Search

Objective Shigellosis is one of the substantial causative agents of microbial dysentery and still has a remarkable prevalence particularly in areas with poor hygienic infrastructures. The probable existence of the deadly Shiga toxin-1(Stx1) protein in some Shigella strains would manifest life-threatening clinical symptoms of the infection. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of Stx1 in isolated from patients with diarrhea. Results Totally, 227 Shigella species including 60 S. flexneri, 157 S. sonnei, and 10 S. boydii were collected from diarrheal patients in tropical infectious diseases research center of Ahvaz, Iran, from 2013 till 2015. The isolates were collected mostly from the intensive care unit, infectious disease, and surgery settings. The isolates were identified and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the stx gene. The results indicated that none of them encode the stx gene. In conclusion isolates of this study were not capable of stx1 encoding.

Background: It is estimated that about 370 million people are chronic carriers of HBV worldwide. Apparently 3% of Iranian populations are chronic carriers of this virus. We aimed to evaluate the viral DNA in biological fluids of chronic hepatitis patients compared to a control group. Methods: The current case-control study was designed to evaluate the viral DNA in biological fluids of 70 chronic hepatitis patients compared to a control group using ELISA, PCR and Real Time. Results: All individuals (100%) in case group were HBsAg positive while in control group only 2 individuals (2.8%) were HBsAg positive. Three individuals , in control group were positive using PCR and Real Time PCR indicating that about 7% of those in control group were chronic carriers of HBV. The interesting point was the copy of viral DNA; (5.49 ×104, 2.162×103and 7.26×106) for 3 chronic carriers using sera while it was about (5.71×103, 1.45×102 and 2.56×105) using ear cerumen confirming the necessity of investigating for the carriers of HBV in different biological fluid and by different methods. Conclusion: It can be concluded chronic carriers of hepatitis B are much more than what is diagnosed by routine diagnostic tests. On the other hand ELISA alone can not be relied on as a complete test for screening of chronic carriers in hepatitis B. PCR and Real Time PCR are more reliable tests for this purpose.

Colonization of the human and animal intestinal tract with potential pathogenic bacteria is correlated with the risk of contamination of food products. The current study analyzed the prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli O157H7 in ground meat in Ilam, Iran. Both index organisms were identified following standard food microbiological methods. For E. faecalis , the susceptibility to vancomycin was tested, and PCR was used to check for the vanA gene. E. faecalis was present in all 24 ground meat samples, with no E. coli O157H7 detected in samples. The analysis showed the presence of the vanA gene in 5/24 vancomycin resistant enterococci. In conclusion, this study for the first time demonstrates the presence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in ground meat in Iran. This observation warrants further epidemiologic investigation and should be followed up in the future. Das Vorkommen potentiell pathogener Bakterien im menschlichen und tierischen Darmtrakt ist mit einem Kontaminationsrisiko für Lebensmittel verbunden. Daher wurde die Prävalenz von E. faecalis und Escherichia coli O157H7 in Hackfleisch in Ilam, Iran, untersucht. Nach der Probennahme wurden die Bakterien gemäß lebensmittelhygienischer Methode untersucht. Für E. faecalis wurde ihre Sensitivität gegenüber Vancomycin geprüft und das Vorkommen des vanA -Gens mittels PCR untersucht. In allen 24 Hackfleischproben war E. faecalis , jedoch in keinem Fall E. coli O157H7 nachweisbar. In 5 der 24 untersuchten Lebensmittelproben wurde VRE-Stämme mit Nachweis des vanA -Gens nachgewiesen. Diese Studie zeigt erstmals das Vorkommen von VRE in Hackfleisch im Iran. In Anbetracht des Vorkommens von VRE sollten weitere epidemiologische Untersuchungen durchgeführt und die Entwicklung genau beobachtet werden.

The current study was conducted to investigate the relationship between vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) and the presence of mazEF toxin-antitoxin (TA) system, which may be useful as target for novel antimicrobial therapy concepts. The susceptibility of E. faecalis was determined by MIC, and the presence of the mazEF TA system was evaluated by PCR. Among 200 E. faecalis isolates 39.5% showed resistance to vancomycin (VRE), while 60.5% were susceptible strains (VSE). The mazEF TA system was positive in all VRE isolates (100%), but less prevalent (38/121, 31.4%) among the 121 VSE strains. In conclusion, our study demonstrated a positive relationship between the presence of vancomycin resistance and mazEF TA system. This observation may introduce therapeutic options against a novel antimicrobial target in enterococci. In der vorliegenden Studie sollte der Zusammenhang zwischen der Vancomycinresistenz bei Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) und dem Vorkommen des mazEF Toxin-Antitoxin(TA)-Systems untersucht werden, um Hinweise für eine neue antimikrobielle Targettherapie zu erhalten. Die Empfindlichkeit der Enterkokokken wurde mittels MIC, das Vorkommen des mazEF TA-Systems mittels PCR bestimmt. Unter 200 Enterokokkenisolaten waren 39,5% resistent gegen Vancomycin (VRE), während 60,5% sensibel waren. Das mazEF TA-System war bei allen VRE-Isolaten positiv, aber weniger prävalent bei den VSE-Isolaten (38/121, 31,4%). Die Analyse ergab einen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Vorkommen des VRE-Resistenzgens und dem mazEF TA-System, was für weitere Untersuchungen in Hinblick auf ein neues antimikrobielles Ziel gegenüber Enterokokken hilfreich ist.