Genotyping of toxoplasma gondii isolates from soil samples in Tehran, Iran

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii can infect any warm blooded nucleated cells. One of the ways for human infection is ingestion of oocysts directly from soil or via infected fruits or vegetables. To survey the potential role of T. gondii oocyst in soil samples, the present study was conducted in Tehran City, Iran. A total of 150 soil samples were collected around rubbish dumps, children's play ground, parks and public places. Oocysts recovery was performed by sodium nitrate flotation method on soil samples. For molecular detection, PCR reaction targeting B1 gene was performed and then, the positive results were confirmed using repetitive 529 bp DNA fragment in other PCR reaction. Finally, the positive samples were genotyped at the SAG2 locus. Toxoplasma DNA was found in 13 soil samples. After genotyping and RFLP analysis in SAG2 locus, nine positive samples were revealed type III, one positive sample was type I whereas three samples revealed mixed infection [type, I and III]. The predominant genotype in Tehran soil samples is type III

Frequency of intestinal parasites on mental disabilities in rehabilitation centers in Ardabil city at 2011

Background:Although all the advances of medical science has come to achieve, parasitic infections including intestinal parasites in many countries especially in developing countries, is a health problem; according to the annual fees paid by that the World Health Organization and governments to eliminate, prevent and treat them, their existence is still visible. In this study the prevalence of intestinal parasite in mental disability community in Ardabil city will be studied

Material and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study with was design to detect the prevalence of intestinal parasites on the 216 cases of mental disability under the Social Welfare Organization in Ardabil city, with methods of direct smear, formalin ether concentration method and Modified ziehl-neelsen staining

Results:_From 216 patients 95 samples [44%] were infected with at least one parasite including Blastocystis hominis 41 cases [19%], Entamoeba coli cyst 25 cases [11.6%], Giardia cyst 18 cases [8.3%], Trichuris trichura egg 2 cases [0.9%] and contemporary infection with two parasite Entamoeba coli / Blastocystis hominis cysts and_ Entamoeba coli / Iodamoeba butschili cysts 4 [1.9%] and 3 [1.4%] cases respectively. In 0.5% of cases we found Entamoeba coli cyst with 4 nuclei cysts

Conclusion:_According to the results, levels of intestinal parasitic infections in mental disability community in the Ardabil city in compare to other communities was higher that need to pay more attention of the authorities

Mini-Exon genotyping of leishmania species in khuzestan province, southwest Iran

Leishmaniasis is a protozoan disease cause by Leishmania genus. Anthroponotic and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis are endemic in Iran. The aim of this study was to identify the causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis by mini-exon gene in five regions of Khuzestan Province, southwest of Iran. From 2007 to 2008 in this cross-sectional study, cutaneous samples were collected from patients referred to Health Centers and Hospitals of the Khuzestan Province for cutaneous leishmaniasis diagnosis and cultured in Novy-MacNeal-Nicolle [NNN] and RPMI 1640. The propagated promastigotes were harvested and Leishmania species of cutaneous leishmaniasis were identified by RFLP and DNA sequencing of the PCR generated fragments. L. major and L. tropica were the causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis by predominantly of L. major species. The alignment of the mini-exon sequencing isolates with reported sequencing of L. major and L. tropica revealed 92%-99% identity. Our study showed that mini-exon PCR-RFLP was useful method to identify the causative species of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Induction of apoptosis by miltefosine in Iranian strain of Leishmania infantum promastigotes

Miltefosine is a new drug of choice for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. Numerous experimental studies have shown miltefosine is effective on Leishmania donovani, however, effectiveness of miltefosine in treatment of L infantum is not fully understood. The aims of the present study were to evaluate cytotoxic effects of miltefosine on Iranian strain of L infantum, and to determine its 50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] as well as lethal dose. Anti-L. infantum activity of miltefosine was studied by treatment of cultured promastigotes with various concentration of miltefosine. MTT assay was used to determine L infantum viability and the results were expressed as IC50. Annexin-V FLUOS staining was performed to study apoptotic properties of this drug by using FACS flow cytometry. Miltefosine led to dose-dependent death of L. infantum with features compatible with apoptosis including cell shrinkage, DNA laddering, and externalization of phosphatidylserine with preservation of integrity of plasma membrane. The 100% effect was achieved at 22 micro M and IC50 after 48 hours of incubation was 7 micro M. Miltefosine exerts cytotoxic effect on Iranian strain of L. infantum via an apoptosis-related mechanism

