Influenza vaccination coverage and obstacles in healthcare workers (HCWs) and the follow up of side effects: A multicenter investigation in Iran

Introduction. Influenza is a highly contagious acute respiratory illness. Due to the high exposure of hospital personnel, widespread vaccination of these high-risk groups seems to be a necessity in healthcare centers. To determine vaccination coverage in the personnel of four tertiary referral collegiate hospitals in 2019, and to further investigate individual obstacles for Influenza vaccination. Methods. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 637 personnel were selected randomly from distinctive hospitals in a list-wised. Ones vaccinated filled the side effects questionnaire and who not vaccinated filled the vaccination obstacles questionnaire. Results. The mean vaccination coverage was 29.4% and the coverage difference among centers was not statistically significant (p=0.192). The following items had the most impact on personnel decision: confidence about one’s immune system (p<0.05), the experience of side effects from previous vaccinations (p=0.011), attitude about vaccination in colleagues (p=0.021) and work experience (p<0.05). About 23% of vaccinated individuals reported side effects following vaccination and the most common side effect was mild cold symptoms with 12.3% prevalence. Conclusion. The results of the current study revealed that influenza vaccination coverage among HCWs is not satisfactory in Iran. Hospital authorities and infection control units should plan to remove the obstacles of influenza vaccination

Effect of HCV on lipids profile of HIV patients

Abstract Background: There is a high prevalence of HCV-HIV co-infection. In this group of patients increase of insulin resistance and lipodystrophy has been discovered but still sufficient data about the lipid profile has not been performed. In this research we tried compare the lipid profile changes between HIV-HCV patients with HIV and HCV mono infected patients that came to Imam Khomeini consult center of behavioral diseases clinic and also the hepatitis clinic during 2008-2010. Methodes: This study was an analytical, cross sectional one and was done through comparison of three groups :HIV, HCV, and HIV/HCV. Each group contained of 30 patients. Results: Demographic variables such as age, behavioral attitudes, family history of cardiovascular diseases and hyperlipidemia did not have any difference between the 3 groups. The researcher also compared the parameters of liver disease including AST, ALT, and platelet between the aforementioned groups and found no significant difference among them.Moreover, when TG, Cholesterol, LDL, and HDL was compared between the groups it was found that the mean total of cholesterol and LDL decreased in the HIV/HCV group (p=.001).In addition, the 3 groups were also compared by the dyslipidemia criteria. (TG ≥ 200 mg/dl, cholesterol ≥ 240, HDL <40). When the 3 groups were compared by the dyslipidemia criteria it resulted in no significant difference between the 3 groups. Conclusions: Although HIV-HCV coinfected patients had lower mean cholesterol and LDL in comparison to the other two groups nevertheless no significant difference was found from the critical level of lipid profile between the 3 groups. Furthermore it was found that HCV can cause a decrease in cholesterol and LDL when it is accompanied by HIV. Keywords:HIV,HCV,dyslipidemi

Effect of HCV on lipids profile of HIV patients

Abstract Background: There is a high prevalence of HCV-HIV co-infection. In this group of patients increase of insulin resistance and lipodystrophy has been discovered but still sufficient data about the lipid profile has not been performed. In this research we tried compare the lipid profile changes between HIV-HCV patients with HIV and HCV mono infected patients that came to Imam Khomeini consult center of behavioral diseases clinic and also the hepatitis clinic during 2008-2010. Methodes: This study was an analytical, cross sectional one and was done through comparison of three groups :HIV, HCV, and HIV/HCV. Each group contained of 30 patients. Results: Demographic variables such as age, behavioral attitudes, family history of cardiovascular diseases and hyperlipidemia did not have any difference between the 3 groups. The researcher also compared the parameters of liver disease including AST, ALT, and platelet between the aforementioned groups and found no significant difference among them.Moreover, when TG, Cholesterol, LDL, and HDL was compared between the groups it was found that the mean total of cholesterol and LDL decreased in the HIV/HCV group (p=.001).In addition, the 3 groups were also compared by the dyslipidemia criteria. (TG ≥ 200 mg/dl, cholesterol ≥ 240, HDL <40). When the 3 groups were compared by the dyslipidemia criteria it resulted in no significant difference between the 3 groups. Conclusions: Although HIV-HCV coinfected patients had lower mean cholesterol and LDL in comparison to the other two groups nevertheless no significant difference was found from the critical level of lipid profile between the 3 groups. Furthermore it was found that HCV can cause a decrease in cholesterol and LDL when it is accompanied by HIV. Keywords:HIV,HCV,dyslipidemi

Evaluation of anti-tuberculosis induced adverse reactions in hospitalized patients

Background: Tuberculosis has been one of the common diseases of human communities. Besides of disease-related complications, there are serious adverse reactions due to Anti-tuberculosis (Anti-TB) drug therapy. Objectives: To assess the rate of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) induced by Anti-TB drugs in the infectious disease department for a period of one year. To detect serious and preventable recognized ADRs. Methods: All patients admitted to the infectious disease department at Imam tertiary teaching hospital in Iran who received Anti-TB drugs from July 2001 to July 2002 entered the study. These patients were monitored for ADRs during hospital stay. The ADRs were then classified based on patients and reactions factors. The causality and severity of the reactions were determined using Naranjo algorithm and Hartwig questionnaire, respectively. Results: During the study period, 83 patients received Anti-TB drugs; of them 44 developed at least one ADR. Total number of 81 ADRs was detected in this study. ADRs were recognized as the major cause of hospital admission in 11 (13.3%) patients. The most frequent system-organ class affected by ADRs was Liver and biliary system (37%). Hepatitis was observed in 21 (25.3%) patients leading to death in two patients. Conclusion: Anti-TB drugs could cause significant adverse effects both in quantity and severity leading to hospitalization, prolonged hospital stay and even death. More attention is needed to prevent these reactions

