Nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS-2 sequence characterization of Fasciola Hepatica and Galba truncatula

Human fascioliasis is an important health problem in the province of Gilan, at the Caspian Sea, Iran. There is the overlapping of both fasciolid species, Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. Recent studies on both domestic animal and lymnaeid infection furnished evidence suggesting that F. gigantica and Radix gedrosiana may be the main fasciolid and lymnaeid involved in the disease in that province, controversy still being there concerning the presence and importance of F. hepatica and other lymnaeid species. The present paper includes the results of studies on Galba truncatula and the first finding of natural infection by F. hepatica in Gilan proved by molecular studies. Snail collections were carried out in summer, when their populations present the highest densities. Surveys on lymnaeids furnished the finding of a lymnaeid snail infected by trematode rediae and cercariae in the mountains of Talesh, in the Asalem district, western Gilan. Nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS-2 sequences proved that they were F. hepatica and G. truncatula. The liver fluke ITS-2 sequence was identical to that of F. hepatica from Spain and the Northern Bolivian Altiplano and that of G. truncatula to the haplotype H-2 known in Portugal, Spain, France and The Netherlands. This genetic characterization suggests that both may be also involved in human fascioliasis infection in Gilan

Clinical symptoms and complications in Iranian troops wounded by chemical weapons [Babol Shahid Yahyanejad Hospital; 2001-2003]

During the Iran-Iraq imposed war, many of Iranian troops were exposed to chemical weapons and now after years of ending the war, many of them are suffering from the outcome of this lethal agent exposure. The purpose of this study was to assess late skin lesions in these individuals. This descriptive study was performed on 198 troops wounded by chemical weapons who were referred to Yahyanejad hospital by Babol Bonyad Janbazan organization. All patients were asked to answer the questions about their diseases and then clinical examinations for skin lesions were recorded and analyzed. All patients complained of skin problems and the most common complaint was pruritus [90.3%]. In clinical examination, the erythema was the most common skin lesion and a skin lesion was seen in 89.9% of the patients. Anterior trunk was the most frequently involved site [33.8%] and the most common disease was chronic urticaria [27.2%].The results show skin lesion due to by chemical weapons may continue overtime. However these complications are not considered as a serious danger to patients' health but they need to be treated

Efficacy of Terbinafine 1% cream versus clotrimazole 1% cream in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor

Terbinafine a member of allylamines group is a new class of antimycotic agents that blocks sterol biosynthesis in the fungi through inhibition of sequalene epoxidase and with consequent sequalene accumulation due to a primarily fungicidal process. Terbinafine is very effective on various fungi as an oral and topical antifungal agent. The aim of this study was to compare the antifungal efficacy of terbinafine 1% cream with clotrimazole 1% in patients with pityriasis versicolor. This clinical trial study was performed on 50 patients [30 males and 20 females] with mean age of 20 years [aged between 15-55 years] who randomly treated with terbinafine and clotrimazole for 4 weeks. The efficacy of drug and improving process evaluated mycologically and clinically before starting the study and at the end of each week. A patient was considered mycologically cured when direct microscopy was negative and clinically cured when all clinical parameters were considered negative. Negativizations of all clinical parameters were observed within 2 weeks in 60% of terbinafine and 35% clotrimazole recipients. At the end of four weeks, disappearance of lesions were seen in 90% and 80%, respectively [p<0.05]. The percentage of negativization of direct microscopy in terbinafine group was 1.4 fold higher than that clotrimazole group after 2 weeks of treatment. At the end of therapy, 95% of terbinafine and 90% of clotrimazole treated subjects were clinically cured [p>0.05]. Both drug eruptions and intolerance in two treated groups were similar. Although the efficacy of the both drugs is similar, but considering the expense of therapy, clotrimazole is preferred regimen for therapy of tinea versicolor

Prevalence of superficial mycosis in children of elementary schools [babol; 2003-2004]

Superficial mycoses are the most common infection in Iran. Scalp mycoses are most frequently seen in children especially in elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of superficial mycoses in children of elementary schools. In this descriptive study, among 20000 elementary school students in Babol, 2100 were randomly assessed during 2003-2004. Cluster sampling was used in schools. Students were clinically examined for fungal infections of hair, skin and nail and sampling was taken from suspicious cases. Direct microscopic and culture examination of samples were performed. Among 2100 students, 136 cases [6.5%] had skin lesion. Fungal infection was seen in 35% after the microscopic and cultural examination. There were four cases of tinea versicolor [0.2%], 2 cases of periungal candidiasis [0.1%] and 1 case of tinea capitis [0.05%] caused by microsporum canis. According to the result of this study, superficial fungal infections are seen less among elementary school students