[Frequency of dysplastic and cancerous Pap smear and genotyping of human papillomavirus by DNA probe techniques in Kerman, Iran]

Around the world, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Today, screening programs have reduced morbidity and mortality rates of this disease. Epidemiological and molecular studies have shown that certain types of the human papillomavirus are carcinogen types and the primary cause of cervical cancer. HPV type 16 and 18 are the most common high-risk types. In this study, frequency of different HPV genotypes in women who referred for a routine visit to an outpatient clinic of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, has been obtained by DNA probe technique. Our study is a cross-sectional, analytic study on 20000 Pap smear samples over four consecutive years among women in reproductive ages [15-50 years] referred to University centers and private institutions in Kerman, Iran. All samples were collected in the laboratory of Afzalipour, and Bahonar Hospitals, and private institutions. The typical samples of dysplasia and cancer were reviewed by two pathologists and a pathology assistant according to the World Health Organization standards. The samples were examined after DNA extraction and molecular DNA probe technique. 62 cases of 82 Pap smear samples were dysplastic and 20 samples were diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma [SCC]. Moreover, 20 cases [32.2%] of dysplastic Pap smears and 12 cases [60%] of SCC samples were HPV positive. A total of 32 patients [39%] were positive for HPV. Of all samples only two were genotype 18 [25.6%], one was a mixture of 16 and 31 genotypes, and the remaining were all genotype 16 [93.75%]. In the comparison between dysplasia severity [mild, moderate, and severe] and the HPV status [+ or -], and also the relation between age and status of HPV and the severity of dysplasia no relations were found. However, there was a significant relation between detection [dysplasia, SCC] and the HPV status, and also the relation between age and type of lesion diagnosis. Based on the findings of our study and the Iranian culture, prevalence of HPV infection among women with cervical cancer is less common than in other countries. HPV type 16, which is a carcinogenic genotype, was the predominant genotype

Epidemiology of cryptosporidium infection of cattle in kerman/Iran and molecular genotyping of some isolates

Cryptosporidiosis is one of the most important parasitic zoonoses of human and animals. This infection is common in mammals and caused by the coccidian parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium. The Present study was designed to determine the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Kerman by using conventional morphological as well as molecular methods for molecular characterization. Fecal samples of cattle were collected fresh and directly from the rectum. Cryptosporidium oocysts were isolated by using formalin-ether sedimentation method followed by modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. DNA of a number of isolates was extracted using QIAamp DNA stool mini kit [Qiagen]. A nested PCR-RFLP protocol amplifying - 850 bp fragment of SSU-rRNA gene used to differentiate species and genotypes of the isolates, using Sspl and Vspl as two restriction endonucleases. For each slide at least 20 oocysts were measured. Seventy eight of 412 cattle [18.9%] were found to be infected. Cryptosporidium infection was associated with diarrhea [P = 0.026] in a way that 31.8% of diarrheic cattle [14.44] and 17.4% of non diarrheic cattle [64.368] were infected. The rate of infection in suckling calves <2 months age was significantly higher than others [45.134 vs. 33.6%, P = 0.000]. In this study 4 isolates of C. andersoni and 8 isolates of C. parvum were found for the first time in Iran by using molecular techniques. Cryptosporidium infection is common in cattle of Kerman. Moreover, in spite of the presence of C.parvum as the dominant species in Iran, the presence of C. andersoni in Iran is reported for the first time by molecular techniques. Economic and public health problems resulted from infection by C.andersoni require more investigations in other parts of Kerman province and Iran