Evaluation of anti-tuberculosis induced adverse reactions in hospitalized patients

Background: Tuberculosis has been one of the common diseases of human communities. Besides of disease-related complications, there are serious adverse reactions due to Anti-tuberculosis (Anti-TB) drug therapy. Objectives: To assess the rate of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) induced by Anti-TB drugs in the infectious disease department for a period of one year. To detect serious and preventable recognized ADRs. Methods: All patients admitted to the infectious disease department at Imam tertiary teaching hospital in Iran who received Anti-TB drugs from July 2001 to July 2002 entered the study. These patients were monitored for ADRs during hospital stay. The ADRs were then classified based on patients and reactions factors. The causality and severity of the reactions were determined using Naranjo algorithm and Hartwig questionnaire, respectively. Results: During the study period, 83 patients received Anti-TB drugs; of them 44 developed at least one ADR. Total number of 81 ADRs was detected in this study. ADRs were recognized as the major cause of hospital admission in 11 (13.3%) patients. The most frequent system-organ class affected by ADRs was Liver and biliary system (37%). Hepatitis was observed in 21 (25.3%) patients leading to death in two patients. Conclusion: Anti-TB drugs could cause significant adverse effects both in quantity and severity leading to hospitalization, prolonged hospital stay and even death. More attention is needed to prevent these reactions

A 51-year-old Iranian Woman with Chronic HBV Infection with Reversible Cirrhosis after Tenofovir Therapy

Little data exist on patients treated with tenofovir and reversible cirrhosis in Iran. A 51-year-old Iranian woman with chronic HBV infection and positive serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) presented with abnormal liver function tests. Because of severe fibrosis that was reported in liver biopsy, received adefovir 10 mg daily. Forty-eight months after the commencement of adefovir, because of resistance, Tenofovir 300 mg daily was started. In the 4 years following commencement of Tenofovir patient’s physical examinations, gastrointestinal endoscopy and abdominal ultrasonography were unremarkable. Also, the cirrhosis was reversed and confirmed with liver biopsy. Our findings are indicating histopathological improvement in cirrhosis is achievable through sustainable viral repression of HBV with Tenofovir

Sequences Type Analysis of Candida Albicans Isolates from Iranian Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infected Patients with Oral Candidiasis

The growing number of immunocompromised individuals has increased the incidence of infections caused by Candida species during the recent decades. Typing of C. albicans on the basis of DNA sequences at multiple loci has greatly advanced our knowledge about the epidemiology and phylogeny of candidiasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity, and genetic relationships among C. albicans isolates obtained from HIV patients in Iran. using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method. We analyzed 25 C. albicans isolates obtained from HIV positive patients referred to Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS. After diagnostic test and DNA extraction C. albicans isolates were typed using the original MLST scheme explained previously include of six loci: ACC1, VPS13, GLN4, ADP1, RPN2, and SYA1. Fifty one (2.17%) nucleotide sites were found to be polymorphic; all were found to be heterozygous in at least one isolate. For the 25 clinical isolates, 22 diploid sequence types were defined by the genotypes identified from the six loci. The MLST data suggest a relatively high level of divergence in the population structure of C. albicans isolated from HIV infected patients. These findings indicate that in these patients there is a favorable context for the growth of potential pathogenic C. albicans. We found no association between fluconazole resistance, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) receiving and either sequence type or group

Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Reducing Depression among People Living with HIV/AIDS

Background: Depression is prevalent among People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Reducing depression is effective in improving health care and it slows down the progression of the infection. Objectives: We aimed to determine the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on reducing depression in HIV/AIDS patients. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed through pretest-posttest with the experimental and control groups. The study population consist of all HIV/AIDS patients who referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in 2016. Twenty four patients (16 men and 8 women) were selected by convenience sampling and assigned to the experimental and control groups. All the participants were evaluated in the first and last session by Bech Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Participants supposed to get at least 14 scores in the BDI-II and they must had mild depression. The experimental group received eight training sessions of ACT that each lasted 60 minutes. The control group received no intervention. In order to determine the effectiveness of ACT, the results of pretest and posttest were compared together. Data analyses were conducted by SPSS (version 21). Results: According to the results, mean of depression scores was reduced in posttest in the experimental group. However, there was no significant difference in scores of the control group. The one way covariance analysis showed a significant difference in depression scores in the experimental group compared to the control group (P = 0.004). Conclusions: The study indicated that acceptance and commitment therapy is an effective approach on reducing depression among PLHA

Brucella Infection in HIV Infected Patients

The purpose of this study was to assess the possible correlation between Brucella and HIV infections. Iran is a country where HIV infection is expanding and Brucellosis is prevalent. In the present study, 184 HIV infected patients were assigned and for all of them HIV infection was confirmed by western blot test. In order to identify the prevalence rate of Brucella infection and systemic brucellosis in these subjects, sera samples were obtained and Brucella specific serological tests were performed to reveal antibody titers. Detailed history was taken and physical examination was carried out for all of patients. 11 (6%) subjects had high titers but only 3 of them were symptomatic. Most of these subjects were injection drug user (IDU) men and one was a rural woman. Considering both prevalence rates of Brucella infection (3%) and symptomatic brucellosis (0.1%) in Iran, our HIV positive patients show higher rates of Brucella infection and systemic brucellosis. Preserved cellular immunity of participants and retention of granulocytes activity may explain this poor association; whereas other explanations such as immunological state difference and non-overlapping geographical distribution of the 2 pathogens have been mentioned by various authors