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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a significant health and financial issue in the current century. Despite significant attempts to manage the illness, the transmission routes of the virus and its widespread genomic mutations have led to an increasing number of new infections and mortality rates. In the absence of specific treatment for this new virus, identifying and managing factors affecting the prognosis of the disease is one of the critical strategies to reduce disease mortality. Patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), who account for an estimated half a billion people globally, are more prone to infections due to immune system disorders. Since they visit hospitals more frequently for follow-up care and diagnosis, they are more susceptible to becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2. Once infected with SARS-CoV-2, low hemoglobin (Hb) levels and compromised immune systems disrupt the restriction of infection in these individuals, ultimately leading to severe complications of COVID-19.
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Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is considered one of the most infectious diseases in the world. In this study, we intended to examine the epidemiology of tuberculosis by MIRU-VNTR to define the changes that occur in the transmission of tuberculosis in the region during the COVID-19 era. A total of 120 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were collected from sputum samples of patients referred to East Azerbaijan Center TB from December 2020 to August 2021. Demographic information such as age, sex, place of birth, previous TB history, and relevant medical data was collected. The proportion method was performed for drug susceptibility testing, and the PCR-based MIRU-VNTR method was applied to identify molecular epidemiology relationships. Result(s): The isolates were collected from 78 male (65%) and 39 female (32.5%) Iranian patients and 3 (2.5%) Azerbaijani patients. Ninety-three distinct patterns were identified including 15 clustered patterns and 36 unique patterns. The largest cluster was composed of seven isolates. Furthermore, one cluster with 5 members, four clusters with 3 members, and nine clusters with 2 members. In MIRU-VNTR typing, 75 clusters belonged to the Tabriz region and just 3 to the Republic of Azerbaijan. All isolates were sensitive to rifampin, isoniazid, and ethambutol. Conclusion(s): Results of the current study showed COVID-19 pandemic had a direct effect on the transmission and diagnosis of tuberculosis. Less diagnosis and less clustering can indicate public controls and hygiene, and the use of masks had a direct effect on the transmission and diagnosis of tuberculosis. However, misidentification and less focus on other respiratory infections are expected during the pandemic. Studies on the co-infection of COVID-19 and tuberculosis and the role of mask and sanitization against TB are strongly recommended. Copyright © 2023, The Author(s).
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Introduction: Transmission of bioaerosols through the air is known as an important route for a wide range of nosocomial infections. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to evaluate the type and diversity of bioaerosols and antibiotic resistance of bacterial bioaerosols in the indoor environments of Sina educational and treatment hospital, Tabriz, Iran. Methods and materials: 150 samples of bacteria and fungi (75 fungi and 75 bacteria) bioaerosol samples were collected on petri dish containing Sabouraud dextrose agar from February to March and June to July 2020 in three periods of daytime (morning, noon and evening) according to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH 0-800) standard. After sampling, fungal and bacterial samples were incubated and the disk diffusion agar method (Kirby-Bauer) was used for assessing the antibiotic resistance. Results: The concentration of bioaerosols varied significantly in different wards. In addition, the concentration of bioaerosols in winter was observed to be higher than in summer. The highest and lowest airborne fungal concentrations were found in burns operating room and men's infectious ward (49 CFU/m3) and children's burns ward (28 CFU/m3), respectively. The predominantly isolated bacteria were Streptococcus spp. (38%) and Staphylococcus spp. (37%). Also, the main isolated fungi belonged to the genera Aspergillus (75.9%) and Penicillium (22.5%). The highest rates of antibiotic resistance were observed for colistin (100%) in Gram-negative and penicillin (84.2%) in Gram-positive. Conclusion: Timely and regular disinfection of hospital wards can affect the density of bioaerosols. Owing to the prevalence of COVID-19 epidemic in the world, the staff and patients often were wearing masks, gloves and special clothing as well as using disinfectants to prevent coronavirus infection in wards during the summer sampling. © 2022 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
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In late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was transmitted from animal to human in China. Subsequently, the virus spread rapidly throughout the world by human-to-human transmission and caused high mortality the people with underlying diseases, especially hypertension. This virus binds to its receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), via the S protein. ACE2 has a negative regulatory function in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and degrades angiotensin 2 (Ang II) as a vasoconstrictor which causes blood pressure regulation. It also converts Ang II to Ang1-7, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with hypertension reduces ACE2 levels due to virus binding, which decreases Ang II degradation. Consequently, the complications associated with hypertension are raised, and blood pumping from the lungs into the left atrium lowers. On the other hand, the final product, Ang1-7, is reduced, and its related anti-inflammatory activity is also eliminated. The virus multiplies and damages lung cells, causing inflammation and edema of the lung tissue through the function of immune cells and cytokines, which eventually leads to lung damage, reduced oxygen delivery, and death. Careful care of patients with hypertension can prevent their infection and reduce their death with appropriate oxygen therapy and possibly using exogenous ACE2 supplements. © 2022 by the authors.
