Search

Background: Epidemiological studies, classification and genetic studies of Leishmania species are effective in treatment, control and prevention in endemic areas. We aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and phylogeny of Leishmania in Zoonotic foci located in northeastern Iran using nagt gene for the first time. Methods: DNA of 100 confirmed positive slides collected from the health centers of Sarkhes, Darghez, Fariman, Esfarayen, and Sabzevar were extracted during 2020-2021. The partial sequence of kDNA was amplified to identify the species. Twenty-five DNA samples were randomly subjected to amplify by nagt gene primes and were sequenced. The sequences were aligned with reference sequences in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Then, the genetic similarities of the sequences were checked using Clustalx2.1 software and the phylogenetic tree was drawn by Mega 7 software. Results: All the positive samples were diagnosed as L. major. Approximately, half of the sequences of species were similar to two reference genes JX103550.1:404-712 L. major Esfahan and KX759012.1:568-807 L. Major Ilam (more than 90% similarity). According to the results of the phylogeny tree, the closest genotype to our study samples was JX103550.1:404-712 L. major Esfahan. Conclusion: The most causative agent CL in these areas was L. major. The genetic diversity of L. major was high such as other zoonotic foci in Iran. Due to the high similarity of the strains in the study areas with the strains of Isfahan and Ilam, similar control and prevention methods is suggested in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of two life-threatening diseases, adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL), and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic (HAM/TSP). HTLV-1 protease (HTLV-1-PR) is an aspartic protease that represents a promising target for therapeutic purposes like human immunodeficiency virus-PR inhibitors (HIV-PR). Therefore, in this study, the human Fc fusion recombinant-PR (HTLV-1-PR:hFcγ1) was designed and expressed for two applications, finding a blocking substrate as a potential therapeutic or a potential subunit peptide vaccine. The PCR amplified DNA sequences encoding the HTLV-1-PR from the MT2-cell line using specific primers with restriction enzyme sites of Not1 and Xba1. The construct was then cloned to pTZ57R/T TA plasmid and, after confirming the PR sequence, subcloned into the pDR2ΔEF1α Fc-expression vector to create pDR2ΔEF1α.HTLV-1-PR:hFcγ1. The integrity of recombinant DNA was confirmed by sequencing to ensure that the engineered construct was in the frame. The recombinant fusion protein was then produced in the Chinese hamster ovary cell (CHO) system and was purified from its supernatant using HiTrap-rPA column affinity chromatography. Then, the immunofluorescence assay (IFA) co-localisation method showed that HTLV-1-PR:hFc recombinant fusion protein has appropriate folding as it binds to the anti-Fcγ antibody; the Fcγ1 tag participates to have HTLV-1-PR:hFcγ1 as a dimeric secretory protein. The development and production of HTLV-1-PR can be used to find a blocking substrate as a potential therapeutic molecule and apply it in an animal model to assess its immunogenicity and potential protection against HTLV-1 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem considered: Working in hospital wards, especially the infectious and pulmonary diseases wards, increases the likelihood of the risk of the health care staff with a variety of infectious factors, including the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The present study was aimed to evaluate the QFT and TST test as well as vitamin D deficiency for screening the tuberculosis health care staff of the tuberculosis sections in Khorasan Razavi province. Methods: In this respect, 44 Tuberculosis health care staff of the tuberculosis sections in Khorasan Razavi province who are directly related to tuberculosis patients were included. TST was performed and chest radiography was done on all the subjects on the day of sampling and the results were collected. The expression of T-bet, FOXP3, and RORyt genes was evaluated by TaqMan Real-time PCR after the lymphocyte isolation by gradient Ficoll lymphocyte assay for immunological isolation and after cDNA synthesis. QFT was performed using the QFT-plus kit the day after sampling in accordance with the instructions in the kit. Results: Out of the 54 TB staff in the province, who were invited for the test, 16 personnel refused to follow the test. Out of 38 participants, TST was positive for 6 people (15.7%), and the QFT test was also positive for 10 people (26.3%), while 4 (10.5%) people showed positive results in both tests. Among 38 cases, the agreement between the two TST and QFT tests was 63% (P-value < 0.0001) among the 38 subjects. The sensitivity and specificity of the TST test were 40 and 93%, respectively as compared to those of QFT. Comparing the results of the QFT positive group to the QFT negative group, the T-bet gene expression in the QFT positive group was 130.9 and the QFT negative group was 34.06, which were statistically significant. Thus, the expression of this gene in the QFT positive group was 3.8 times higher than that of the negative QFT group. Moreover, Foxp3 gene expression in the QFT group was equivalent to 233.3, and in the negative QFT, the group was equivalent to 93.5, which was statistically significant. Therefore, the expression of this gene in the QFT positive group showed an increase 2.3 times higher than that of the negative QFT group. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the QFT test can be an appropriate alternative for skin tests in a high-risk group for TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims, and objectives: Cell‐based therapeutics are among the latest advances in health care technologies. The rapid evolution of stem cell science in Iran has necessitated the application of scientific achievements in clinical settings. However, various issues hindered their translation, in particular, impediments in the interactions of basic stem cell scientists and clinicians. We highlighted the impediments in the interactions of stem cell scientists and physicians involved in the opinion of professionals from both groups. Method: This qualitative research was conducted with thematic analysis, performed by purposive sampling. Thirty‐two distinguished stem cell scientists and clinicians were interviewed to identify their perspectives on this matter. MAXQDA 2018 was used to classify the axial codes based on factors related to communications inefficiencies. The analysis of coded data recognized 18 subthemes and