ABSTRACT
Visceral leishmaniasis [VL] is a zoonotic disease caused by leishmania species. Dogs are considered to be the main reservoir of VL. A number of methods and antigen-based assays are used for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. However, currently available methods are mainly based on direct examination of tissues for the presence of parasites, which is highly invasive. A variety of serological tests are commonly applied for VL diagnosis, including indirect fluorescence antibody test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA], dot-ELISA, direct agglutination test, Western-blotting, and immunochromatographic test. However, when soluble antigens are used, serological tests are less specific due to cross-reactivity with other parasitic diseases. Several studies have attempted to replace soluble antigens with recombinant proteins to improve the sensitivity and the specificity of the immunodiagnostic tests. Major technological advances in recombinant antigens as reagents for the serological diagnosis of VL have led to high sensitivity and specificity of these serological tests. A great number of recombinant proteins have been shown to be effective for the diagnosis of leishmania infection in dogs, the major reservoir of L. infantum. Although few recombinant proteins with high efficacy provide reasonable results for the diagnosis of human and canine VL, more optimization is still needed for the appropriate antigens to provide high-throughput performance. This review aims to explore the application of different recombinant proteins for the serodiagnosis of VL in humans and dogs
ABSTRACT
Molecular diversity of Leishmania major and its morphological changes have become a controversial issue among researchers. Some aspects of polymorphic shapes of amastigotes in clinical manifestations along with molecular variation were evaluated among suspected patients of some exceptional zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis locations in Northern Khuzestan, Southwestern Iran. Suspected patients [n = 165] were sampled in zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis foci over two consecutive years during 2012- 2014. Prepared smears were stained, scaled and measured by ocular micrometer. DNA was extracted from smears; ITS-rDNA and Cytochrome b [Cyt b] markers were amplified, and PCR products were digested by BsuR1 restriction enzyme. Then the RFLP and sequencing were employed. Only L. major was identified in patients containing regular amastigotes' shapes [oval or round] with a size of 2-4 microm in each of classical wet, dry, mixed lesions. Meanwhile, irregular shapes [spindle, pear, or cigarette] were observed separately in non-classical wet lesions with more than 4 microm. Interestingly, a few amastigotes with an external flagellum were observed in some lesions. All sequenced ITS-rDNA and Cyt b genes of L. major did not show any molecular variation [chi [2] P > 0.05], including only one common haplotype [GenBank access no. EF413075]. Findings proved that unlike other endemic foci, there is not a meaningful correlation between phenotypic and genotypic features of L. major isolates. This study is considered as the first comprehensive report to incriminate morphometric shapes of L. major amastigotes, which enhances our knowledge concerning their relevance with various clinical appearances and genotypic traits
ABSTRACT
Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in men and seventh most common cancer in women. This study aims at analyzing epidemiologically the liver and bile duct cancer in Fars province during 2001 to 2008. In this epidemiological study, the crude incidence rate [CIR] was measured per 100,000 people and the liver cancer's age-standardized incidence rate [ASR] was measured using direct standardization and world's standard population. Out of 344 registered liver cancer cases, 54.4% were men and 45.6% were women. The ASR of liver cancer in 2008 was estimated 3.4 cases per 100,000 which has a significant ascending trend [p=0.001]. The ASR in this study shows that like other countries in West Asia, Fars Province is categorized as a region with low incidence rate
ABSTRACT
Changes in lifestyle, especially in different aspects of nutrition and physical activity, have been associated with change in the patterns of diseases, from contagious diseases to non-communicable diseases, and with the prevalence of chronic diseases. Accordingly, this study is carried out within the framework of National Plan to Care for Risk Factors of Non-communicable Diseases with the aim of comparing the dietary patterns and physical activity of people under study in Fars province during 2006-2007. Using the WHO Step-by-step Evaluation Model for Risky Factors, the present study determined fifty 20-person clusters, totally 1,000 people within the age group of 15-64 for each year as the research population. After identifying the applicable people, they were visited at their homes and the questionnaires were filled out for them. The necessary analysis was carried out using Version 6 of EPI-info and Version 10 of STATA software. The findings of the present study indicated that men have more intense physical activity than women [p=0.001]. The results also indicated a significant increase in consumption of fruit [p=0.01], vegetable [p=0.001], and fish [p=0.001] in 2007 as compared with 2006. The average number of the consumed vegetable units in women was higher than that of men [p=0.01]. The findings of this study indicated that the average number of daily consumed units of fruit and vegetable as well as the frequencies of fish consumption per week was lower than the recommended amounts
ABSTRACT
Breast cancer is still considered as one of the most common female cancers worldwide regardless of the countries' level of development. This study determines the incidence of breast cancer in Fars Province, Southern Iran. This study used patients' records from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Cancer Registry Centre, which is a Hospital- Based Registry of Nemazee Hospital. Data were recorded based on International Classification of Diseases for Oncology [ICD-O] and compromised all invasive cancers in ICD-10 categories of C- 00 to C-80. The findings were shown as the number of cases by site [ICD-10] and gender, with crude incidence [CRs], agespecific incidence and age-standardized incidence rates [ASRs] per 100,000 persons per year, performed by direct method using the world standard population. The age group of 40-49 years had the highest rate of breast cancer and naturally most cases were post-menopause ones. Most cases were diagnosed in moderate differentiated state with an increasing trend. Early diagnosis of in situ neoplasms has not increased over time in comprised with malignant cases. The number of diagnosed cases has sharply increased after year 2004 especially during post-menopause period. As the number of diagnosed cases has increased during postmenopausal period, screening and health programs seem necessary for menopause women
