Identification of Leishmania isolates from Varzaneh city, Isfahan province, Iran using nested polymerase chain reaction method.

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease, is caused by the Leishmania genus, a protozoan parasite transmitted by sand fly arthropods. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in old world is usually caused by L. major, L. tropica, and L. aethiopica complexes. One of the most important hyper endemic areas of CL in Iran is Isfahan province. Varzaneh is a city in the eastern part of Isfahan province. Due to different biological patterns of parasite strains which are distributed in the region, this study was design to identify Leishmania species from human victims using Kinetoplastid DNA as templates in a molecular PCR method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 186 suspected cases, 50 cases were confirmed positive by direct microscopy after Giemsa staining. Species characterization of the isolates was done using Nested- PCR as a very effective and sensitive tool to reproduce mini circle strands. RESULTS: After Nested-PCR from all 50 cases, 560 bp bands were produced which according to products of reference strains indicate that the infection etiologic agent has been L. major. 22 (44%) of patients were females and 28 (56%) of them were males. Their age ranges were between 7 months and 60 years. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the study and the particular pattern of infection prevalent in the region, genetic studies and identification of Leishmania parasites are very important in the disease control and improvement of regional strategy of therapy protocols.

The Status of School Events in Middle School Students in Isfahan Province.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents are being threatened by several accidents because of entering the new world of adulthood, separation from families, a greater presence in community individually, the lack of knowledge of rules and risk-taking spirit of adolescents, and events. The contribution of these damages and their related costs are higher in developing and low-income countries. The current study was conducted for proper planning focused on reducing accidents that have the highest incidence, evaluating school events, determining the place and time that most accidents happened to students and determining the body part injured. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a multistage cluster sampling was conducted on 6933 students 11-14 years old (middle school) in 2009-2010 in Isfahan Province. The data were collected through observation and a researcher-made questionnaire and then entered into the EPi6 software, and analyzed by the SPSS 11.5 software and the statistical test of Chi-square. RESULTS: The findings showed that 49.9% of students were girls (n = 3462) and 50.1% (n = 3471) were boys, 84.5% of students (n = 5860) were living in urban areas and 15.5% of students (n = 1073) were living in rural areas. Frequency distribution of incidents was 53.9% (3739 cases) at school and 10.6% (732 cases) on the commuting route. The most injured body part was hand with 1018 cases (18.5%) and foot with 1267 cases (23.1%), and mostly they were injured in boys. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that a high percentage of students were injured at school, where the first step to prevent the incidence of such preventable incidents at school is to secure workshop environments and school yards.

The Status of Preventive Behaviors in Traffic Accidents in Junior High School Students in Isfahan.

BACKGROUND: Population growth and use of the car in daily life entails new incidents and accidents everyday. Adolescents' entering the new world of adults, their insufficient knowledge of rules, and high-risk behaviors expose them to more risks. Accordingly, a study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the status of preventive behaviors in traffic accidents in boy and girl junior high school students in Isfahan regarding vehicle use. METHODS: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 7000 junior high school boy and girl students from 20 towns in Isfahan Province using multi-stage cluster sampling method in 2009-2010. A researcher-made questionnaire was used as data collection tool, which evaluated students' practice and preventive behaviors with 21 questions, each examining students' practice in accidents and incidents that may occur in school and on the way to school. Data were analyzed with Epi 6 and SPSS software using t-test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Girls comprised 49.9% of students and 50.1% were boys, 84% lived in urban areas and 15.5% in rural areas. The frequency of an accident location was school in 53.9% with 3739 cases and on the way to school in 10.6% with 732 cases. Mean practice score of preventive behaviors in traffic accidents involving cars, taxi, and school bus (72.6 ± 17.52 girls, 72.7 ± 18.31 boys, P = 0.88), motorbike (79.1 ± 14.048 girls, 74.1 ± 19.73 boys, P < 0.001), bicycle (71.4 ± 16.56 girls, 68.5 ± 14.69 boys, P = 0.152), bus and minibus (91.8 ± 13.16 girls, 87 ± 18.65 boys, P < 0.001), crossing the street (30.5 ± 26.67 girls, 32.7 ± 28.03 boys, P = 0.003), and skating (60.6 ± 29.103 girls, 61.2 ± 26.84 boys, P = 0.927). Results indicate that girls have better preventive practices than boys in use of motorbikes, buses, and minibuses. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results obtained, the majority of students walk to school and have the lowest practice score in this respect. It is recommended that as the first step, students be given necessary road traffic rules training, particularly how to cross the street.

Identification of Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Persons with Background of Intravenous Drug Use: The First Community Announcement-based Study From Iran.

OBJECTIVES: Injection drug use plays the most important role in transmission of hepatitis C. In Iran, surveys have been conducted on various high risk groups but this is the first announcement based study for hepatitis C virus HCV prevalence among cases with history of intravenous drug using (IVDU) in the country. METHODS: The announcement-based detection and follow-up of patients with anti-HCV positive project in volunteers with history of intravenous drug using was conducted in Isfahan province. At the first step, six focus groups were conducted and 2 pilot studies were carried out in two cities to design the main study. Comprehensive community announcement was done in all of public places and for physicians. The volunteers were invited to Isfahan reference laboratories and the serum samples were sent to Infectious Diseases Research Center Laboratory in standard conditions and HCV-Ab was tested by ELISA method. RESULTS: In this study, 1,747 individuals that are estimated 50% of all expected intravenous drug users in the community were presented themselves. The most important reasons of success in recruiting volunteers in this study were the perfect propaganda, appropriate cooperation of lab staffs, continuous evaluation and good cooperation in Isfahan province administrations. HCV-Ab was detected in 34% of them and the HCV-Ab positives were sent for further follow-up procedures including confirmatory test, education, and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of some limitations to select real cases, this study was considered as a successful experience. Compared to the surveys in Iran on HCV prevalence in intravenous drug users, the results of this study, which was based on volunteers by announcement seems to be noteworthy.