Seroepidemiology of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infection in Neyshabur City, North-Eastern Iran, during 2010-2014

Background: Retroviruses of human T-lymphotropic viruses [HTLV-1 and HTLV-2] have been demonstrated to be endemic in the north-eastern region of Iran. This study was aimed to determine the HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 prevalence among healthy individuals in Neyshabur City during 2010-2014

Methods: A total of 8054 blood samples were collected from healthy participants in Neyshabur, North-Eastern Iran. The blood samples were screened for the presence of specific antibodies against HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 by using ELISA according to the manufacturer's instructions

Results: The overall seropositivity rate for HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 was found to be 6.55% [528 out of 8054] among participants

Conclusion: Both HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 were demonstrated to be at a high rate in healthy individuals. However, a smaller number of asymptomatic carriers were found in this study, as compared to those identified in previous investigations in the city

Presence of bla[PER-1] and bla[VEB-1] beta-lactamase genes among isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from South West of Iran

Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates have acquired resistance to antibiotics such as novel beta-lactams. The aim of this study was to investigate the bla[PER-1], bla[VEB-1], and bla[PSE-1] genes among isolates of P. aeruginosa among intensive care unit [ICU] patients. Sixty-five isolates were collected. The antibiotic susceptibility testing and combined disk tests were performed to detect the isolates producing extended spectrum beta-lactamases [ESBLs] among ceftazidime-resistant isolates. Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] amplification of blaPER-1, blaVEB-1, and blaPSE-1 genes was conducted. Ten [15.3%] isolates were ESBL-positive, of which 40% [n = 4] belonged to males and 60% [n = 6] were collected from females. Moreover, two and one isolates harbored blaPER-1 and blaVEB-1 genes, respectively

Comparison of biofilm formation between methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the biofilm formation and the prevalence of biofilm-associated genes between the isolates of methicillin-resistant [MRSA] and methicillin-susceptible [MSSA] Staphylococcus aureus

Methods: In total, 209 S. aureus isolates were collected. The antibiotic susceptibility test was conducted using nine antibiotics according to the guidelines of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Phenotypic biofilm formation was performed with microtiter plate assay. The polymerase chain reaction was employed to detect icaA, icaD, icaB, icaC, clfA, clfB, fnbA, fnbB, fib, cna, eno, ebps, bbp, mecA, and SCCmec types as well as agr group genes with specific primers

Results: Sixty-four [30.62%] isolates were resistant to methicillin, and 54 [83%] MRSA harbored SCCmec III. Furthermore, 122 [58.3%] isolates belonged to agr group I. Twenty-six [36.1%] MRSA and 42 [28.9%] MSSA isolates were strong biofilm producers [no significant difference]. The prevalence of icaA, icaD, icaB, and icaC genes in MSSA isolates was 71, 41, 76, and 72%, respectively. The frequency of clfA, clfB, fnbA, fnbB, fib, cna, eno, ebps, and bbp in MSSA was 100, 100, 56, 46, 74, 54, 78%, 11, and 1%, respectively. However, in MRSA isolates, the frequency was 97, 97, 64, 51, 76, 56, 79, and 12% with no track of bbp, respectively

Conclusion: Statistical difference between MSSA and MRSA regarding biofilm formation and the frequency of all biofilm-encoding genes was not significant. The majority of the S. aureus isolates harbored clfA, clfB, eno, fib, icaA, and icaD genes