six major themes. Results: Central themes include different registers of the two parties, counterproductive clusters hampered networking, external communication barriers, the competition to access resources, leadership conflicts, and the dissatisfaction of stakeholders with their share. Conclusions: Most of the impediments were seemingly global, for example, the incoherent medical and basic science educational systems, the vulnerable career path of physician‐scientists, and an increasing tendency towards overspecialization. However, some local specific issues were also described, for example, limited funding opportunities and the negative impacts of the division of medical education from the ministry of science, research, and technology in Iran. Proposed interventions include the reinforcement of physician‐scientist programs, designing a distributed leadership model, and bringing back the scientific integrity to higher education in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the last decade, a few cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been reported in some provinces of northeastern Iran. We aimed to investigate clinical and laboratory findings of VL among children who admitted to the pediatric ward in a referral hospital in Mashhad, northeastern Iran. Methods: A retrospective study, between 1997 and 2017, was performed on the data sheet registered for children with confirmed VL at the referral Emam Reza Hospital in Mashhad. Hematological and biochemical profiles of the patients were analyzed. Results: Thirty-five children with VL, confirmed by the presence of amastigotes of Leishmania in Giemsa stained smears of the bone marrow, had been recorded through 20 yr. The mean age of patients was 3.7±4 yr. The majority of the patients suffered from hepatosplenomegaly (100%, n=35/35), followed by prolonged fever and pallor (91%, n=32/35), weight loss (85%, n=30/35). The main laboratory findings were anemia (94.1%), leukopenia (52.9%) and thrombocytopenia (70.5%). Almost one-third (37.1%; 13/35) of VL patients inhabited in rural areas of the Bojnoord district as a known VL endemic focus in northeastern Iran. Conclusion: Our preliminary data showed that the origin of VL is still in some districts other than Mashhad, where VL just will be diagnosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis, one of the most common parasitic infections, can cause abortions in human. The purpose of this study was to determine seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and acute form of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. 208 pregnant women who referred to health centers in south-eastern Iran were taken under study after signing the informed consent forms and filling out the checklists. For those with high levels of IgG or IgM antibody titers, IgG Avidity test was performed to determine the acute infection. High level of IgG anti-body were found in sera of 81 pregnant women and 7 persons had borderline titer. IgM antibody results were positive in 33 and borderline in 4 cases. Then, the samples with positive and borderline results for IgM and IgG were evaluated by IgG avidity test. In this study, approximately 60% of pregnant women were not immune to risks posed by Toxoplasma gondii. Therefore, this group are at risk of acquiring primary infection of toxoplasmosis during gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human hydatidosis is endemic in northeastern Iran. The present study aimed to investigate molecular diversity of Echinococcus granulosus isolates collected from human surgically. Methods: Sixty human hydatid cysts (58 lung cysts and 2 liver cysts) were collected through surgery from Ghaem and Emam Reza hospitals in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences during 2015–2016. Cysts were characterized using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP) analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) gene and sequencing fragments of the genes coding for mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit I (nad1). Results: Overall, 55 out of 60 Echinococcus granulosus cysts (91.6%) were determined as the G1 strain, 4 cases (6.6%) were determined as the G6 strain and 1 sample was not identified. Conclusion: Although sheep strain (G1) is dominated in human patients in Great Khorasan, the prevention of camel-dog cycle should pay attention in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ocular toxoplasmosis, which is caused by the single-cell parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is currently the most significant cause of posterior uveitis in the world. No previous studies have described the prevalence and clinical features of ocular toxoplasmosis in the northeast of Iran. The purpose of the current study was to address this gap.Methods: In this retrospective study, the medical records of 488 uveitis patients who presented to the Khatam-al-Anbia Eye Hospital of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, a tertiary ophthalmology center in the northeast of Iran, between January 2013 and December 2015 were evaluated. The clinical features and risk factors of 99 (20%) consecutive patients with ocular toxoplasmosis were extracted.Results: Ninety-nine including 53 (53.5%) female and 46 (46.5%) male patients with ocular toxoplasmosis were included in the analysis. Reduced vision (77%) and floaters (15.2%) were the most common presenting symptoms. The age category that was most affected by ocular toxoplasmosis was 20-40 years (range: 11-65 years) with a mean age of 27.2. All patients had retinochoroiditis, but just two had anterior uveitis. All of the extracted patients, with the exception of three patients, had unilateral involvement. None of the patients had any other medical disorders with the exception of one woman, who had diabetes. Only four recurring ocular toxoplasmosis patients were referred to the education hospital during the study. Serology data were available for just 32 patients, of which 31 (96.8%) were IgG positive, and 1 (3.2%) was IgM positive.Conclusion: Toxoplasma gondii was responsible for 20% of the patients of uveitis that presented to the largest ophthalmology center in the northeast of Iran. There is a high incidence of patients of ocular toxoplasmosis in the northeast of Iran, and it is a significant cause of uveitis and visual impairment in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfortunately, in the original publication of the article, given name and family name of the first and fourth author names were mentioned incorrectly. The exact given name and family name of those author names have been provided in the erratum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]