Detection of Sea, Seb, Sec, Seq genes in staphylococcus aureus isolated from nasal carriers in Tehran province, Iran; by multiplex PCR

Staphylococcus(S.) aureus  produces different extra-cellular protein toxins and virulence factors. One of the most important extra-cellular proteins is an enterotoxin which causes staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) due to their enterotoxins. Different methods have been used to detect this toxin, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. DNA amplification methods, however, can show the presence of enterotoxigenic strains of S. aureus before the expression of enterotoxins on the basis of specific gene sequences. In this study, 150 S. aureus strains isolated from nasal carriers were confirmed by biochemical testing. PCR was used to amplify the staphylococcal enterotoxin A, B, C and Q genes, as well as the staphylococcal nuclease gene.  Among the 150 healthy human isolates from the nasal carrier, 95 were confirmed as S. aureus.  Only 58.9% of the isolates were diagnosed as sea, b, c, q positive. There were 24 (25.3%) isolates associated with the sea gene, 15.8% isolates associated with the seb gene, 9.5% of the isolates were associated with the sec gene, and 8.4% of the isolates associated with the seq gene. Of these isolates, 41% might be possessing additional se genes but they were not see (178 bp) and sed (319 bp) genes.  The nuc gene, which encodes thermo nuclease, was used as a target DNA to identify S. aureus. Additionally, one of these enterotoxigenic isolates carried more than one toxin gene

The Level of Health Literacy of the Health Department Employees, one of the Social Determinants of Health: A descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study

Background & Objectives: Social determinants play a major role in people's health. Accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying information about social determinants of health enable people to play an active role in creating a healthier environment for themselves, their families, and their communities. The present study aimed to determine the health literacy level in social determinants of health among employees of the Health Department of Arak University of Medical Sciences and its related factors. Methods: The study was conducted as a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional survey study on 200 employees selected from Arak University of Medical Sciences in 2019, through the stratified sampling method. The data collection instrument was Health Literacy on Social Determinants of Health Questionnaire (HL-SDHQ). One-way analysis of variance, independent t-test, and linear regression were used to analyze the data through SPSS (v 16). Results: The participants’ health literacy was mostly moderate (67.5%) and only 19% of participants had the desired level of health literacy. Among the dimensions of health literacy, the understanding of information was more desirable. Among the demographic variables, age was predictor of health literacy (β = -0.28). Conclusion: It is necessary to implement more specific educational sessions on how the social determinants affect people's health. Also, it is essential to train employees in executive strategies appropriate for their job duties to influence the determinants. Key¬words: Health Literacy, Social Determinants of Health, Employees, Health Department, University of Medical Sciences Citation: Moeini B, Rezapur-Shahkolai F, Barati M, Vesali-Monfared E, Parsamajd S, Ezzati Rastegar K. The Level of Health Literacy of the Health Department Employees, one of the Social Determinants of Health: A descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study. Journal of Health Based Research 2021; 6(2): 197-207. [In Persian

Cloning and Expression of N-terminal Region of IpaD from Shigella dysenteriae in E. coli

Genus Shigella is one of the important members of the family enterobacteriacae. There are numerous antigens in Shigella carrying by a 220 kb plasmid. Among them, IpaD is the key virulence factor of S. flexneri. Apart from having effectors function that is essential for host cell invasion and intracellular survival, this protein also controls the secretion and translocation of other effector proteins into eukaryotic host cells. In the present study, we have cloned and expressed the ipaD in E. coli. The ipaD gene was amplified by PCR. Prokaryote expression vector pET-28a(+)- ipaD was constructed, and used to transform E. coli BL21DE3 plySs. The expression of recombinant protein induced by IPTG was examined by SDS-PAGE. Western blot were used to determine immunoreactivity of IpaD-His by a rabbit monoclonal antibodies against his-tag. SDS-PAGE demonstrated that the constructed prokaryotic expression efficiently produced IpaD at the 1 mmol/L of IPTG. IpaD protein was able to react with the rabbit monoclonal antibody against His-tag.  IpaD is essential for Shigella spp invasion. N-terminal region is most significant functional fragment of IpaD. Purification of IpaD from the wild type of Shigella is difficult furthermore profound study on a specific domain on the N-terminal of IpaD by using the wild type of purified IpaD is not feasible.