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The medicinal characteristics of garlic’s (Allium sativum L.) dynamically bioactive constituents such as alliin, allicin, ajoene, S-allyl-cysteine, S-trityl-L-cysteine, diallyl sulfide, and S-allylmercaptocysteine, have gained a lot of scientific attention from a large number of investigators who have occupied the related pre-clinical and clinical studies, as well as in the industrial sector. The outcomes from basic investigations demonstrated that, depending on the type of food processing, the presence of bioactive compounds in the matrix of garlic have a coherent and direct relation with the appearance/development of health-promoting effects in the host. Besides, it can be acknowledged that at present spectroscopic and chemometric techniques are powerful tools to detect fraud, prevent criminal activities of fraudsters, and ensure food chain safety, and future studies should lead to further progress, such as portable and hand-held spectroscopy devices for rapid on-site analysis, in this field. There have been also many issues on the effects of processing on garlic’s bioactive compounds, potential toxicities, pharmacokinetics, and safety profile of these elements that should be studied to validate the health advantages of garlic in humans. In this review, the outcomes of recent experimental and clinical reports are reviewed and metabolism pathway, bioavailability, biological/therapeutically effects, food-related applicability, methods of adulteration detection, potential toxicities, and safety profile of garlic’s derived bio-compounds are discussed. © 2022 Taylor & Francis.
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Novel Covid-19 (Sars-CoV-2) is a leading acute respiratory tract infection in humans and respiratory disease COVID-19 has gained global resonance, and attempts are being made to classify the molecular characteristics and evolutionary background of this virus. SARS-CoV-2 infects host cells via a variable molecular mechanism. Thus, the rapid and reliable diagnosis of pathogenic viruses plays a crucial role in finding the right treatments, saving lives, and stopping epidemics. that binds to host receptors and fuses viral and cell membranes. This review summarizes the information currently available about the seven HCoVs, with a focus on comparing and contrasting the various HCoVs from a virus evolution and genome recombination perspective. The cause for the angiotensin 2 receptor being an enzyme-converting site is also emphasized. This study sets out to shed light on the SARS-CoV-2 and the main entrance pathways into target cells. This is expected to help researchers and clinicians develop new methods to diagnose coronavirus infection in a timely and efficient manner. Copyright (C) 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared as a pandemic by the WHO on 2020 a novel disease with no confirmed and precise therapeutic agent. Lopinavir/ ritonavir has shown no benefit in 199 COVID-19 hospitalized adult patients compared with standard care alone. Remdesivir has shown promising results in the first case of COVID-19 in the USA, but recent reports were disappointing and still are under more investigation in clinical trials. The arbidol (Umifenovir) and Favipiravir act well in postexposure prophylaxis and viral clearance. Interferons in combination with other antiviral agents, if administered in the early stages of the disease, can cause advantageous effects. Ribavirin is no more recommended in new guidelines. Tocilizumab (Actemra) is an effective treatment in severe patients of COVID-19 and a new therapeutic strategy. Systemic corticosteroids seem to have a great impact in reducing mortality rate in mechanically ventilated patients. There are also some supplementary agents such as vitamin C, A, D, selenium, and zinc that have been reported to be effective in the prevention and treatment of viral infections. Recent findings indicate human recombinant soluble angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, niclosamide, and ivermectin had strong in-vitro results which can lead to fast in-vivo trials and help us to control infection. Copyright (C) 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.