Molecular Genotyping of the Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Mazandaran Province, North of Iran

Background: The larval stage of the tapeworm (cestode) Echinococcus granulosus is the etiological agent of hydatidosis or cystic echinococcosis, which is the zoonotic parasitic disease causing morbidity and mortality in both humans and livestock. Due to a lack of accurate data on the human isolates of E. granulosus in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, the current study aimed to survey the population genetic pattern of cystic echinococcosis isolated from humans by sequencing the mitochondrial genes of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1). Methods: Overall, 47 formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPT) blocks were collected from patients' files in various pathology departments of Mazandaran Province in Iran from 2003 to 2015. PCR was performed to amplify a 398bp DNA fragment of mitochondrial nad1. PCR products were sequenced by Bioneer Corporation (South Korea), and the resulting data were analyzed via relevant software to determine the genotypes. Results: The nad1 gene was successfully amplified on 10 from all of the E. granulosus isolates. Overall, 66.6% and 33.3% of the isolates in the studied area displayed the G1 and G2-G3 genotypes, respectively. Conclusion: This study may provide the foundation for further studies in revealing the regional transmission patterns and also in designing adequate control procedures

Carnivores as Important Reservoirs of Intestinal Helminthic Infections in Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

Background: Intestinal parasites are the most common causes of gastrointestinal disease in canine. Stray dogs and wild candies can represent potential reservoirs of enteropathogens to other hosts. Therefore, present study determined the prevalence of intestinal parasites in canine in Mazandaran Province, northern, Iran. Methods: Overall, 58 small intestinal samples of animals (42 stray dogs and 16 jackals) were collected from Oct 2012 to Dec 2013. The intestine contents were studied to detect and identify helminth infections. Then, the helminths were collected and their morphological traits were identified. Results: Overall among infected stray dogs and jackals, 11 species were found. Three species of nematodes, seven species of cestodes and one trematode were observed. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths of stray dogs and jackals were 59.5% and 50%, respectively. Among registered zoonotic helminths A. caninum was the predominant parasite both stray dogs and jackals. Interestingly, Spirometra spp. was reported in these animals. Moreover, A. caninum showed a higher percentage rate in center region of province. Conclusion: There are the clear risks of zoonotic helminths parasites infection in this region. Therefore, understanding the epidemiology of zoonotic parasite infection is useful for health care access both domestic animals and humans health

Aetiology of livestock fetal mortality in Mazandaran province, Iran

In the farming industry, the productivity of livestock herds depends on the fertility efficiency of animals. The accurate diagnosis of a broad range of aetiological agents causing fetal death is often difficult. Our aim was to assess the prevalence rates of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Brucella spp. infections in ruminant abortion using bacteriological culture and molecular techniques in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. Samples were collected from 70 aborted sheep, goat, and cattle fetuses between September 2014 and December 2015. Necropsy was performed on all the received samples, and brain tissue and abomasal content were obtained from the aborted fetuses. Protozoan infections were detected by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and bacterial agents using bacteriological examinations and PCR assay. Infectious pathogens were detected in 22 out of 70 (31.4%) examined fetuses. Moreover, T. gondii, N. caninum, and B. melitensis were verified in 13 (18.6%), four (5.7%), and two (2.85%) samples, respectively. Our results showed that infection with the mentioned pathogenic agents may lead to fetal mortality, which can be a major cause of economic loss. The listed pathogens could be considered important etiological agents of fetal loss in Mazandaran Province, for which appropriate control measures such as vaccination and biosecurity can be implemented to prevent infection and reduce reproductive loss in livestock farms

