[Isolation and identification of brucella species from blood samples of the patients with brucellosis by biochemical, PCR and serological methods in Kurdistan Province]

Brucellosis is a major cause of zoonosis and is endemic in Kurdistan Province in Iran. The purpose of this study was to isolate Brucella species from brucellosis patients and identify different species of this bacterium in order to determine the prevalence of these species in Kurdistan Province. 60 blood samples were obtained from brucellosis patients with clinical symptoms of the disease in Tohid Hospital in Sanandaj. The samples were cultured in BACTEC medium and incubated at 35 0C for 5 days. Then, the samples were cultured on Brucella agar for 3 days. For detection of the bacteria we used catalase, oxidase and urease tests, PCR, Gram stain and media with various dilutions of Thionin and Fuschin dyes. Also we used agglutination test for identification of Brucella species. 18 Brucella strains were isolated from 60 blood samples of the patients. PCR and biochemical methods revealed that all the 18 isolated bacteria were Brucella melitensis.The results of agglutination test showed that 14 bacteria belonged to biovar 1 and 4 bacteria to biovar 3. This study showed a high prevalence of brucellosis due to Brucella melitensis in Kurdistan Province and efforts in this region should be aimed at the eradication of this bacterium

[Evaluation of the Immunogenic effect of lipopolysaccharide [LPS] and protein fractions of Legionella pneumophila in challenging with lethal dose of this bacterium in mice]

Legionella pneumophila is the cause of legionellosis disease that can be fatal. Yet, no vaccine has been available for this infection. Also antigens of these bacteria can stimulate the immune system. The purpose of this study was to compare the immunogenic effect of lipopolysaccharide fraction with that of protein fraction of Legionella pneumophila in challenging with lethal dose of these bacteria in mice. After preparation of bacterial biomass, LPS and protein fractions were separated by hot phenol method and precipitated by enzyme digestion. LPS and protein fraction electrophoresis on poly acrylamide gel was performed. For preparation of vaccines from LPS and protein fractions, 10 micro g of each antigen was solved in 0.5 ml of normal saline and used for injection. Six groups of female BALB/c mice [each group consisted of 15 mice] were selected. Four groups of mice were vaccinated by intraperitoneal [i.p] injections at fortnightly intervals for three times. The two control groups of mice received normal saline injections. Two weeks after the last immunization, two groups of vaccinated mice and one control group were challenged with LD100 of the virulent strain of L. pneumophila. Also six weeks after the last immunization the other three groups [2 vaccinated and one control groups] were challenged. Result: The results of the first challenge showed the immunogenic efficiency gains of 86.66% and 73.33% for protein fraction and LPS respectively, and after six weeks of the last immunization the immunogenic efficiency gains were 60% for LPS and 86.66% for protein fractions. This study showed that the protein fraction and LPS of L.pneumophila have high immunogenic activity and can be proper candidates for vaccine studies

[Isolation of legionella pneumophila from environment and water system samples and evaluation of immuno-protective efficiency of its whole killed cell in mice model]

Legionella pneumophila is a cause of pneumonia in human beings. The purpose of this study was to separate L.pneumophila from stagnant and waste water, city squares, coolers and faucets and evaluation of the immunoprotective efficiency of its whole killed cells in mice model. Water samples were prepared, concentrated and then cultured on selective [GVPC] media. After identification of L.pneomophila the biomass of the organism was fixed with 0.5% formalin in sterile saline at 37§C for 24 hours in order to prepare whole killed cells. Four groups of female BALB/c mices [each group consisted of 15 mices] were selected. Two groups of mice were immunized by three intraperitoneal administrations of prepared antigen in a dose of 4x108 CFU from whole killed cells at two week intervals and control groups received only sterile saline injections. Two weeks after the last injection, one group of immunized mice and one of the control groups were challenged with the lethal dose of virulent strain of L.pneuophila and also the two other groups of mice were challenged six weeks after the last immunization. From 120 water samples 27 samples were contaminated with L.pneumophila. Challenge results showed that the immune efficiency of whole killed cell was 93.33% after two weeks of the last immunization, and 86.66% after six weeks of the last immunization. This study showed that, stagnant water had the highest rate of contamination with L.pneumophila and the whole killed cell of L.pneumophila is a proper candidate for L.pneumophila vaccine studies

survey on stimulatory effects of topical application of radioactive lantern mantle powder on wound healing

Poorly educated people in some parts of Iran use burned mantles as a wound healing medicine. To perform surface area measurement, twenty rats were divided randomly into two groups of 10 animals each. The first group received topical burned radioactive lantern mantle powder on the first to third days after making excision wounds. The second group received non-radioactive lantern mantle powder. For histological study, 36 male rats were randomly divided into two groups of 18 animals each. Full thickness excision wound [314 +/- 31.4 mm[2]] was made on the dorsal neck in all animals after inducing general anesthesia. For the first three days, cases had received topical application of the radioactive lantern mantle powder. Finally, to measure the tensile strength, an incision was made on the dorsal neck of the rats. Surface area measurement of the wounds showed a progressive surface reduction in both groups. Histological study showed a significant statistically difference between cases and controls with respect to fibrinoid necrosis and neutrophilic exudate on days 3 and 14. Considering the existence of granulated tissue, a significant difference was observed between case and control groups on days 3 and 7. Tensile strength study showed no significant difference between the cases and controls. Topical use of radioactive mantle powder can accelerate the healing process of the wound in rats

[ bio-positive effects of burned radioactive lantern mantle powder on the wound healing in rat]