ABSTRACT
Objective[s]: To determine the trend of crude and age standardized incidence rate of lung cancer in Fars province, southern Iran, from 2001 to 2008. In this epidemiological study, using Fars province cancer registry data the incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 people a year and age standardized incidence rate was performed by direct method using the world standard population
Methods: Data were analyzed by SPSS, version 16 and Microsoft Excel version 2007. Out of 743 lung cancer cases, 72 percent were male and 28 percent were female
Results: The results showed that through an eight-year period the age standardized incidence rate has increased 3.9 times from 1.5 in 2001 to 5. 9 in 2008 per 100,000 people a year. Also, the lung cancer incidence rate in Fars province exhibited an increasing trend and proved to be higher in male and elderly age groups
Conclusion: According to the results, Fars province considered as low incidence rate area in terms of age standardized incidence rate of lung cancer
ABSTRACT
Leishmania can lead to a broad spectrum of diseases, collectively known as leishmaniasis. The A2 gene/ protein family could be one of the most eligible candidate factors of virulence in visceral leishmaniasis [VL]. The previous results confirmed that in Leishmania infantum, several A2 proteins are abundantly expressed by the amastigote, but not the promastigote stage. As there are no data available on the pattern of A2 gene / protein in Iranian Leishmania isolates of either cutaneous leishmaniasis [CL] or VL; the current study aimed to investigate molecular analysis of A2 gene in leishmania species among field isolates of Iran. An A2 gene was identified by sequencing of crude PCR products resulting from 20 samples of CL and 10 samples of VL isolates from Iranian patients. The results indicated the A2 gene in CL is only a single copy of 153 bp encoding a protein of 51 amino acids, as opposed to A2 of VL species with multi-copy genes of varying length. A2 sequences in Iranian L. major strains represented a homology with stage-specific S antigen-like protein [A2] of L major and L infantum. Moreover, A2 sequences in Iranian L. tropica strains have homology with A2 protein of L. major and L. tropica. It is concluded that A2 is an antigen candidate for vaccine development and diagnosis purposes and that A2 sequences are conserved among field isolates
ABSTRACT
Childhood cancers are very rare diseases and accounting for about one percent of all cancers, also it is one of the main causes of death among children. The aim of this paper was to ascertain of childhood cancers epidemiology in Fars province. In this epidemiological study that Fars province cancer registry was used, frequency distribution of childhood cancers in less than 19 year old in 2001up to 2008 was evaluated and incidence rates were calculated per 1000,000 people a year. Data were analyzed by running SPSS software, version 16 [SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL] and M.S. Excel version 2007. Out of 1610 registered new cancer cases that were resident of Fars province, blood cell cancers were most common type of cancers. 57% of cases were male and 15-18 year old age group in comparison to other groups has been the most frequent [30.7%]. The mean age of cases at diagnose time was 10.3 years old. Over in eight years period, lowest and highest age standardized incidence rate was 64 [year 2001] and 235 [year 2006] cases per every one million person, respectively. Based on this paper's results, and despite of our prospect, childhood cancer incidence rate in less than 19 year age in Fars province was similar to developed countries
ABSTRACT
This study investigated whether trinitroglycerine (TNG) as nitric oxide (NO) releasing agent had anti-leishmanial effects and mediated pathology in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a zoonotic infection caused by leishmania protozoa is still one of the health problems in the world and in Iran. NO is involved in host immune responses against intracellular L. major, and leishmania killing by macrophages is mediated by this substance. Moreover, application of CL treatment with NO-donors has been recently indicated. In our study, TNG was used for its ability to increase NO and to modify CL infection in mice, in order to evaluate NO effects on lesion size and formation, parasite proliferation inside macrophages, amastigote visceralization in target organs, and NO induction in plasma and organ suspensions. Data obtained in this study indicated that TNG increased plasma and liver-NO, reduced lesion sizes, removed amastigotes from lesions, livers, spleens, and lymph nodes, declined proliferation of amastigotes, hepatomegaly, and increased survival rate. However, TNG reduced spleen-NO and had no significant effects on spelenomegaly. The results show that TNG therapy reduced leishmaniasis and pathology in association with raised NO levels. TNG had some antiparasitic activity by reduction of positive smears from lesions, livers, spleens, and lymph nodes, which could emphasize the role of TNG to inhibit visceralization of L. major in target organs.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Mice , Animal Structures/parasitology , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemistry , Leishmania major/drug effects , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous , Macrophages/parasitology , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Nitric Oxide/blood , Nitroglycerin/analogs & derivatives , Severity of Illness Index , Skin/pathology , Survival AnalysisABSTRACT
To compare the pathogenicity differences in two susceptible Balb/c and resistant C57b1/6 mice infected with Leishmania major MRHO/IR/75/ER as a prevalent strain of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. Mice were assigned into four groups as control and infected BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Experimental leishmaniasis was initiated by [s. c] injection of the 2x10[6] L. major promastigotes into the basal tail of infected groups. The development of lesions was determined weekly by measuring the two diameters. After 10 weeks, all mice were killed humanly, target tissues including lymph node, spleen and liver from each mouse were removed, weighted, and their impression smears were prepared. Proliferation of amastigotes inside macrophages, pathogenicity signs in two susceptible, resistant hosts was varied, and these variations were depended on mice strain. Host immunity may modify clinical signs and could affect the proliferation of amastigotes inside macrophages, the size of lesions, the survival rates, the degree of hepatomegaly and splenomegaly and the percentage of amastigotes in lesion, liver, spleen, lymph node and brain smears