از گیاه هواچوبه تا داروی مرهم مفاصل: اهمیت طب سنتی ایران در طراحی داروهای جدید

Background and Aim: Persian medicine dating back to ten thousand years, has ability to solving some of the present medical problems. In recent years, many studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of various drugs of Persian medicine on special symptoms and different diseases. Knee osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, consist of inflammation, major joint structural changes, causing pain and functional disability and at least decrees patients’ quality of life. MM ointment according to Persian medicine and reverse pharmacology is consist of Arnebia euchroma. L. This study intends to review these plant and the performed studies, to summarize the process of production of MM ointment and its effectiveness in these disease. Materials and Methods: Published sources from reliable Iranian and foreigner journals, books and thesis were used in these article. Findings: A. euchroma from the family of Boraginaceae, distributed in Asia and dry region of Africa. Its prominent components are Shikonin and Alkannin with widespread pharmacologic properties such as anti-inflammation, anti-microbial and anti-cancer effects. According to animal study and some clinical trials on patient with knee osteoarthritis, results showed positive anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of MM ointment on primary knee osteoarthritis. Ethical Considerations: Honesty and trustworthiness have been observed in using the sources to write the article.                                                     Conclusion: MM ointment containing Arnebia euchroma using Persian medicine and reverse pharmacology with positive anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects on patients with knee osteoarthritis, was more tolerable, with no considerable side effects, it leads to increase the patient quality of life.   Cite this article as: Mizani A, Naseri M, Yaraee R, Mahdi Barzi D, Jafari Hajati R, Ghaffari F, Alijaniha F, Bahaeddin Z. From  Arnebia euchroma to Marhame-Mafasel medicine: The importance of Iranian traditional medicine in designing new drugs. Medical History Journal 2021; 13(46): e26.زمینه و هدف: طب ایرانی با قدمت ده هزار ساله توانایی حل بسیاری از معضلات پزشکی کنونی را دارد. در سال­ های اخیر مطالعات بسیاری جهت بررسی اثر مفردات و داروهای مختلف طب سنتی بر روی علائم خاص و بیماری­های مختلف انجام گرفته است. استئوآرتریت زانو یکی از شایع‌ترین فرم‌های آرتریت بوده و شامل التهاب، تغییرات اساسی در ساختار مفصل، درد و ناتوانی است و در آخر موجب کاهش کیفیت زندگی بیماران می‌شود. پماد مرهم مفاصل برگرفته از طب سنتی ایران و با استفاده از فارماکـولوژی مـعکـوس تـهیه شده و حـاوی گیاه هواچوبه (Arnebia eucroma) است. این مطالعه قصد دارد با بررسی بر این گیاه و مطالعات انجام شده، خلاصه‌ای از روند تولید پماد مرهم مفاصل و کارایی آن در این بیماری را شرح دهد. مواد و روش‌ها: در این مقاله از بررسی منابع منتشر شده در نشریات معتبر داخلی و خارجی، کتب معتبر و پایان­نامه­ ها استفاده گردید.   یافته‌ها: گیاه هواچوبه از تیره گاوزبان (Boraginaceae)بوده و دارای گسترش جغرافیایی در آسیا و مناطق خشک آفریقا می‌باشد. مهم‌ترین ترکیبات آن  شیکونین و آلکانین است که دارای خصوصیات فارماکولوژیک وسیعی از جمله اثرات ضدالتهابی، ضدمیکروبی و ضدسرطانی می‌باشند. نتایج مطالعه حیوانی و مطالعات کارآزمایی بالینی در بیماران مبتلا به استئوآرتریت زانو، اثرات مثبت ضدالتهابی و ضددرد پماد مرهم مفاصل را در این بیماران نشان داد. ملاحظات اخلاقی: صداقت و امانت­داری در استفاده از منابع جهت نگارش مقاله رعایت گردیده است. نتیجه‌گیری: پماد مرهم مفاصل حاوی عصاره هواچوبه برگرفته از طب ایرانی و استفاده از روش فارماکولوژی معکوس همراه با تأثیرات موثر ضدالتهابی و ضددرد در بیماران مبتلا به استئوآرتریت زانو برای آنها تحمل­ پذیر بوده و بدون داشتن اثرات جانبی قابل ملاحظه­ ای منجر به افزایش کیفیت زندگی بیماران می‌شود

Rapid Detection and Differentiation of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay

Background and purpose: Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica are common liver flukes which affect both human and livestock worldwide. In this study we evaluated the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection and discrimination of Fasciola species. Materials and methods: Fifty adults of Fasciola worms were isolated from sheep and cattle liver form abattoirs in Mazandaran province. A total of 8 primer sets for LAMP was designed to amplify the 28S ribosomal RNA gene of Fasciola sp. Conventional LAMP was carried out in a 20µI reaction mixture under isothermal condition at 60°C for 90 minutes. Amplification result was observed by monitoring the turbidity by naked-eye, using fluorescent dye and gel electrophoresis. The specificity of LAMP method for detecting Fasciola sp. was tested by amplification of Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, and Echinococcus granulosus DNA templates. To evaluate the detection limit of LAMP assay in detecting Fasciola genus, serial dilution of the extracted DNA was used. Results: A positive LAMP reaction by the specific primers of two species produced many bands of different sizes in 600C after 90 min. The optimal assay conditions were established with no reaction with other parasites’ DNA. The detection limit of this LAMP assay was 1 pg DNA/tube. The result of turbidity and fluorescent dye detection were consistent with agarose gel electrophoresis. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that LAMP is a rapid, cost-effective, highly specific, easy, and reliable method for differentiation of Fasciola sp. in epidemiological and clinical researches on human and domestic animals in endemic regions of fasciolosis

Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in Iranian women and risk factors of the disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular obligatory parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, and it has global distribution. The purposes of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Iranian pregnant women, and girls and women of childbearing age, and identify potentially preventable risk factors. Methods Between November 2014 and February 2017, nine electronic databases that reported data on the T. gondii seroprevalence in Iranian women were searched. Our search resulted in 83 reports published from 1994 to 2017. Results The results showed that the pooled estimation for the prevalence of T. gondii using a random-effect model was 43% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 38–48%) in pregnant women and 33% (95% CI = 23–43%) in girls and the childbearing age groups. There was a significant association between the T. gondii seroprevalence with age and the gestational age of conception in pregnant women and those who had contact with cats in both groups. Conclusions This is the first comprehensive systematic review of T. gondii infection seroprevalence in Iranian women, which showed a high prevalence of Toxoplasma infection. Around 57% of pregnant women and 67% of girls and the childbearing age groups were seronegative and thus were susceptible to infection and should be monitored

Risk mapping of malaria in Iran from 2009 to 2018: A GIS-Based survey

Background: Since the issues of public health and the spread of diseases are directly related to the region's geography. We aim to determine malaria incidence, spatial distribution, and hot spots in Iran using the GIS for a decade from 2009 to 2018. Methods: GIS was used to analyze the information acquired from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Tehran, Iran, and other associated centers between 2009 and 2018. Subsequently, maps of the disease's spatial distribution were constructed and using ArcGIS 10.5 software, the disease's hotspots in Iran were determined. The disease's variables, such as temperature, relative humidity, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and malaria incidence, were correlated using geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis in ArcGIS 10.5.  Using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test, data were analyzed using Linear Regression Analysis and SPSS 21 software using descriptive statistics. Sistan and Baluchistan, and the Bushehr provinces were hot spots for Malaria. The geographically weighted regression analysis results showed that in Sistan and Baluchistan and Bushehr, Hormozgan, Fars, Qom, Yazd, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces, the highest correlation between temperature, humidity, vegetation density, and the incidence of Malaria was observed (p-value = 0.019).&nbsp

Global epidemiology and spatial distribution of Toxoplasma gondii in goats: Protocol for a systematic review and Bayesian hierarchical meta-analysis.

BackgroundToxoplasma gondii, a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite causes toxoplasmosis in humans and many species of domestic and wild animals. T. gondii instigates significant economic losses in sheep and goat farming industry and can lead to abortion, stillbirth, congenital malformations and neonatal losses. The objective of this protocol is to evaluate worldwide seroprevalence of T. gondii exposure in goats using Bayesian hierarchical meta-analysis and geographic information system (GIS).MethodsA comprehensive literature search will be conducted using search engines, including Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, EMBASE, PROSPERO Register and, Google Scholar without date and language restrictions. The authors search for cross-sectional studies that determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in goats. Two reviewers will independently screen, selected studies; also, they will extract data, and assess the risk of bias. In case(s) of disagreement, a consensus will be reached with the help of a third author. The Bayesian hierarchical meta-analysis will use to estimate country and worldwide true seroprevalence of T. gondii, which is consist of the sensitivity and specificity of the applied serological assays. The obtained data will be used to identify country-level risk factors associated with T. gondii exposure using GIS in the ArcGIS software.DiscussionThe systematic review produced from this protocol will provide the true prevalence rate and spatial distribution T. gondii exposure in goats both regionally and globally using Bayesian hierarchical and GIS analysis.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO registration number: CRD42020107928

Spatial modeling of visceral leishmaniasis in Iran from 2010 to 2018

Kala-Azar is the most lethal type of leishmaniasis, sporadic in most parts of Iran and prevalent in some provinces. Using the Geographical Information System (GIS) and satellite data analysis, we intended to assess the disease's incidence in Iran. Methods: Using GIS, data received from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Tehran, Iran, and other associated institutions between 2010 and 2018 were evaluated. The disease's geographical distribution maps were then constructed, and the disease's hotspots in Iran were identified using spatial analysis using ArcGIS10.5 software. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis in ArcGIS10.5 was used to link disease-influencing variables such as temperature, relative humidity, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and incidence of visceral leishmaniasis. Linear regression analysis, SPSS 21 software descriptive statistics, and chi-square test were used to analyze the data. Results: This study revealed that the provinces of Ardabil, East Azarbaijan, North Khorasan, and Fars were the hot spots of VL. The provinces of Ardabil, East Azarbaijan, North Khorasan, Fars, Bushehr, Semnan, Sistan, Baluchistan, Esfahan, Chaharmahal Bakhtiari, Qom, Golestan, and Kerman had the highest correlation between temperature, vegetation density, and the incidence of Kala Azar, as determined by geographical weighted regression analysis.&nbsp