Poor educated people in some parts of Iran use burned mantles as a wound healing powder to prevent the bleeding and infections caused by injuries. Some lantern mantles contain low levels of radioactive thorium for maximizing the light output, while non-radioactive mantles contain yttrium. Although radioactive lantern mantles may cause a minimal radiation health hazard, it is generally believed that it would be dangerous when inhaled or ingested. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of burned radioactive lantern mantles on wound healing. Twenty rats were divided randomly into two groups of 10 animals each. After inducing general anesthesia, full thickness excision wound [314 +/- 31.4 mm[2]] was made on the dorsal neck in all animals. The 1st group received topical burned radioactive lantern mantle powder at 1st-3rd day after wound excision. The presence of radioactivity in the mantle was detected using a Monitor-4 survey meter. The 2nd group received non-radioactive lantern mantle powder at the same days. Accurate blind surface measurement of the wounds was performed by transparency tracing to assess the wound healing at 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th and 15th days after excision. A progressive reduction in the wound area of both groups was observed. However, for thorium treated group, the rate of recovery was significantly enhanced compared to that of the control group. Although this value in the thorium group was not significantly different from that of the control group at the 3rd and 5th days after wounding, a statistically significant difference was observed between these two groups at the day7, day10 and day 15. The mean wound surface in thorium and control groups were 150.20 +/- 15.87 and 186.37 +/- 12.68 mm[2] at day7 [p<0.001], 92.90 +/- 15.97 and 134.12 +/- 14.19 mm[2] at day 10 [p<0.001], 1.40 +/- 0.41 and 8.56 +/- 2.04 mm[2] at day15 after wounding, respectively [p<0.01]. These findings suggest that low-level radioactive burned mantle accelerates wound healing in rats. However, as thorium oxide is a known human carcinogen, more research is needed to clarify if low levels of radioactive burned mantle can be utilized for enhancing wound healing

Large intratumoral pseudoaneurysm in a patient with bleeding renal angiomyolipoma

Angiomyolipoma [AML] is the most common benign renal tumor. It is composed of an abnormal collection of 3 primary components: unusual abdominal blood vessels, clusters of adipocytes and sheets of smooth muscle. CT is the preferred imaging technique for diagnosing and characterizing AMLs. AMLs typically have a benign course, but patients occasionally present with complications, such as sudden pain or hypotension secondary to spontaneous hemorrhage in the tumor. If the patient is symptomatic, the tumor grows rapidly or is >4 cm, angiography and selective arterial embolization or renal-sparing surgical excisions of the tumor are the treatment of choice. Patients with AMLs treated with embolization generally have a favorable outcome

Embolization for hemorrhagic multiple intrarenal microaneurysms following percutaneous renal biopsy in a patient with systemic lupus erthematosus

Although patients with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] have a high incidence of arterial and venous thrombotic manifestations, intrarenal microaneurysms have been quite rarely reported in these patients, and are probably unrecognized. We report a case of SLE which was complicated with huge retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to rupture of pseudoaneurysm following renal biopsy, associated with multiple microaneurysms. On angiography, multiple microaneurysms of the intralobular arteries and bleeding from the lower pole renal pseudoaneurysm were seen, which was embolized with gel foam. This case represents an unusual presentation of SLE

[ effect of calcium channel blockers on experimental arthritis induced by complete ferund'sadjuvant injection in rat knee]

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of connective tissue that has affected 1% of human population. The role of calcium antagonists in acute inflammation has shown by previous studies. Therefore the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of verapamil and nifedipine[two calcium antagonists] on experimental arthritis induced by complete Ferund's adjuvant [CFA] in rat knee. This experimental study was carried out in 8 groups of adult male rats. In group 1 and 2 [CFA and control group], 0.2 ml of CFA or saline solution were injected respectively. Groups 3and 4 received 100 and 800micro g/kg nifedipine and groups 5 and 6 received the same doses of verapamil orally 7 days after injection of CFA till the end of study. Group 7 [solvent group] received dimethyl sulfoxide[DMSO] as same as groups 5 and 6 and group 8 received 15mg/kg ibuprofen daily from day 7th orally with gastrointestinal tube. The changes caused by chronic inflammation were evaluated by measurement the knee diameter and Evans blue [E.B] content through 28 through days of CFA injection.The finding of this study showed that on day 7th after CFA injection the knee diameter [13.1 +/- 0.2mm] increased significantly compared to the day zero [9.99 +/- 0.08 mm]. The increasing of diameter was significant till the end of study [day 28][p0.00]. DMSO failed to reduce the increased diameter induced by CFA but the high dose of nifedipine on day 14, 21 and 28 and its low dose only on day 28 reduced the increased diameter significantly [p<0.01]. The low dose of verapamil on days 14 and 28 and its high dose only on day 28 have had an inhibitory effect. Ibuprofen inhibited the increased diameter during all 28 days of study significantly [p<0.01]. The E.B content before the injection of CFA was 2.97 +/- 0.14micro g/l00mg tissue that increased significantly after injection of CFA. Whereas 7 days after CFA injection, E.B content was 12.37 +/- 0.7micro g/100mg tissue [p<0.001]. Either low or high dose of calcium channel blockers had significant inhibitory effect on E.B content on days 14, 21 and 28 p<0.001. The inhibitory effect of calcium channel blockers on E.B content was comparable to ibuprofen effect on the day 28.The findings of this study showed that nifedipine and verapamil can inhibit the experimental arthritis induced by CFA injection into the rat knee, by reducing the knee diameter and decrease the E.B content [albumin leakage]