Prevalence of human respiratory syncytial virus circulating in Iran

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory infection during early childhood and is associated with a great burden on patients, parents, and society. While no treatment is yet available, results from recent phase 2 clinical trials of cell-entry inhibitors and RSV vaccines are promising. To prepare for introduction of these novel therapeutics, good understanding of its molecular epidemiology and continuous RSV surveillance data are necessary. This paper provides an overview of RSV prevalence and genotype distribution in Iran from 1996 to 2013. This meta-analysis includes 21 published studies. In total, 775 (18.7) of 4140 respiratory specimens were positive for RSV infection. The male-female ratio of RSV-positive patients was 1.5:1. Significant peaks of RSV infection were detected during the cold season (November-March). RSV infection was mainly observed in patients <2 years of age. Phylogenetic studies showed that genotypes GA1, GA2, GA5, and BA co-circulated in Iran in 2007-2013. This review highlights the necessity of introducing standard molecular surveillance programs to inform the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological characteristics of various RSV genotypes. Improved understanding of the molecular epidemiology will be useful for development of novel RSV therapeutics. © 2015 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences

A field indoor air measurement of SARS-CoV-2 in the patient rooms of the largest hospital in Iran

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan city, China, in late 2019 and has rapidly spread throughout the world. The major route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is in contention, with the airborne route a likely transmission pathway for carrying the virus within indoor environments. Until now, there has been no evidence for detection of airborne severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and this may have implication for the potential spread of the COVID-19. We investigated the air of patient rooms with confirmed COVID-19 in the largest hospital in Iran, on March 17, 2020. To collect the SARS-CoV-2 particles, ten air samples were collected into the sterile standard midget impingers containing 20 mL DMEM with 100 μg/mL streptomycin, 100 U/mL penicillin and 1 antifoam reagent for 1 h. Besides, indoor particle number concentrations, CO2, relative humidity and temperature were recorded throughout the sampling duration. Viral RNA was extracted from samples taken from the impingers and Reverse-Transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was applied to confirm the positivity of collected samples based on the virus genome sequence. Fortunately, in this study all air samples which were collected 2 to 5 m from the patients' beds with confirmed COVID-19 were negative. Despite we indicated that all air samples were negative, however, we suggest further in vivo experiments should be conducted using actual patient cough, sneeze and breath aerosols in order to show the possibility of generation of the airborne size carrier aerosols and the viability fraction of the embedded virus in those carrier aerosols. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Beta-thalassemia

Beta-thalassemias are a group of hereditary blood disorders characterized by anomalies in the synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin resulting in variable phenotypes ranging from severe anemia to clinically asymptomatic individuals. The total annual incidence of symptomatic individuals is estimated at 1 in 100,000 throughout the world and 1 in 10,000 people in the European Union. Three main forms have been described: thalassemia major, thalassemia intermedia and thalassemia minor. Individuals with thalassemia major usually present within the first two years of life with severe anemia, requiring regular red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. Findings in untreated or poorly transfused individuals with thalassemia major, as seen in some developing countries, are growth retardation, pallor, jaundice, poor musculature, hepatosplenomegaly, leg ulcers, development of masses from extramedullary hematopoiesis, and skeletal changes that result from expansion of the bone marrow. Regular transfusion therapy leads to iron overload-related complications including endocrine complication (growth retardation, failure of sexual maturation, diabetes mellitus, and insufficiency of the parathyroid, thyroid, pituitary, and less commonly, adrenal glands), dilated myocardiopathy, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis). Patients with thalassemia intermedia present later in life with moderate anemia and do not require regular transfusions. Main clinical features in these patients are hypertrophy of erythroid marrow with medullary and extramedullary hematopoiesis and its complications (osteoporosis, masses of erythropoietic tissue that primarily affect the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, chest and spine, and bone deformities and typical facial changes), gallstones, painful leg ulcers and increased predisposition to thrombosis. Thalassemia minor is clinically asymptomatic but some subjects may have moderate anemia. Beta-thalassemias are caused by point mutations or, more rarely, deletions in the beta globin gene on chromosome 11, leading to reduced (beta+) or absent (beta0) synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin (Hb). Transmission is autosomal recessive; however, dominant mutations have also been reported. Diagnosis of thalassemia is based on hematologic and molecular genetic testing. Differential diagnosis is usually straightforward but may include genetic sideroblastic anemias, congenital dyserythropoietic anemias, and other conditions with high levels of HbF (such as juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia and aplastic anemia). Genetic counseling is recommended and prenatal diagnosis may be offered. Treatment of thalassemia major includes regular RBC transfusions, iron chelation and management of secondary complications of iron overload. In some circumstances, spleen removal may be required. Bone marrow transplantation remains the only definitive cure currently available. Individuals with thalassemia intermedia may require splenectomy, folic acid supplementation, treatment of extramedullary erythropoietic masses and leg ulcers, prevention and therapy of thromboembolic events. Prognosis for individuals with beta-thalassemia has improved substantially in the last 20 years following recent medical advances in transfusion, iron chelation and bone marrow transplantation therapy. However, cardiac disease remains the main cause of death in patients with iron overload

Hemoglobinopathies in Iran : molecular spectrum, prevention and treatment.

Humane en Klinische Genetica LUMCErfelijke aandoeningen, vroegdiagnostiek en behandelin

The Association of Q472H Variant in the KDR Gene with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss in Southern Iran: A Case-control Study

Background: Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) often remains unclear and can be burden for the patient and time consuming for clinician. RSA may initiates from a genetic or non-genetic factors. It is well known that the quality of placental circulation is critical for implantation and embryo development. Because of angiogenic effects of VEGF–KDR pathway on placenta, the genes involved in this pathway (the KDR or VEGFR&nbsp;genes) are thought to be linked with RSA. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Gln472His (A/T) polymorphism of the KDR gene with RSAs in southern Iran. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 50 aborted embryonic tissue obtained from fetuses and 50 umbilical cord blood of newborn babies were studied. Fetal sample from mothers with history of at least two consecutive miscarriages and controls from mothers who had at least one full-term infants born were taken. Genomic DNA was extracted by using PureLink genomic DNA kit (Life Technologies, CA). The Rotor-Gene Q real-Time PCR machine and High-resolution melting curve analysis (HRM) technique were used for genotyping. Results: Based on the AA genotype as reference, it is shown that the T allele (OR = 2.447, 95% CI = 1.095–5.468, p = 0.029) as well as AT heterozygote genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk of miscarriage (OR = 2.824, 95% CI = 1.210-6.673, p = 0.016). Conclusion: A positive correlation between Q472H polymorphism of the KDR gene and RSA may be the cause in southern Iran

Co-infection of adenovirus with swine origin influenza A (H1N1) and report of adenovirus with respiratory syncytial virus: report of two cases

&quot;n Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Background: Respiratory virus infections represent a major public health problem because of their worldwide occurrence, ease of spread in the community and considerable morbidity and mortality. They are one of the most common reasons for hospitalization of children under the age of six. In some cases, infection with two different viruses increase the severity of disease which lead to the hospitalization.&quot;n&quot;nCase presentation: Among 202 samples related to children under the age of six with respiratory infections, two dual infections of Adenovirus with other respiratory viruses with PCR test were detected.&quot;n&quot;nConclusion: Mixed respiratory viral infections are sometimes associated with severe disease and recognition of coinfection is important. Dual infections of Adenovirus with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Swine origin influenza A (H1N1) virus were demonstrated. The evidence showed that the co-infection of Adenovirus with swine origin influenza A (H1N1), has increased the severity of disease which lead to the hospitalization