Blastocystis Hominis infection among hospitalized children due to diarrhea in Hajar Hospital, Shahre-Kord, Iran

Background: Blastocystis hominisis is an intestinal protozoan, recently known as a potential pathogen, which causes intestinal disorders, especially in children. The parasite has a worldwide distribution, ranged from 2 up to 30 in some regions. Objectives: Given no specific study focused on infection rate of B. hominis in children with diarrhea in Iran, this study was carried out to detect frequency of the parasite in children with diarrhea. Patients and Methods: In a cross-sectional study from September 2009 to July 2010, one hundred and sixty hospitalized children with diarrhea in Hajar Hospital, Shahre-Kord, Iran were enrolled. Stool samples were collected and were examined microscopically in wet direct smear using normal saline and iodine solution (Lugol). Furthermore, permanent trichrome stain was performed and all stools were stained and studied with oil immersion's lens (100 ×). Results: Out of 160 stool samples were examined, in 37 cases (23) including 25 boys and 12 girls, B. hominis was the most frequent protozoa, followed by Giardia lamblia in 19 cases (12). E. histolitica/dispare were detected only in two cases (1). Conclusions: The frequency of B. hominis in the study was more than other reports from Iran. This study revealed that among hospitalized children with diarrhea, B. hominis was the most common protozoon. © 2012, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciencces

Fauna and the distribution of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari province, 2011-2012

زمینه و هدف: پشه‌ها خانواده‌ی بزرگی از دوبالان را شامل می‌شوند که به لحاظ توانایی انتقال انواع عوامل بیماری‌زا در پزشکی و بهداشت اهمیت فراوانی دارند. این مطالعه به منظور تکمیل اطلاعات موجود در زمینه‌ی تنوع گونه‌ای و انتشار پشه‌های بومی استان چهارمحال و بختیاری انجام گرفته است. روش بررسی: این پژوهش توصیفی و مقطعی در طول تابستان 1390 و 1391 در تمامی شهرستان‌های استان چهارمحال و بختیاری انجام گردید. نمونه‌ها به روش ملاقه زنی جمع آوری و با استفاده از کلیدهای معتبر شناسایی شدند. داده‌های تعیین هویت و مختصات جغرافیایی نقاط نمونه برداری در نرم افزار ArcGIS 10 وارد گردید تا نقشه‌ی پراکندگی هر یک از گونه‌ها به دست آید. یافته ها: در این مطالعه، 8335 لارو از 92 زیستگاه لاروی جمع آوری گردید که به 18 گونه شامل کولیستا لانجی آرئولاتا، کولیستا ساب اوکریا، اوکلروتاتوس کاسپیوس سنسولاتو، کولکس تیلری، کولکس تریتانس، کولکس هورتنزیس، کولکس پیپینس، کولکس پرگزیگوس، کولکس میمتیکوس، کولکس ترای تنیورینکوس، کولکس اربیینی، کولکس لاتیسینکتوس، آنوفل ماکولیپنیس سنسولاتو، آنوفل سوپرپیکتوس، آنوفل دتالی، آنوفل مارتری، آنوفل کلاویژر و آنوفل تورکودی تعلق داشتند. کولکس تریتانس به عنوان یک گونه‌ی جدید برای استان چهارمحال و بختیاری گزارش می‌گردد. کولکس تیلری و آنوفل سوپرپیکتوس بیش ترین فراوانی و گسترده ترین انتشار را در استان نشان دادند. نتیجه گیری: این مطالعه نشان می‌دهد که برخی از مهم ترین پشه‌های ناقل بیماری‌ها در سطح استان چهارمحال و بختیاری از تنوع و پراکندگی وسیعی برخوردار هستند. برای تعیین توانایی پشه‌های بومی در انتقال عوامل بیماری زا در استان به مطالعات بیشتری نیاز است

