RESUMO
Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever [CCHF] is an acute febrile haemorrhagic disease. This study was conducted to ascertain the infection status amongst slaughterhouse workers in Iran's north-eastern provinces [Razavi and northern and southern Khorasan], so that analysis of the results could help clarification of the epidemiology of this disease in the aforementioned provinces and eastern regions of Iran. In this cross-sectional study, conducted in 2004 and 2005, 108 slaughterhouse workers from 24 cities of the three previously mentioned provinces were randomly entered into the study. An IgG specific ELISA test was carried out on the participants' serum samples. Sixteen out of 108 [14.8%] participants under study were shown to have IgG against CCHF. The highest rate of infection was seen in Razavi Khorasan and southern Khorasan at 17.5% and 16.7%, respectively. The study showed a relatively high frequency of this disease amongst slaughterhouse workers in these provinces. Taking into account the small number of reported cases from these provinces, it would seem that more focus is required on primary diagnosis and on referral of suspected patients
RESUMO
The incidence of urinary stones is very high in population. Treatment of patients with kidney stones in primary stages can reduce the side effects and also may prevent the surgical operations and postoperative complications. Several effects have been reported for Nigella sativa seeds; they include: anti analgesic, anti inflammatory, lowering serum lipids, increasing glutathione in kidney and repairement of kidney tissues after nephrotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigation the effects of the ethanolic extract of N. Sativa seeds on kidney stones in rat. Thirty two Wistar rats weighed 200_10g were randomly divided into 4 groups: Group an as intact control was received tap drinking water for thirty days. Group B [ethylene glycol control], groups C and D as experimental animals all were received 1% [v/v] ethylen glycol in drinking water for 30 days. Furthermore group C was also treated with 250 mg/kg B.W N. sativa ethanolic extract for 30 days, while group D was also treated with 250mg/kg B.W N. sativa extract from 14th day through the end of the experiment. Twenty four hour urine samples were collected on the 0,7th, 14th and 30th days of the study, when each animal was kept in a metabolic cage. After 30 days all rats were killed by guillotine and kidneys were removed and sections were prepared with routine histological techniques; slides were examined under light microscope to count calcium oxalate deposits. The results showed that the number of calcium oxalate deposits were significantly increased in group B vs. A [p<0.001]. The number of deposits in group C and D were significantly less than group B [p< 0.05]; while the number of calcium oxalate deposits in group C and D in comparison with group A were statistically insignificant. The calcium oxalate concentration in urine at the end of the study was increased significantly in group B vs. A [p<0.001] but decreased in group C [p<0.001] and D [p<0.05] when compared with group B. The result of this study demonstrated that treatment of rats with ethanolic extract of N. sativa has reduced the number of calcium oxalate deposits in both groups of treated animals. Therefore; it may have beneficial effects in treatment of urinary stones in patients