Fifty years of struggle to control cutaneous leishmaniasis in the highest endemic county in Iran: A longitudinal observation inferred with interrupted time series model.

Negligible data are available following major social activities and environmental changes on leishmaniasis. Therefore, how interactions between these events influence cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) risk is not well-known. This longitudinal study was undertaken to explore the impact of interventions conducted between 1971 and 2020 in Bam county, which has had the highest disease burden in Iran. Only confirmed CL cases during this period were taken into account. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using the X2 test to assess the significance of the difference between proportions. Moreover, we used interrupted time series (ITS) to assess the impact of three environmental events during this period. Overall, 40,164 cases of CL occurred in the past five decades. Multiple complex factors were among the leading causes that synergistically induced the emergence/re-emergence of CL outbreaks in Bam. The main factors attributed negatively to CL control were cessation of malaria spraying activity, expansion of the city spaces, and a massive earthquake creating new breeding potentials for the vectors. The highest impact on CL incidence during these years was related to the earthquake [coefficient = 17.8 (95% CI: 11.3, 22.7); p-value < 0.001]. Many factors can contribute to CL outbreaks in endemic foci. They also can cause new foci in new areas. Since humans are the single reservoir for CL in this area, early detection and effective management significantly contribute to controlling CL to reduce the disease burden. However, essential evidence gaps remain, and new tools are crucial before the disease can ultimately be controlled. Nevertheless, sustained funding and more trained task forces are essential to strengthen surveillance and case management and monitor the interventions' impact.

Biosynthesis of Ag nanoparticles using Salicornia bigelovii and its antibacterial activity.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In recent years, the field of nanotechnology has become the most active area of research in modern material science. While many chemical- as well as physical methods are also used, green synthesis of nanoparticles is becoming the most evolved method of synthesis. In this study, we synthesized silver nanoparticles from the seed extract of Salicornia bigelovii. METHODS: This experimental study was conducted from December 2017 to January 2018 in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. The effects of two concentrations (1m M and 4mM) on the synthesis of nanoparticles were studied. Characterizations were done using different methods including ultraviolet (UV) visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Antibacterial activity of Ag nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was studied using microdilution method. The data were analyzed using Probit test in SPSS (Version 20, USA). RESULTS: Formation of the AgNPs was confirmed by surface plasmon spectra using UV-Vis spectrophotometer and absorbance peaks at 434 nm. The FTIR spectra showed the possible role of the functional group like carbonyl groups in reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles. The XRD analysis showed that the synthesized silver nanoparticles are of face-centered cubic structure. The TEM showed the formation of silver nanoparticles ranging in diameter from 1 to 50 nm. The minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration of AgNPs were determined for both S. aureus and E. coli 6.25 and 12.5 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: An environmentally friendly approach is more affordable than chemical methods. Physicochemical approaches can be harmful to the environment and to human health. Thus, the green synthesis methods are simple, less expensive, and can cut consumption of energy; they can be used for synthesis of fixed nanoparticles with preferred shape and size, without the use of toxic chemical agents.

Substance misuse patterns and blood types of self-introduced addicts to substance rehabilitation centers of bam city.

BACKGROUND: With regard to the perceptible population, cultural, social andenvironmental changes in the aftermath of the earthquake in Bam City,this study was conducted to pinpoint substance misuse patterns and tofigure out the probable relationship between substance misuse andblood types of the addicts referred to Substance rehabilitation Clinicsfrom 2006 to 2007 in Bam City. METHODS: In this case-control study, the sample size includes volunteering andself-introduced addicts and also a random selection of 360 healthyclients referred to the Blood Transfusion Organization as the controlgroup. Both groups' data were analyzed using descriptive statistics andChi square and the odds ratio was estimated too. FINDINGS: Three-hundred ninety nine individuals from nearly 3000 clients referred tothe rehabilitation clinic from 2005 to 2008 participated with completeconsent in the study. The highest frequency belonged to opium addicts(85.6%) and the most prevalent addiction type pertains to opiumconsumption via smoke inhalation (58.2%). The probability rate of ABnegative blood type compared to other blood types among the addicts was6.07 fold the control group. CONCLUSION: There has been an increasing rate of addiction in bam after earthquakeand The substance consumption pattern has moved towards moredangerous methods. The high prevalence of AB blood type bringsabout a lot of presuppositions for geneticists, epidemiologists,hematologists and all majors in basic sciences.