Infection, Epidemiology And Medicine
Volume:5 Issue: 3, Summer 2019

Hospitalized patients are often immunocompromised as a result of invasive medical examinations and treatments. Of course, the tendency to do care practices for these patients and the hospital environment may facilitate the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms among them.

The study population and health status of volunteer patients were collected using a pretested questionnaire and patients information available in hospital files. A total of 102 samples were collected from patients’ wounds, noses, ears, and urine and microbiologically analyzed for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus species by plating on Manittol Salt agar. Colonies were purified by streaking on Nutrient agar, Gram stained, and tested for the presence of coagulase and the capability of growing on 3–5% salt concentration.

Male patients (51.3%) were more infected by S. aureus strains than female patients (48.7%). In terms of age, S. aureus infection rate was higher in patients within the age ranges from 17-50 years (56.32%) and lesser in patients within the age ranges from 51-100 years (43.68%). Genogram of the isolates indicated two major groups based on the genotypic responses to the antibiotics and extracts (This means the possible separation of the isolates into family groups according to their responses to antimicrobial agents). The prevalence of S. aureus colonization was higher in male patients.

Observed indices suggest that sex could be considered as a risk factor for S. aureus infection in patients. In addition to antibiotics, plants extracts could be used as an effective alternative for the treatment of S. aureus infections to control resistant S. aureus species.

Foodborne infections caused by bacteria, including Salmonella enteritidis, Shigella flexneri, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 are one of the most common diseases among poultry and humans. The purpose of this study was the simultaneous and rapid detection of important microorganisms found in fecal samples of poultry and poultry workers.

A total of 144 fecal samples were taken from poultry and poultry farms workers. Fecal swabs were cultured on specific media, and biochemical tests were performed for further confirmation of bacterial isolates. Moreover, genomic DNA of fecal swabs was extracted for molecular identification of S. enteritidis, E. coli O157: H7, and S. flexneri species using multiplex-PCR technique.

According to the multiplex-PCR technique results, 16.7, 13.9, and 9.5% of the poultry samples were positive for the presence of S. enteritidis, E. coli O157: H7, and S. flexneri species, respectively; whereas culture method results showed the corresponding prevalence rates of 18.1, 15.2, and 12.5% for the above species. Moreover, regarding the samples collected from the poultry farms workers, multiplex PCR showed the prevalence rates of 6.9, 12.5, and 4.2% for S. enteritidis, E. coli O157: H7 , and S. flexneri species, respectively; whereas culture method showed the corresponding prevalence rates of 8.3, 13.9, and 13.9% for the above species.

In the current study, the sensitivity and specificity of multiplex-PCR in detecting S. enteritidis, E. coli O157: H7, and S. flexneri species were 74 and 100% for samples taken from the poultry farms workers, and 82.2 and 100% for samples taken from the poultry, respectively, suggesting the possibility of using a designed multiplex-PCR method for rapid detection of infectious agents in poultry farms.

Mycoplasma synoviae, as one of the main pathogens of birds, causes a lot of economic losses to the poultry industry. This study aimed to identify M. synoviae strains in clinical samples by PCR and culture methods.

A total of 135 samples were randomly collected from the respiratory tracts of female broilers in industrial poultry farms in Kerman, Iran during the first six months of 2016. Samples were cultured on Frey and PPLO broth media. Then PCR method was performed to identify Mycoplasma genus and synoviae species. Finally, multiplex PCR was performed to determine the prevalence of P1, P30, and P116 virulence genes.

In this study, 17 (32%) out of 53 poultry samples were positive for the presence of Mycoplasma genus by culture method, whereas according to the PCR results, 25 (47%) out of 53 samples were confirmed as Mycoplasma genus, among which 13 samples (25%) were identified as M. synoviae species. Among the strains confirmed as M. synoviae, the prevalence rate of P1, P30, and P116 genes was 7 (53.8%), 6 46.1%), and 5 (38.46%), respectively.

According to the PCR and culture methods results, the prevalence of M.  synoviae strains was high in industrial poultry farms, Kerman, Iran. The PCR results revealed a higher prevalence rate for this bacterium, suggesting that this method may be more reliable than culture method.

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium with the capability of causing a variety of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Evaluating the genetic structure, polymorphism, genotyping, and phylogeny of S. aureus isolates could contribute to the prevention and treatment of infections caused by this microorganism.

In this study, the polymorphisms of 16S rRNA, rpoB, and hsp70 genes were investigated in a total of 50 S. aureus isolates using S. aureus NCTC 8325 as the reference strain. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the detection and amplification of the studied genes. The amplicons were then sequenced using a Sanger sequencing method. Moreover, phylogeny of the isolates was studied using Neighbor-joining and Maximum Parsimony methods for 16S rRNA, rpoB, and hsp70 genes individually and in combination.

