Human parvovirus B19 and parvovirus 4 among Iranian patients with hemophilia

BACKGROUND: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is one of the smallest DNA viruses and shows great resistance to most disinfectants. Therefore, it is one of the common contaminant pathogens present in blood and plasma products. Parvovirus 4 (PARV4) is a newly identified parvovirus, which is also prevalent in parenteral transmission. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of B19V and PARV4 DNA among patients with hemophilia in Birjand County in eastern Iran. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study comprising nearly all people with hemophilia in this region. Whole blood samples were taken after patient registration and sent for plasma isolation. After nucleic acid extraction, B19V was detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction, PARV4 DNA was then detected using sensitive semi-nested PCR. RESULTS: In total, there were 86 patients with hemophilia, with mean age 28.5±1.5 years. Of these, 90.7% were men and 9.3% women; 84.9% had hemophilia A and 7.0% had hemophilia B. We found 11 patients (12.8%) were positive for B19V DNA and 8 were positive (9.3%) for PARV4 DNA. The prevalence of B19V was higher in middle-aged groups rather than younger people, whereas PARV4 infection was more common in younger patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of B19V and PARV4 infection in this high-risk group of patients with hemophilia. Due to the clinical significance of the B19 virus, imposing more precautionary measures for serum and blood products is recommended.

Hepatoprotective and cytoprotective properties of Hyptis suaveolens against oxidative stress-induced damage by CCl(4) and H(2)O(2)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate capacity of Hyptis suaveolens (H. suaveolens) methanol extract as an antioxidant to protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity in Albino Wistar rats and cytoprotective effect of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) induced cell death in HepG(2) cell line.@*METHODS@#Two different doses of methanol extract of H. suaveolens were evaluated for the hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Animals in Group I: served as control, group II: H. suaveolens (100 mL/kg b.w), group III: H. suaveolens (50 mL/kg b.w) + CCl(4) (1 mg/kg), group IV: H. suaveolens (100 mL/kg b.w) + CCl(4) (1 mL/kg) and group V: CCl(4) (1 mL/kg). Histopathologic changes of liver were also evaluated. Cytotoxicity was also determined by 3, (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.@*RESULTS@#Oral sigle dose treatment of CCl(4) produced a marked elevation in the serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Histopathological analysis of the liver of CCl(4)-induced rats revealed marked liver cell necrosis with inflammatory collections that were conformed to increase in the levels of SOD, GSH, GST, GR and LPO. Treatment with H(2)O(2) significantly induced death of HepG(2) cell. Pretreatment with H. suaveolens methanol extract inhibited or attenuated H(2)O(2) induced cytotoxicity.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study shows that H. suaveolens methanol extract can be proposed to protect the liver against CCl(4)-induced oxidative damage in rats and protect the cells against H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative damage in HepG(2) cells. The hepatoprotective and cytoprotective effects might be correlated with its antioxidant and free radical scavenger effects.