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Background: Understanding the factors influencing nurses’ compliance with infection prevention strategies can assist in reducing occupational infections. Objectives: We surveyed nurses and auxiliary nurses in Shiraz, Iran, to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) towards isolation precautions (IP). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a teaching hospital in Shiraz, Iran, in 2019. A five-part self-administered questionnaire was used, addressing demographics and infection prevention knowledge; nine items on KAP towards standard precautions, five items on droplet precautions, six items about airborne precautions, and eight items about contact precautions. The independent sample t-test and Pearson correlation were performed. Results: The mean score of practice was lower than that of knowledge and attitude in all IP domains. Droplet precautions acquired lower KAP scores than other domains. There were significant positive correlations between KAP scores in all IP domains in nurses (P < 0.001) and auxiliary nurses, except for the correlation between knowledge and practice in terms of standard precautions (P = 0.099). In nurses, age significantly correlated with knowledge towards airborne precautions (P < 0.001) and with attitude regarding droplet precautions (P = 0.003). Nurses had significantly higher scores regarding knowledge (P = 0.037) and attitude (P = 0.009) towards standard precautions than auxiliary nurses. The persons who had previous training sessions presented a higher score of the practice dimension for droplet (P = 0.001), airborne (P = 0.011), and contact (P = 0.004) precautions. Conclusions: This study revealed a gap in Nemazee hospital nurses’ KAP towards IPs. Those responsible for infection prevention and control programs in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences must address this poor practice of nurses towards patient safety.

Although nearly a year has passed since the emerge of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with it, a serious and novel pediatric condition called children's multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) has subsequently emerged. In order to achieve a better understanding and management of the disease, documentation and reporting of atypical cases is justified, particularly with the growing number of children with inflammatory syndrome with clinical features simulating MIS during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Based on similar reports from numerous countries with temporal relation to COVID-19 infection in the community, it is essential for general pediatricians to be on alert for such atypical presentations and early referral to tertiary care should be considered as appropriate. Here we four cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Early diagnosis and treatment of patients meeting full or partial criteria for MIS are critical to preventing end-organ damage and other long-term complications, especially during times of public crisis and global health emergencies, such as the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Background. Bambusa vulgaris (Tabashir) has been shown to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects due to the presence of ascorbic acid, vitamin B2, flavonoid, and phenolic compounds which can be beneficial in the process of wound healing. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of topical Tabashir extract on cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania major in BALB/c mice. Methods. Twenty-eight female BALB/c mice (4 weeks old, 18 ± 4 grams) were injected subcutaneously in tail-base with L. major amastigotes. Treatment started when the CL lesions were appeared and continued for 21 days. Mice were then divided into four groups: E1, treated daily with 5% of Tabashir extract gel; E2, treated daily with 10% Tabashir gel; C1, irrigated daily only with normal saline; and C2, received vehicle gel daily. The wounds’ sizes were measured every 3 days, using vernier caliper. The volume densities of vessels, collagens, and hair follicles, vessels’ length density, and mean diameter were soteriologically determined. Results. Tabashir enhanced wound closure rate through increasing the number of fibroblasts, collagen bundles, and vessels, according to histomorphometric evaluation while it did not affect the parasitic load. Findings of the in vitro study revealed that the extract has substantial mortality for the Leishmania promastigotes. Conclusion. Topical Tabashir showed promising effects on the healing process of skin wounds caused by CL in this experimental study. Further studies are suggested to find out the molecules which are involved in the healing process.

ObjectivesThe triage of trauma patients with potential COVID-19 remains a major challenge given that a significant number of patients may be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. This study aimed to compare the specificity and sensitivity of available triage systems for COVID-19 among trauma patients. Furthermore, it aimed to develop a novel triage system for SARS-CoV-2 detection among trauma patients in centers with limited resources.MethodsAll patients referred to our center from February to May 2020 were enrolled in this prospective study. We evaluated the SARS-CoV-2 triage protocols from the WHO, the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME), and the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) for their effectiveness in finding COVID-19 infected individuals among trauma patients. We then used these data to design a stepwise triage protocol to detect COVID-19 positive patients among trauma patients.ResultsAccording to our findings, the WHO protocol showed 100% specificity and 13.3% sensitivity. The MOHME protocol had 99% specificity and 23.3% sensitivity. While the ECDC protocol showed 93.3% sensitivity and 89.5% specificity, it did not prioritize patients based on traumatic injuries and unstable conditions. Our stepwise triage protocol, which prioritizes traumatic injuries, had 93.3% sensitivity and 90.3% specificity.ConclusionOur study shows that the triage protocols from the WHO, MOHME and ECDC are not best equipped to diagnose SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals among trauma patients. In our proposed stepwise triage system, patients are triaged according to their hemodynamic conditions, COVID-19 related clinical states, and COVID-19 related laboratory findings. Our triage model can lead to more accurate and resource-effective management of trauma patients with potential COVID-19 infection.Level of evidenceLevel Ⅲ.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), caused by the intracellular protozoa Leishmania, causes full-thickness skin wounds and scar formation afterwards, which may bring about some complications such as scar formation, secondary infection, and wound expansion. Objectives: This investigation was conducted to determine the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of silymarin, as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-scar, for treatment of CL caused by Leishmania major. Methods: A total of 28 female BALB/C mice were injected with amastigotes of Leishmania major and after the wounds came up on their tail-base they were randomly divided into four groups (n = 7): E1 and E2, which received silymarin 5% and 10% gel, respectively, and C1 and C2 were treated with normal saline and vehicle gel, respectively, every 24 hours for 20 days. Wound size was measured every three days. Finally, the mice were sacrificed with high dose of ether, and full-thickness skin samples from the wound site was obtained for stereological estimation of collagen and vessel volume densities, fibroblasts population, vascular length density, and mean diameter of the vessels. Results: Silymarin gel in either concentration of 5% and 10% accelerates wound closure (P < 0.05) and also improves collagen synthesis and revascularization by means of increasing length density, volume density, and mean diameter of blood vessels (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Topical administration of silymarin extract in both doses of 5% and 10% showed promising effects on the healing process of CL-induced wounds.