f. shokri

Toxoplasma gondii is associated with several complications including neurological problems, ocular damage and encephalitis in immunodeficiency individuals. Early diagnosis of this infection can lead to better management of this disease. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the presence of Toxoplasma gondii with two serologic and molecular methods in HIV-infected individuals. In this cross-sectional study, 102 male patients with HIV with a mean age of 40 ± 9.2 years were examined. The serum sample was used for ELISA to determine the acute and chronic phase and cellular samples using Real Time-PCR for determining the acute phase of the disease. The relationship between age groups and the HIV transmission pathway, as well as the age group, was compared with the results of the Toxoplasma gondii test. Out of 102 samples tested for IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii antigen by ELFA, all (100%) samples were negative, but for anti-IgG anti-parasite, 44 samples (43.1%) were positive and 58 Sample (56.9%) was negative. Out of 102 samples tested by RT-PCR, all (100%) samples were negative for Toxoplasma DNA. There was a statistically significant relationship between age groups and transmission pathways (p<0.001), as well as between age groups with anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG levels (p<0.001). According to the results of this study, the use of IgM-ELFA and PCR-RT methods for the diagnosis of acute phase and IgG-ELFA in the chronic phase of the disease is important. With the diagnosis of chronic form of toxoplasmosis, preventive treatments can be used in HIV + patients.

To detcnninc the short-term reacrogenicity of diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis (DTwP) vaccine administered to preschool children in a number of health centers of Tehran in 2006.

In this prospective cohort study, 337 children aged 4-6 years were injected with DTwP vaccine manufactured by Razi Institute of Iran. Reactogenicity was assessed by the parents for 7 days post vaccination using diary cards. Local (pain, redness and swelling) and systemic (fever, loss of appetite, gasterointestinal symptoms, vomiting and eczema) side effects were recorded daily.

Out of 337 children, 312 (92.6%) reported local reactions and 220 (65.3%) reported systemic reactions. No serious adverse events related to vaccination were reported. Among local reacuons, pain was the most frequent (86.9%), but 11 was mostly mild or moderate. Redness (52.8%) and swelling (41.2%) were the most frequently observed signs in the second day. The systemic reactions observed in children included fever (48.4%), loss of appetite (24%), gastrointestinal symptoms (5 6%), vomiting (8%) and eczema (2.7%). Only 3.6% of children had auxiliary fever above 39 'c. All signs were observed to have reduced or completely disappeared during a week.

Compared with previous reports in Iran, reactogenicity of DTwP of Razi Institute seems to be reduced, but it was still more frequent than the internationally approved cellular vaccine counterparts. Reactogcnicity of the cellular triple vaccine may be related to the vaccine formulation or the bacterial cell fragments used in vaccine production.

As monoclonal antibodies are potential tools for characterization of soluble or cellular surface antigens, use of these proteins has always been considered in infertility and reproduction research. Therefore, in this study, monoclonal antibodies against human sperm surface antigens were produced.

To produce specific clones against human sperm surface antigens, proteins were extracted using solubilization methods. Balb/c mice were immunized intraperitoneally with the proteins using complete Freund’s adjuvant in the first injection and incomplete Adjuvant in the following booster injections. Hybridoma cells producing ASA were cloned by limiting dilution.

Five stable ASA producing hybridoma clones were achieved and their antibody isotypes were determined by ELISA. All the isotypes were of IgG class. Their cross reactivity with rat and mice spermatozoa was examined but they did not have any cross reactivity.

The produced antibodies can be used in further studies to characterize and evaluate each of the antigens present on human sperm surface and determining their role in fertilization.