Characterization of Salmonellae isolated from different animal and human sources by PCR and resistance trends

Salmonella is one of the most important zoonotic pathogens with many virulence factors playing a major role in its pathogenesis. The aims of this study were to detect spvA, int2 and invC virulence genes of different Salmonella serotypes isolated from various clinical animal and human sources, and to investigate antibiotic resistance patterns among these serotypes. Using a PCR assay, a total of 64 Salmonella isolates were evaluated for the presence of virulence genes. Results revealed that spvA, int2 and invC genes were found in 65.6%, 39.1%, and 76.6% of the Salmonella isolates, respectively. Seven different serotypes were differentiated according to the specific antisera. Antibiotic susceptibility results showed that isolates were susceptible to all tested antibiotics [31.25%], Amikacin [84.4%], Co-Amoxiclav [81.2%], Cefepime [73.4%], Ceftizoxime [76.6%], Ceftriaxone [60.9%], Meropenem [50%], Norfloxacin [82.8%], and Piperacillin [75%]. SpvA is a plasmid gene and the int2 gene has been identified on mobile elements. In addition, the chromosomal invC gene is associated with type III secretion systems [TTSS; not present in all Salmonellae]. Hence, the detection of these genes could be used to identify the Salmonella genus. High prevalence of int2 and spvA genes was also observed in multidrug resistance Salmonella isolates which might play an important role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in multi-drug resistance [MDR] Salmonella isolates

[KAP study of mothers referred to health centers of ahwaz, toward ascariasis of children, Southwestern Iran]

Intestinal parasitic infections are one of the health problems in developing countries. Now one to two milliard people in the world are affected by ascariasis annually, and every year people are spending heavily to treat. All the problems of the ascariasis emission can be controlled by health education programs, which cost less than treatment of the disease. This study was performed to assess health knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers referred to health centers of Ahvaz about ascariasis of children in 2006.In This descriptive analytical research 214 mothers were selected randomly from ten health centers. Using questionnaires the data were collected. Gathered data were analyzed by SPSS-13 software. The results implied that 77. 6% of the mothers were housewives. 9.8% were illiterate. The findings indicated that the knowledge of the mothers was [77. 6%] at a weak level, their attitude was [68.2%] at the middle level, and their practice was [84.1%] at the weak level about ascariasis control and prevention. In this study there were a significant correlation between health knowledge, attitude and practice at confidence interval of 95%. A significant relation was also seen between health knowledge, attitude, practice and mothers occupation and literacy at confidence interval of 95%. With regard to the results of this study the government should pay more attention to improve efficient and effective health education programs to increase the knowledge, attitude and practice about prevention of the ascariasis disease

Induction of chromosomal aberrations in human primary fibroblasts and immortalized cancer cells exposed to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields

Rapidly increasing possibilities of exposure to environmental extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields [ELF-EMF] have become a topic of worldwide investigation. Epidemiological and laboratory studies suggest that exposure to ELF-EMF may increase cancer risk therefore assessment of chromosomal damage in various cell lines might be of predictive value for future risk estimation. Primary cultures of fibroblasts from human skin biopsy were exposed to continuous extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields [3, 50 and 60 Hz, sinusoidal, 3h, and 4 mT]. Also immortalized cell lines, SW480, MCF-7 and 1321N1 were exposed to continuous ELF-EMF [50 Hz, sinusoidal, 3 h, 4 mT]. Metaphase plates were prepared according to standard methods and stained in 5% Giemsa solution. Chromosomal aberrations of both chromosome and chromatid types were scored to evaluate the effects of ELF-EMF on primary or established cell lines. Results indicate that by increasing the frequency of ELF-EMF, chromosomal aberrations were increased up to 7-fold above background levels in primary human fibroblast cells. In addition, continuous exposure to a 50 Hz electromagnetic field led to a significant increase in chromosomal aberrations in SW480, MCF-7 and 1321N1 cell lines compared to sham control. Results obtained indicate that ELF-EMF has the potential for induction of chromosomal aberrations in all cell types

