[Changes of trend of antibiotic susceptibility in isolated bacteria from culture of ICU patients of Shahrekord Ayatollah Kashanani hospital, I.R. Iran]

ICUs are faced with increasing rapid emergence of antibiotic- resistant bacteria, which influence patient mortality. This study was conducted to compare the trend of antimicrobial resistance among microorganism's agents of ICUs nosocomial infections in two periods of 6 months with an interval of 12 months. In this descriptive analytic study, 322 obtained clinical specimens[including urine, tracheal aspirated materials, blood, wound, synoartrial fluid and chest tube secretion] from 205 hospitalized patients in ICU of Kashani ward Shahrekord, Iran was investigated during two periods of 6 months [second half of 2006 and first half of 2008]. Patients with acute inflammatory responses were included in the study. The antibiograme was performed using Disk diffusion method with following disks: ceftriaxone, ceftizoxime, ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin, carbenicillin, norfloxacin, gentamycin, amikacin and co-trimaxazol. The most and less common collected specimens were tracheal discharge [58.6%] and synovial fluid [0.3%] respectively. Overall 24.5% of cultures were positive. [58.2% of tracheal discharge and 0.3% of synovial fluid]. Klebsiella and Pseudomonas were the most common isolated bacteria. With an interval of 12 months the resistance trend of isolated bacteria to ceftizoxime, ciprofloxacin and carbenicillin changed from 62.5%, 19%, 100% to 88%, 55%, 71% [P<0.05]. There was an increased sensitivity to gentamycin in second period of study. Considering the increasing trend of resistance to ceftizoxime, ciprofloxacin, we recommend them in the case of positive culture and antibiograme. Antibiotic usage in ICU ward must be controlled more effectively and each ICU needs to have a program for antibiotic resistance surveillance

Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus in the families of the patients with hepatitis C infection in Shahre-Kord, Iran

Chronic hepatitis C is a major health concern around the world. Although transmission of hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection through parenteral exposure is well documented, sexual transmission of HCV is still debated. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of HCV infection within the families of the patients infected with HCV in a central city of Iran, Shahre-kord. We examined eighty patients with chronic HCV-associated liver disease and their 230 first degree families in a cross-sectional descriptive serological study. Their serum samples were tested for anti-HCV antibody, using ELISA and Immunobloting. A questionnaire including risk factors for HCV infection specially drugs addiction, sexual behaviors, and duration of partnership was filled in by the cases. About 2.17% of the household contacts were seropositive. Of them, 8.7% spouses and 20% sisters had anti-HCV antibody. The risk of HCV transmission between monogamous sex partners is higher than that of in other family members, depending on the duration of exposure especially sexual exposure. Infection rate in other family members of HCV-infected persons and community members is the same

Seroprevalence of mumps before inclusion of mumps vaccination in the Iranian Expanded Programme on Immunization

The current target groups for measles, mumps and rubella vaccination in the Islamic Republic of Iran are children at 12 months and 4-6 years. A study of the age-specific seroprevalence of antibodies against mumps in children aged 3-18 years in Shahrekord aimed to establish the need for booster vaccinations to cover non-immune children. Of 338 children, 19.8% were seronegative. Age-specific seronegativity was 33.3%, 20.5% and 4.6% in age groups 7-11, 12-14 and 15-18 years respectively. To obtain herd immunity, we suggest that for the next 5 years children aged 7-11 years entering guidance school are selected as the main group for vaccination

[Determination of HBs Ab stability after HBV vaccination in multitransfused patients, Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord, 2003]

Hepatitis B virus [HBV] is one of the main causes of hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and vaccination by anti-HBs is the only reliable method for its prevention. Since blood transfusion is one of the most important transmission routes of this virus, blood recipients may always be at its exposure. Considering the importance of vaccination in multitransfused patients, we decided to evaluate HBsAb level in them. In this cross sectional study with simple sampling, 83 patients with major thalassemia, 5 with hemophilia, and 5 with fanconi anemia, having been referred to Hajar Hospital of Shahrekord to receive blood and blood products in the year 2003 were evaluated for their level of HBsAb. The level of HBsAb was measured with Diasorin kit [sensitivity=95%, specificity=98%]. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test. Thirty patients [28.5%] were nonimmune, 11 [12.5%] were partially immune, and 52 [59%] were immune. Eighty eight patients had previous history of hepatitis B vaccination. Out of those who had received the last vaccination within the last 5 years, 82% were immune [p<0.05] and out of those who had it earlier, only 35.7% were immune. Besed on the results of this study, determination of immune status in multitransfused patients and their immunization are important and revaccination after a 5-year lapse in patients is recommended