ABSTRACT
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution and has great economic importance. Despite its control in many countries, it remains endemic in Iran. Brucellosis was investigated in many high risk occupational groups; however, few studies on the prevalence of brucellosis among blood donors are available. To determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis antibodies in blood donors, a serological study was carried out in central province of Iran. A total of 897 healthy blood donors with mean age 37.23 +/- 10.9 years were enrolled in the study. Laboratory tests including Standard Tube Agglutination Test [STA] and 2-mercaptoethanol [2ME] agglutination were checked in all samples. STA dilution >/= 1:80, and in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol [2ME] agglutination >/= 20 was considered positive, Out of 897 cases, 11.9% were inhabitants of rural areas. 41.5% had history of consumption of unpasteurized dairy products and 9.3% had history of contact with domestic animals. A very low level of Brucella agglutinins was present in 3[0.33%] of the samples and only one sample [0.11%] was found to be truly positive for Brucella agglutinins. 2ME was negative in all samples. None of these 4 subjects showed signs and symptoms of brucellosis in 6 months follow-up. On the basis of our data, brucellosis has no epidemiological and clinical importance in our blood donors; therefore, it is not recommended to perform screening tests such as, STA and 2ME to identify brucellosis antibodies in the sera of blood donors
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Agglutinins , Blood Donors , Brucellosis , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Background: The incidence rate of smear positive tuberculosis in the country in 2010 was about 7 in the hundred thousand populations. Cure rate and failure rate have great importance in preventing the resistant tuberculosis. This study surveyed Relationship between initial smear grading with cure rate
Methods: All new smear positive cases registered from March 2005 to May 2010 were analysed for cure and conversion to negative smear related to initial smear grading
Results: From 354 Sm+ patients 276[78%] at the end of second month of treatment were Sm- and 52[14/7%] were Sm+. at the end of treatment cure rate was 79/7% and Relationship between initial smear grading with cure rate and conversion to negative smear in new Sm+ patients was statistically significant .In multivariate analysis, lower cure rate was significantly associated with age >45y and Initial smear 2+ and 3+ and remain smear positive at the end of the second month of treatment
Conclusion: The more treatment failure and death from TB or emergence of resistant TB related to less negative smear rate at the end of two months of starting treatment and more patients that have initial smear 2+ and 3+, are from this group. This reiterates the need to pay more attention in motivating these patients to return to regular treatment and sustained commitment in the control of tuberculosis
ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C virus [HCV] is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The role of intra familial HCV transmission is still controversial. The aim of the present study is to determine intra familial transmission [sexual and non sexual contacts] of HCV in a group of Iranian population. In this historical cohort study, 270 first degree relatives of hepatitis C patients were enrolled as the exposed group and compared to 270 first degree relatives of normal subjects [with negative HCV] as the unexposed group. Antibodies to HCV were detected by commercially available fourth-generation enzyme immunoassay. Positive serum specimens were retested using a second generation recombinant immunoblot assay. Fisher's exact test was used to detect association between the exposure and out come of the study. The mean age of exposed groups was 27.1 +/- 19.8 years and 38.1% were male. The mean age of unexposed group was 29.4 +/- 16.7 years and 51.9% were male. Regarding gender, age, familial relation and condom use, there were not statistically significant differences between exposed and unexposed subjects. Only 2 HCV-infected subjects were detected in the unexposed group, both of whom were intravenous drug users. The frequency of positive HCV antibody among household contacts of two groups was not significantly different [NS]. Our results revealed that house hold contact transmission of HCV is not a significant transmission route and sexual transmission does not seem to play a role in the intra familial spread of HCV infection