[Molecular investigation of mtDNA A1555G, A3243G and A7445G mutations among the non syndromic hearing loss cases in Fars, Iran]

Hearing loss is a sensorineural disorder occuring in 1 out of 500 births. It happens due to some genetic/environmental causes or both. More than 60% of cases are noninherited and 80% non syndromic with autosomal recessive inheritance. In the present study we investigated the frequency of mtDNA A1555G, A3243 and A7445G mutations among the patients in Fars province. Seventy two non syndromic hearing loss subjects were studied. DNA was extracted using standard phenol-chloroform method. The screening of the mitochondrial gene mutations were performed using PCR-RFLP procedure. Finally, the possible mutations were confirmed by direct sequencing. None of the A1555G, A3243G and A7445G mutations was detected in this study. However, destroying a MTTL1 restriction site for the investigation of A3243G mutation, revealed a G3316A with allelic variant of 1.4% in the deaf subjects. Our data indicated that the mitochondrial A1555G, A3243 and A7445G mutations have no role in auditory deficits in patients studied

Survey the frequency of depression in the last third months of pregnancy

Women are vulnerable to mood changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period. According to the current epidemiologic studies, prevalence of prenatal depression varies widely. Estimate the prevalence of depression during the third trimester of pregnancy in women who referred to alzahra hospital in rasht-winter 2007. We studied 415 randomly-selected individuals out of 900 obstetrical women in their third trimester of pregnancy, at the prenatal clinic of Alzahra hospital in Winter 2007.A Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] and a pre-determined form containing some demographic variables were applied to measure the variables of this study. 15 subjects [due to incomplete responses] were excluded from our study. Among 400 obstetrical women participated in this study, 100 women [25%] were suffered from different degrees of depression. There were significant statistical differences between depression and education [p=0.018], occupation [p=0.039] and gravidity [p=0.033]. There were no significant statistical differences between depression and socioeconomic level and age of participants. In our study, the prevalence of depression was similar to some of the other studies, also our findings about the association of depression and education, occupation and gravidity were similar to the other studies but our findings about the association of depression and socioeconomic level and age of the participants were different from the other studies. Use of structural psychiatric interview and analytical methods for determination of the prevalence of prenatal depressive disorder and its relationship with studied variables were recommended

[Frequency of cardiac dysrythmia, blood pressure changes and level of arterial oxygen saturation during endotracheal suctioning in intensive care unit patients]

Introduction: Tracheobronchial suctioning has some complications for the patient. One of these complications is cardiac dysrythmia. Some articles mention ventricular extra systole to be common after suctioning but some other articles indicate bradycardia or premature arterial contraction [PAC] as the most common dysrythmia during endotracheol suctioning

Objective: In attention to the danger of cardiac dysrythmia during suctioning and also different existing opinions among researchers, the present study is conducted to determine the frequency of cardiac dysrythmia during tracheobranchial suctioning

Materials and Methods: Four hundred patients aging 18-65 under mechanical ventilation from intensive care units of Ayetoloh Kashani Center were selected. EKG, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure [SAP, DAP], heart rate [HR] and arterial hemoglobin saturation were recorded before the endotracheal suctioning. Then standard endotracheal suctioning was done and these parameters were determined during the suctioning. At the end of suctioning another EKG was taken and shown to the cardiologist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ratios and also analysis variance

Results: Mean age of the patients and M/F ratio were 33 +/- 14 yrs. and 17.2 respectively. The most common abnormal rhythm during the suctioning was sinus tachycardia [33%]. No other arrhythmias were seen in this study. The greater increase in HR occurred 2 minutes after endotracheal suctioning [114 +/- 20 vs. 102 +/- 16 pre suctioning][P<0.05]. Patients' systolic blood pressure significantly rose after suctioning [P<0.05]. There was insignificant difference in diastolic BP and saturated arterial hemoglobin

Conclusion: These findings suggested that endotracheal suctioning can induce sinus tachycardia but other dysrythmias, which may be dangerous in the patients under mechanical ventilation, did not occur in this study. Perhaps suctioning tracheal and bronchial secretions under correct medical conditions causes no dangerous arrythmias