Title: Effects of hydatid cyst antigen on Hella cells in vitro

زمینه و هدف: شیوع کیست هیداتیک در بیمارانی که به سرطان مبتلا هستند در مقایسه با جمعیت سالم پایین تر است. در این مطالعه اثر آنتی ژن های دفعی ترشحی، مایع کیست هیداتیک و آنتی ژن خام بر روی رشد سلول های سرطانی هلا بررسی شده است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی آنتی ژن های دفعی ترشحی، مایع کیست هیداتیک و آنتی ژن خام از کیست های هیداتید تهیه و فرکشن های آنها با استفاده از سولفات آمونیوم جدا سازی شدند. این آنتی ژن ها به سلول های هلا اضافه شده و به مدت 48 ساعت انکوبه گردیدند. تعداد سلول های زنده و مرده در مقایسه با فلاسک کنترل شمارش شد و با استفاده از نرم افزار آماری SPSS و آزمون Jonckheere–Terpstra Test آنالیز شدند و 05/0P< معنی دار در نظر گرفته شد. . نتایج: در سلول هایی که با فرکشن های آنتی ژن های دفعی ترشحی، مایع کیست هیداتیک و آنتی ژن خام تیمار شده بودند هر سه فرکشن در مقایسه با فلاسک شاهد به صورت معنی داری باعث کاهش رشد سلول های سرطانی شدند و فرکشن آنتی ژن خام به صورت معنی داری باعث مرگ سلول های سرطانی گردید. نتیجه گیری: آنتی ژن های مختلف کیست هیداتیک باعث مرگ سلولی در سلول های هلا می شوند؛ لذا پیشنهاد می گردد در مورد خاصیت ضد سرطانی این آنتی ژن ها تحقیقات بیشتری صورت گیرد

Candiduria; a review article with specific data from Iran

Although, several categories of nosocomial infections are presented during the recent years, urinary tract infections (UTIs) considered as one of the most important systemic infections. The presence of Candida species in the urinary tract system (Candiduria) is seen in only 10-15% of the cases with UTI, however candiduria has been considered as more problematic infection for patients, laboratory workers and physicians. Due to increasing numbers of several predisposing factors, such as antibacterial agents, urinary tract instrumentation, diabetes mellitus, invasive therapies, and prolonged hospital stay, candiduria develops among the hospitalized patients, especially hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). According to the epidemiological studies, Candida albicans is the most common isolated species from candiduric patients. However, during the recent years, due to increasing resistance to antifungal drugs, non-albicans Candida species including, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis have been also implicated. We found that the mean prevalence of candiduria among Iranian patients was lower (16.5%) than worldwide ratio and also males were more frequently affected than females (M:F, 1.2:1). Similar to other countries, C. albicans was most common infectious agent followed by non-albicans Candida species including, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis and C. krusei

Emergence of Terbinafine Resistant Trichophyton mentagrophytes in Iran, Harboring Mutations in the Squalene Epoxidase (SQLE) Gene

Introduction: Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. interdigitale are important causative agents of superficial mycoses, demonstrating emergent antifungal drug resistance. We studied the antifungal susceptibility profiles in Iranian isolates of these two species. Methods: A total of 96 T. interdigitale and 45 T. mentagrophytes isolates were subjected to molecular typing by ribosomal ITS region. Antifungal susceptibility profiles for terbinafine, griseofulvin, clotrimazole, efinaconazole, luliconazole, amorolfine and ciclopirox were obtained by CLSI broth microdilution method. The squalene epoxidase (SQLE) gene was subjected to sequencing for mutations, if any, in isolates exhibiting elevated MICs for terbinafine. Results: Luliconazole and efinaconazole showed the lowest MIC values against T. mentagrophytes and T. interdigitale isolates. There were five isolates with terbinafine MICs >= 32 mu g/mL in our sample. They belonged to T. mentagrophytes type VIII and harbored two alternative SQLE gene sequence variants, leading to Phe397Leu and Ala448Thr or Leu393Ser and Ala448Thr substitutions in the enzyme. All terbinafine resistant strains could be inhibited by luliconazole and efinaconazole. Conclusion: This study documented a step in the global spread of resistance mechanisms in T. mentagrophytes. However, treatment alternatives for resistant isolates were available. Keywords:Trichophyton mentagrophytes; SQLE; terbinafine; antifungal drug resistance; Ira

Molecular Evidence of Emerged Pulmonary Lophomoniasis due to Lophomonas blattarum among Hospitalized Patients in Southwestern Iran: A National Registry-Based Study

Objectives. Lophomonas protozoan is an emerging pathogen transmitted through arthropods such as cockroaches. Lophomoniasis is still a mysterious disease with many unknown epidemiological aspects. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of lophomoniasis among patients who were hospitalized in Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord, southwestern Iran, using a conventional PCR technique. Methods. In this retrospective study, 132 frozen bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens from patients with respiratory disorders hospitalized in Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord district, southwestern Iran, were analyzed during 2020-2021. Samples are referred to the Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis (INRCL), Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran, for detecting Lophomonas spp. infection by a conventionally small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) PCR test. Results. A total of 132 frozen BALF specimens were examined, 36 (27.3%) tested Lophomonas spp. positive using the conventional PCR technique. Also, based on sequencing data and blast analysis, the presence of L. blattarum species was confirmed. The average age of Lophomonas spp.- positive patients was 67.02 ± 15.14 years. Out of the 36 positive subjects, 63.9% were male and 36.1% female. Male and Lophomonas infection had a significant correlation (p=0.001). Our findings revealed that L. blattarum infected nonsmokers more than smokers (p=0.001). The most common underlying disease was also bronchitis Conclusion. Our results showed, for the first time, that pulmonary lophomoniasis caused by L. blattarum is a common and emerging disease in the study area, southwestern Iran. Furthermore, our findings support the use of the PCR test to detect Lophomonas infection in archived frozen clinical sample

