TTV prevalence in Ahwaz blood donors by using semi-nested PCR

Occurrence of new infectious agents threatens access to zero risk in blood transfusion and enhancement of blood safety. Although sensitive methods are available for diagnosis of hepatitis, yet some hepatitis cases do not have a known etiology. In 1997, the novel DNA virus was isolated from post-transfusion serum samples of patients affected by non-A-G hepatitis. Nowadays this novel virus is known as transfusion-transmitted virus. This circular single stranded unenveloped and virucidally resistant virus is the first human circovirus and has universal distribution. It is believed that TTV may cause hepatitis and aplastic anemia. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of TTV in healthy blood donors in Ahwaz and set up N22 PCR for subsequent first-time viral studies in south region in Iran. In 2003, We studied the presence of TTV DNA by using Okamoto primers with PCR in plasma of blood donors in whom serologic tests for hepatitis A-C and HIV-Ab were negative. Our study showed that the virus prevalence in blood donors was 23.7% [60/253] and there was not any significant differences between prevalence of TTV and background variables. Our findings showed the same prevalence rate as in neighboring countries; however, in comparison with thalassemic patients that were studied in parallel with the present research, the difference was significant [143/250; 57.3%]. It shows the importance of blood transfuison in transmission of the virus

Transfusion transmitted virus [TTV] infection in thalassemic patients

TTV was first isolated from the serum of a Japanese patient with post transfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology in 1977. TTV has been visualized by electron microscopy and was found to be an unenveloped, small, spherical particle with a diameter of 30-32 nm, and is a member of family related to Circovridae family. The exact role of TTV in the pathogenesis of liver disease is yet to be established. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of TTV in thalassemic patients in Ahwaz. Viral DNA was studied in 250 thalasemic patients. The results were compared with those of 250 blood donor controls. DNA was extracted from plasma and amplified by semi nested polymerase chain reaction with reported primer sets from a conserved region of the TTV genome. 57.2% [143/250] samples obtained from patients and 20% [54/250] of blood donors were positive for TTV-DNA detected by PCR. The difference in TTV prevalence between the two groups was statistically [CHI 2] significant [P= 0.0001]. The prevalence of TTV-DNA in Iranian thalassemic patients is high, which is the same as other countries

evaluation of cytomegalovirus in infants following exchange transfusion in Children Medical Hospital

During the infancy period, exchange transfusion is the main and effective method of cure for hyperbilirubineamia in hemolytic neonates. One of the risks involved in these patients is CMV infection. Since CMV can inflict and kill children with immunodeficiency, we decided to evaluate blood transmitted CMV infection in infants for the first time in Iran. In this prospective study, the levels of IgG and IgM antibody against CMV in infants blood sera before and after exchange transfusion, sera of their mothers, and the plasma of donors were evaluated by ELISA method and conventional kits. The data were then analyzed by nonparameteric and mac nemar test. The level of specific IgM antibody of CMV was 14% in the serum of infants before exchange transfusion and 48% two months after exchange which came out to be significant [p<0.0001]. This indicates transmittability of CMV infection through blood transfusion since the amount of primary infection of CMV in mothers [IgM] was only 1%. According to the high level of CMV infection in infants [14%] compared to mothers [1%], it can be concluded that some mothers have latent CMV infection. On the other hand, the high level of CMV infection in infants [48%] 2 months after transfusion is caused by post-transfusion CMV infection. Analysis of the data obtained from dependent varibles such as volume of transfused blood, number of exchange transfusion attempts, weight, age, sex and blood group analyzed by the nonpara-meteric method indicated that the volume of transfused blood to infants has a direct correlation with the rate of transmission of infection to them but other variables do not have any correlation

survey of cellular immunity, total T-lymphocyte, T-active, B-lymphocyte and T-cell function in relation to phytohemagglutinin [PHA] in thalassemic patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune system and lymphocyte function in 41 Iranian [beta]-thalassemic patients and 50 controls, ages ranging from 2 to 18 years. The patients consisted of 20 splenectomized and 21 non-splenectomized patients. They were treated with Desferal, and had received repeated blood transfusion. Laboratory investigations included measurement of total T lymphocytes, active T lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes and function of lymphocytes treated with PHA. In this study we observed a significant reduction of active T lymphocytes and total T lymphocytes in the patient group compared to controls [p<0.005 and p<0.001], but there was no significant difference between splenectomized and non-splenectomized patients. Also in both groups, lymphocyte function was reduced against PHA [phytohemagglutinin] compared with the controls, and the numbers of B cells were increased. These results lead to the conclusion that the deficient immune system in [beta]-thalassemia causes infectious diseases, which finally leads to death. Therefore, stimulation of the immune system as well as clinical treatment may prevent infectious disease in patients with [beta]- thalassemia

Evaluation of cell-mediated immunity in mustard gas injuries

Yamakido, et al. in 1986 have studied immunological parameters in poison gas workers, and a depression has been observed in immunologic response. Also, the frequency of cancer has reached as high as five-fold that of the general population. In the present study, cell-mediated immunity [CMI] was measured in three groups of Iranian mustard gas-injured patients. The first group were those who had been injured three months up to one year before, and the second group were studied one to two years after injury, and the third were studied after two years from the time of injury. The following results were obtained: 1- In comparison with normal controls [61.5 +/- 4], T lymphocytes showed a significant decrease in 50% of the three groups [50.71 +/- 15. 7; 46.95 +/- 15] of poison gas injury, and B lymphocytes were increased, but no significant difference could be seen in mitogen response to PHA. 2- In comparison with normal control [47 +/- 9], T helper cells [T4] in 52% of the first and second groups were significantly decreased [33. 14 +/- 16.59]. 3- T suppressor cells [T8] in 53% of the first group, and in 22% of the second and third groups [27.29 +/- 11. 77; 21. 4 +/- 6. 89] were increased in comparison with normal controls [20 +/- 6]. 4-Ratio of T4 to T8 in 71% of the first group and 60% of the second and third groups were decreased. Therefore depression of CMI in poison gas injury was observed after one, two, and three years, which will be discussed in this paper

Inhibition of 14C uptake by candida albicans: a new method for investigation of intracellular killing by phagocytes

A radio assay employing 14 C-Urodone to measure the intracellular killing of Candida albicans by phagocytes is presented. The principle of this new method is that after killing of Candida albicans by phagocytes RNA synthesis stops and therefore uridine uptake is diminished whilst viable candida in cultures would take up uridine and as a result, high CPM counts can be obtained within 135 min. of incubation in test cultures. Leukocytes from 30 normal subjects showed reduced C.P.M. following killing of Candida albicans