After Sanger sequencing, data obtained by Sequencher and Mesquite software programs revealed several polymorphisms of S. aureus isolates 16S rRNA, rpoB, and hsp70 genes, respectively. These polymorphisms included transversion, transition, insertion, and deletion. Among the studied strains, 10 cases showed no polymorphism. Multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) showed several genetic diversities in S. aureus isolates.

It seems essential to rapidly and reliably identify the phylogenetic sources and characteristics of this microorganism and to have a better understanding of its molecular epidemiology in order for infection practical surveillance and control.

In imbalanced conditions, Candida species colonization as a normal microflora of human skin and some mucosal surfaces is replaced by invasive forms (budding yeast cells, pseudohyphae, and true hyphae). This study aimed to investigate the frequency of Candida species and candidiasis with emphasis on the presence and propensity of different Candida species for pseudohyphae and true hyphae formation  in clinical samples taken from various clinical forms of candidiasis.

In this cross-sectional study (2018 to 2019), sampling was done from 492  patients suspected to candidiasis, referred to the Medical Mycology Laboratory. Employing direct microscopy and culturing methods, the Candida species were identified using morphological and biochemical characteristics and also PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing.

From a total of 96 candidiasis patients, 44.9% were identified with superficial-cutaneous and 55.1% with visceral candidiasis. The most clinical strains were isolated from fingernail scrapings (33.2%), followed by bronchoalveolar lavage samples (17%). The mycelium was found in 55.2% of the cases, and the highest frequency was related to the nail specimens (34%, p <.05). C. albicans was the predominant species forming mycelium (69.8%), followed by C. tropicalis, but no mycelium was found in C. guilliermondii cases. Mycelium formation was observed more in patients with an underlying disease such as AIDS and organ transplantation (p <.05).

Non-albicans Candida species have also the propensity to induce an invasive form of mycelial in the skin and to increase internal organs temperature, exacerbating clinical symptoms. This finding is important for choosing proper antifungal treatments and should be taken into account by clinicians.

Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic disease caused by an obligate apicomplexan intracellular parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Recently, toxoplasmosis has been suggested as a risk factor for diabetes. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the association between T. gondii infection and two types of diabetes in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

In the current cross-sectional study, 98, 95, and 94 blood samples were collected from Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic individuals, referring to Imam Sajad hospital from February to August 2018, respectively. Anti-T. gondii specific IgG and IgM antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Moreover, a structured demographic questionnaire was completed for each person.

IgG antibody was found to be positive in 16.32 (16 of 98) and 57.89% (55 of 95) of patients with diabetes Type 1 and Type 2 and 17.02% (16 of 94) of nondiabetic individuals as controls, respectively. However, the prevalence of positive IgM antibody in these groups was determined as 2.04 (2 of 98), 6.32 (6 of 95), and 17.02 % (16 of 94), respectively.

This finding revealed that toxoplasmosis could be considered as a possible risk factor for diabetes Type 2, while no statistically significant association was found between T. gondii infection and diabetes Type 1.  More research is required to be conducted in the future in order to better understand this association.

Despite the vast global vaccination programs against the HBV infection, millions of people are chronic HBV carriers worldwide. The present study aimed to evaluate the distribution of different clinical forms of Hepatitis B infection among HBV infected patients to find the frequency of people at risk of developed liver diseases in Isfahan province.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 600 HBV infected patients admitted to Al-Zahra hospital in Isfahan from March 2017 to March 2018. Based on the virological markers, HBV infection in participants was categorized into four clinical forms including post-infection immunity, acute hepatitis, asymptomatic carrier state, and chronic active hepatitis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used for screening HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, HBeAg, anti-HBe, and viral DNA in serum samples.

In this study, 308 (51.3%) females and 292 (47.7%) males with HBV infection and the mean age of 39 years were participated, of whom 189 (31.5%), 172 (28.7%), 138 (23%), and 101 (16.8%) participants were found to be in the post-infection immunity, acute hepatitis, asymptomatic carrier state (inactive carrier), and chronic active hepatitis forms of HBV infection, respectively.

The results of this study highlighted the high prevalence of asymptomatic carrier and chronic active hepatitis forms of HBV infection in 20-40 year old patients.  Extensive measurements are needed to determine the prevalence of these two mentioned forms of HBV infection in all provinces of Iran in order to control the economic and life burden of disease in people not covered by the infant vaccination programs in Iran.