Diversity of Geophilic Dermatophytes Species in the Soils of Iran; The Significant Preponderance of Nannizzia fulva

A molecular epidemiology study was conducted between 2016 and 2017 by a network of collaborators from 12 provinces in the Islamic Republic of Iran. A total of 1484 soil samples from different habitats were screened for the presence of dermatophytes by using the hair baiting technique. The primary identification of isolates was carried out by amplification and MvaI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the internal transcribed spacers regions of ribosomal DNA (ITS-rDNA). The identifications, especially in the cases of isolates with unknown RFLP patterns, were confirmed by sequencing of the ITS-rDNA region. As a result, 256 isolates were recovered. The isolation rate was higher in soils with pH range 7.1–8.0, collected from animal habitats (n = 78; 34%) and parks and gardens (n = 75; 32%), geographically from Mazandaran Province (n = 115; 49.5%) and seasonally in the spring (n = 129; 50.4%), all of which were statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05). The dermatophytes comprising five species of the two genera, viz., Nannizzia fulva (n = 214), N. gypsea (n = 34), Arthroderma quadrifidum (n = 5), A. gertleri (n = 2) and A. tuberculatum (n = 1), were isolated. The geophilic dermatophytes occurred in various soils from different parts of Iran; however, surprisingly, N. fulva emerged as the dominant species, outnumbering the common geophilic species of N. gypsea. For the definitive identification of soil inhabitant dermatophytes, DNA-based identification is strongly recommended

Molecular identification, biofilm formation and antifungal susceptibility of Rhodotorula spp.

Luliconazole is an imidazole antifungal agent used in topical form for the treatment of onychomycosis and dermatophytosis. In vitro activity of luliconazole against dermatophytes, Candida, black fungi, Fusarium and Aspergillus species have been investigated. Rhodotorula spp. are environmental yeasts and emerged as opportunistic pathogens among immunocompromised patients. Rhodotorula’s human infections are usually resistant to treatment with antifungal drugs especially triazoles and echinocandins. The present study aimed at the molecular detection of environmental isolates of Rhodotorula spp. Then, antifungal efficacy of luliconazole was evaluated against isolates and compared to other routine systemic antifungals including; caspofungin, posaconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, amphotericin B, and voriconazole. The biofilm production of Rhodotorula isolates was also evaluated. In this study, 39 isolates of Rhodotorula spp. were isolated from the environment, detected using molecular methods, and tested against luliconazole. Then, the anti-fungal activity of luliconazole compared with several routine antifungals. Also, biofilm formation by using a crystal violet staining assay was performed. Our finding showed that luliconazole has a very high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value (1–8 µg/ml) against Rhodotorula spp. Besides, 100% of Rhodotorula strains were resistant to caspofungin, followed by fluconazole 94.7% and voriconazole 74.4%. Amphotericin B was demonstrated excellent in vitro activity against this genus. Our result indicated that 59% of Rhodotorula spp. were in the mid-range of biofilm production. Our results indicated that luliconazole does not effective against the genus Rhodotorula. Furthermore, amphotericin B is the best drug against this genus in comparison to caspofungin and other azole drugs

Luliconazole, a highly effective imidazole, against Fusarium species complexes

Luliconazole is a new antifungal that was primarily used for the treatment of dermatophytosis. However, some studies have shown that it has excellent efficacy against Aspergillus and Candida species in vitro. The present study aimed to evaluate of luliconazole activity against some Fusarium species complex isolates. In this study, 47 isolates of Fusarium were tested against several antifungals including luliconazole. All species were identified using morphology features, and PCR sequencing and antifungal susceptibility were performed according to CLSIM38 A3 guideline. Our results revealed that luliconazole has a very low minimum inhibitory concentration value (0.0078–1 µg/ml) in comparison with other tested antifungals. Amphotericin B had a poor effect with a high MIC90 (64 µg/ml), followed by terbinafine (32 µg/ml), posaconazole (16 µg/ml), caspofungin (16 µg/ml), voriconazole (4 µg/ml), and itraconazole (4 µg/ml). Overall, our findings indicated that luliconazole has great activity against environmental and clinical Fusarium species complexes in comparison to tested antifungals