamma effects on the infected cell