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Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI), leads to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and chronic pelvic pain in women as well as an increased risk of vertical transmission, conjunctivitis and pneumonitis in infants. It may also be a co-factor along with human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical cancer progression. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CT genotypes in genital specimens of women from South Khorasan, Iran and to test the association between CT and cytology statistics. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 248 Pap smear samples from women who visited a gynecologist for routine Pap smear testing in South Khorasan province. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to test the residual fluids of Pap smears for CT-DNA after cytological examination. Direct sequencing, alignment and phylogenic analyses were performed on eight samples to identify their genotypes. Results: The mean age of patients was 37.54 ± 5.21 years. Most samples had a normal cytology (214 cases, 86.29%). Overall, 31 samples were positive for CT infection (12.5%) of which 20 (9.34%) were normal and 11 (32.35%) were abnormal, with the frequency difference being significant (P=0.022). The co-infection of CT/HPV in total was identified in 14 cases (5.6%). The results of sequencing eight samples out of the 31 CT positive samples revealed the detection of genotypes D and E, each with four cases. Conclusion: We show that a high prevalence of genital CT infection is present in women with both normal and abnormal cytology; however, the higher prevalence among women in the abnormal group may indicate its involvement in cervical neoplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases and a major public health challenge in Iran caused by Leishmania spp and transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. The number of CL cases has shown an increasing pattern all over the country, including the district of Varamin, southeast of Tehran, Iran. This study aimed to identify the Leishmania spp isolated from CL patients using molecular methods in Varamin during 2012-2013. Methods: Exudate materials collected from the swollen edge of the skin lesions of 44 parasitological positive CL patients by disposable lancet. They were referred to Varamin Health Center by physician. The samples were subjected to molecular method for Leishmania species identification. Results: The digestion pattern of restriction enzyme revealed that 37 (84.1%) CL patients were infected with L. major and 7 (15.9%) were infected with L. tropica. They were mostly male than female. More than half of the patients (58%) had multiple lesions, and they were mostly observed on extremities, 34.1% on legs and 29.5% on hands. Le- sions were mostly of wet ulcerative type. Conclusion: Dominancy of L. major provides more evidence that Varamin District probably could be considered as Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ZCL) areas. More investigation on other epidemiological aspects of disease is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Leishmaniasis is one of the most important diseases in Iran, with high prevalence in some part of country including, Tehran province. This study was aimed to investigate the cutaneous lesions of patients studies was also referred to different laboratory of Health center of Varamin (a city in Tehran province), sand flies species in selected area. Material and Methods: In this cross sectional study demographic data was collected by special questionnaire. Smears of suspected patients to stained and examined by microscope. Sand flies were collected by sticky traps, CDC light traps and aspirators, female specimens were mounted and identified by diagnostic keys at species level. Results: Leishmania parasites were observed in 56.82% of cases. Disease was more common among male (64%). The majority of patients (30%) aged between 25-39 year old. Most lesions (50%) observed in hands and legs of patients, 76% of affected people had just one lesion. Half of them had a history of travel to endemic areas. More than 2500 sand flies captured during this study; among them 1100 female specimens were mounted and identified. The prevalent spicies was Sergentomyia spp (65/9%), the second was. papatasi (33/20%). It should be mentioned that Ph. sergenti, Ph. alexandri and Ph. caucasicus group also were identified in lower percentage. Conclusion: According to current results and the status of the studied region including it seems that (Agricultural activities, animal husbandry and migration), cutaneous leishmaniasis could be a health threatening problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]