Detection of sea, sec and seq genes in Staphylococcus aureus nasal sampling acquiring from healthy carrier

Background: Various assays have been used to identify of enterotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus and because of antigenic similarities among enterotoxins, serological assay may not always be practical. The aim of this study was to detect of S. aureus enterotoxins (SEA, SEC and SEQ) genes by multiplex PCR assay. Methods: Of 150 strains obtained from nasal carriers, 95 S. aureus were confirmed by biochemical test. Multiplex PCR assay for the detection of genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins A, C and Q genes (sea, c and q) S. aureus was used. The nuc gene, which encodes thermonuclease was used as a target DNA to identify S. aureus.Results: DNA amplification fragments for the staphylococcal nuclease gene (nuc) was 397 bp, 552 bp for staphylococcal enterotoxin A gene (sea), 271 bp for staphylococcal enterotoxin C gene (sec) and 122 bp for staphylococcal enterotoxin Q gene (seq). S. epidermidis used as negative control and did not yield a PCR product. Among the 95 healthy human isolates from nasal carriage, forty one isolates (43/1%) were diagnosed as sea, sec or seq-positive. Twenty four (25/3%) isolates were sea gene, nine (9/5%) isolates were the sec gene and eight (8/4%) isolates were the seq gene and 54 (56/8%) of them were other se genes. Conclusion: Because Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in nasal healthy carrier, so the PCR assay could be useful in the routine direct detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin A, C and Q genes

Prostate Cancer Screening Behaviors and the Related Beliefs among 50- to 70-year-old Men in Hamadan: Appraisal of Threats and Coping

Background and Objective: Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases in men, and prostate cancer screening behaviors play an important role in reducing the incidence of this disease. Thus, we performed this study to investigate beliefs related to prostate cancer screening behaviors among men visiting retirement communities in Hamadan, Iran. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 403 men visiting retirement communities was performed in Hamadan, west of Iran, in 2016. The participants were selected using the multistage random sampling method. The data collection tool consisted of items on demographic characteristics and the protection motivation theory constructs. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS, version 16. Results: The mean age of the participants was 60.2±5.74 years. According to the findings, the frequency rates of performing prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal examinations were respectively 21.6% and 5.7%, showing an inappropriate condition. In addition, the level of perceived susceptibility to prostate cancer was at a low level (44.91%), but the levels of perceived response and reward efficacy were 77.88% and 75.9%, signifying a relatively desirable level. Conclusion: Based on our results, the levels of perceived susceptibility, perceived reward, fear, and perceived self-efficacy were undesirable. Thus, considering these findings in planning educational interventions seems to be necessary

The Effectiveness of Educational Program Based on Theory of Planned Behavior on Preventing and Decreasing Tobacco Smoking Among Post-secondary Students

Background and Objectives: Tobacco smoking has increased among youth in recent years. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of educational programs on prevention of tobacco smoking among post-secondary students in Lorestan, Iran based on Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 126 male students were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups in Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, west of Iran. Data was collected using a questionnaire, including the TPB constructs and demographic variables. The intervention comprised four sessions, applied on the experimental group during one month. Both groups were followed for three months after the intervention. Data were then analyzed in SPSS 18 using chi-squared, independent t-test, paired t-test and McNemar. Results: After the educational intervention, significant differences were observed in average scores of attitude, subjective norms and behavioral intention, between the experimental and control groups (P <0.05). Results also showed that there was a significant difference in tobacco and hookah smoking rates between students in the experimental and control groups after performing the educational program (P <0.05). Conclusions: Implementing the TPB-directed instructional sessions resulted in preventing and decreasing tobacco smoking in the students

Application of the Theory of Reason Action for Preventing of Ecstasy Abuse among College Students

Introduction: The aim of the present study was assessed the effect of educational program for preventing of ecstasy abuse among college students in Hamadan based on Theory of Reason Action (TRA). Method: A quasi-experimental study carried out in college students. A total number of 140 students were selected through randomized cluster sampling and randomly assigned to the intervention (n=70) and the control (n=70) groups. Data-gathering tools consisted of a two-part questionnaire: Knowledge of ecstasy abuse consequences and one scale for measuring TRA variables. Respondents in the control and experimental groups completed questionnaires at before and two months after intervention. Results: The results showed that among constructs of the theory of reason action, subjective norms were better predictor of ecstasy abuse. There were significant differences between the scores of reason action constructs namely: attitude against drug abuse, subjective norms and intention of ecstasy abuse with consideration of group (witness and experimental). Conclusion: With regard to the results of the current study, special education based on Theory of Reasoned Action is effective in improving of attitude, subjective norm and behavioral intention of students. Therefore it is highly recommended that TRA education can be use for preventing of drug abuse education programs