Phylogenetic analysis of human bocavirus in children with acute respiratory infections in Iran.

Human bocavirus (HBoV) was first characterized in nasopharyngeal aspirates from young children with acute respiratory infections. It is prevalent among children with acute wheezing. This study was carried out in order to analyze the infection frequency and coinfection rates of HBoV with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and to perform phylogenetic analysis of HBoV in samples of children with acute respiratory infection in Isfahan, Iran. During the time period 2016-2017, altogether 75 respiratory samples from children hospitalized with acute respiratory infection were collected. The samples were first screened for RSV by direct immunofluorescence method and then subjected to detect HBoV DNA by PCR. Genotyping of HBoV-positive samples was conducted by direct sequencing of PCR products using NP and VP1/VP2 genes. Out of 75 respiratory samples, 20 (26.7%) and 10 (13.3%) were positive for RSV and HBoV, respectively. The coinfection rate was 40% (p = 0.048). Considering the seasonal distribution, winter has the highest extent outbreak (p = 0.036). Sequence analysis of positive samples exhibits that all of the isolated HBoV were related to genotype 1 (HBoV-1) with minimal sequence variations. Increasing frequency of HBoV suggests that the virus is related to acute respiratory infection in children. A single genetic lineage of HBoV1 seems to be the major genotype in Iran.

Periopathogens in atherosclerotic plaques of patients with both cardiovascular disease and chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis and periodontitis are both chronic inflammatory diseases. Although a strong relationship between the two has already been established, the underlying mechanism is unknown. The present study was conducted aiming to detect the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a), Campylobacter rectus (C.r), and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g) in subgingival and atherosclerotic plaques of patients with both chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: In this cross sectional study, patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and moderate to severe periodontitis which were scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were enrolled in the study. The subgingival plaques were collected before surgery. All samples were examined for the detection of selected periopathogens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The subgingival and atherosclerotic plaque samples of 23 patients were examined. The DNA of P.g, A.a, and C.r were found to be positive in 43.47%, 43.47%, and 78.26% of subgingival plaques, and 13.04%, 17.39%, and 8.69% of atherosclerotic plaques, respectively. In all cases, the bacterial species found in atherosclerotic plaques were also found in the subgingival plaques of the same patient. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the presence of periopathogens in atherosclerotic plaques of patients with chronic periodontitis. More studies are required to ascertain the exact role of these periopathogens in atherosclerotic plaque formation.

Study on Prevalence, Antibiotic Susceptibility, and tuf Gene Sequence-Based Genotyping of Species-Level of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus Isolated From Keratitis Caused by Using Soft Contact Lenses.

OBJECTIVE: To study on antibiotic susceptibility and identify coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) species based on tuf gene sequencing from keratitis followed by using soft contact lenses in Isfahan, Iran, 2013. METHODS: This study examined 77 keratitis cases. The samples were cultured and the isolation of CoNS was done by phenotypic tests, and in vitro sensitivity testing was done by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility method. RESULTS: Thirty-eight of isolates were conveniently identified as CoNS. In this study, 27 (71.1%), 21 (55.3%), and 16 (42.1%) were resistant to penicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline, respectively. One hundred percent of isolates were sensitive to gentamicin, and 36 (94.7%) and 33 (86.8%) of isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Also, resistances to cefoxitin were 7 (18.4%). Analysis of tuf gene proved to be discriminative and sensitive in which all the isolates were identified with 99.0% similarity to reference strains, and Staphylococcus epidermidis had the highest prevalence among other species. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study showed that CoNS are the most common agents causing contact lens-associated microbial keratitis, and the tuf gene sequencing analysis is a reliable method for distinguishing CoNS species. Also gentamycin, chloramphenicol, and ciprofloxacin are more effective than the other antibacterial agents against these types of bacteria.

Isolation of toxigenic Clostridium difficile from ready-to-eat salads by multiplex polymerase chain reaction in Isfahan, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Since 2003, the incidence of community associated Clostridium difficile infection (CA-CDI) has increased; different types of food have been supposed to be the vectors of C. difficile strains. The purpose of this study is to investigate the occurrence of C. difficile strains in ready-to-eat salads distributed in food services. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 106 ready-made salad specimens were sampled from different restaurants and food services located in Isfahan, in the center of Iran. Positive isolates of C. difficile were identified and confirmed for the existence of three genes including tpi, tcdA and tcdB by multiplex PCR. RESULTS: A total of six (5.66%) samples were positive for C. difficile strains. Of which, one strain (16.6%) was positive for A and B toxins. CONCLUSION: The existence of toxigenic C. difficile in ready-made salads could be a caution for public health. Further investigation is required to assess the relationship between the isolated strains in our study and those from diarrheic patients through molecular typing.