Frequency of intestinal parasites in Tehran

For a long time, intestinal parasite infections are among the major problems of public health in Iran. Our aim was epidemiological studies on the frequency of intestinal parasites in patients referred to three hospitals in Tehran during 2007-2008. During 2007-2008, by simple random selection, 1000 stool samples were collected from Milad, Hazrat-e-Rasoul and Shahid Fahmideh hospitals in Tehran, Iran. We examined the samples using direct smear, formol-ethyl acetate concentration, Agar-plate culture and Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. The frequency of intestinal parasites were: Blastocystis hominis 12.8%, Giardia lamblia 2.5%, Entamoeba coli 4.8%, lodamoeba butschlli 0.9%, unknown 4 nuclei cysts 0.4%, Endolimax nana 3.2%, Chilomastix mesnili 0.4%, Strongyloides stercoralis 0.1%, Hymenolepis nana 0.2% and Taenia saginata 0.2%. Coccidian parasites were not found. Results show that infection with intestinal parasites does not statistically significant according to sex and age. The intestinal parasites, especially helminthic infections have been decreased during recent years

[Evaluation of susceptibility of conventional anti fungal drugs with flow cytometry technique]

During the last decades, the incidence of fungal infection has been increased in many countries. Because of the increasing resistantce to antifungal agents, determination of an efficient strategic plan for treatment of fungal diseases is an important issue in clinical mycology. Many methods have been introduced and developed to determine invitro susceptibility tests. During the recent years, flow cytometry has been developed to solve the problem, and many papers have documented the usefulness of this technique. This study was done to evaluate the invitro susceptibility of standard PTCC strain and some clinical isolates of Candida evaluated by macrodilution broth method according to NCCLS guidelines and flow cytometry susceptibility test. This descriptive study was done in Iran Medical University. Clinical isolates of Candida were treated by Amphotericin B, Clotrimazole, Fluconazol, Ketoconazol and miconazole and then evaluated by flow cytometry and microdilution. Data was gathered in a questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive statistics. The data indicated that macrodilution broth methods and flow cytometry have the same results in determination of MIC for amphotericinB, clotrimazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole and miconazole in Candida albicans PTCC5027 as well as clinical candida isolate, such as C.albicans, C.kefyr, C.glabrata, C.parapsilosis and C.dubliniensis. Comparing the result obtained by macrodilution broth and flow cytometry methods revealed that flow cytometry was more convenient and faster than broth methods. It is suggested that flow cytometry susceptibility test can be used as a powerful tool in determination of MIC and administration of the best antifungal drug in treatment of patients with Candida infections especially systemic candidiasis

Opportunistic protozoan parasites in heart transplant donor patients

Protozoa are among the most important pathogens that can cause infections in immunocompromised hosts. These microorganisms particularly infect individuals with impaired cellular immunity such as those with heart transplant patients using high doses of corticosteroids. The protozoa that most frequently cause disease in immunocompromised patient are, Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Trypanosoma Cruzi, Babesia microtti and Plasmodium falciparum can cause acute meningoencephalitis, acute myocarditis, hepatospleenomegaly, pnemonia, chronic diarrhea and bone marrow, Lung, hepatic, spleen involvement. There are various, serological parasitological histological and molecular methods for the diagnosis of these infections. Owing to the increasing number of transplantation we expect increased occurrence of opportunistic infections. For this review article we have searched through the sites pubmed and google by the following keywords: protozoa, infection, heart transplant. We have found over 30 related article. In heart transplant recipient patient protozoan pathogen are terrible life thretening so it is important to take into consideration the use of choice drugs and preventive methods as earlier as possible

Observation of hydatid cyst infection in kordestan province [West of Iran] using epidemiological and seroepidemiological criteria

Echinococcosis is the major helminthic parasitic infection in Iran. The health hazard and economic loss in man and livestock is significant. In this study 3 major topics as the prevalence of hydatid cyst in human population, in livestock and echinococcosis in stray dogs, were studied. Total of 1114 serum samples in different age groups in Sanandaj and Divandareh area of Kurdestan province in west of Iran were examined by indirect immunoflurecent test [IFA]. In Sanandaj area 3.3% and in Divandareh 9.5% of serum samples were positive for hydatidosis. In livestock using abattoir inspection the rate of infection was 51.9% and 28.02% for sheep and cattle, respectively. Nine stray dogs [44%] autopsied in Sanandaj were positive for Echinococcosis

[Opportunistic protozoan parasites in heart transplant donor patients]

Background: Protozoa are among the most important pathogens that can cause infections in immunocompromised hosts. These microorganisms particularly infect individuals with impaired cellular immunity such as those with heart transplant patients which using high doses of corticosteroids. The protozoa that most frequently cause disease in immunocompromised patient are, Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Trypanosoma Cruzi , Babesia microtti and Plasmodium falciparum can cause acute meningoencephalitis, acute myocarditis, hepatospleenomegally, pnemonia, chronic diarrhea and bone marrow, Lung, hepatic, spleen involvement. There are various, serological parasitological histological and molecular methods for the diagnosis of these infection. Owing to the increasing number of transplantation we expect increase occurring opportunistic infections

Materials and Methods: For this review article we have searched through the sites pubmed and google by the following keywords: protozoa, infection, heart transplant. We have found over than 30 related article

Results and Conclusions: In heart transplant recipient patient protozoan pathogen are terrible life tretening so it is important to take into the consideration the using of choice drugs and preventive methods as earlier as possible