فهرست مطالب

Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection
Volume:7 Issue: 1, Mar 2020

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1399/03/25
  • تعداد عناوین: 7
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  • Mazen Safi, Laila Al Hallab, Rasha Al Abras, Marwa Khawajkiah, Heba Kherbik, Ayman AL Mariri Pages 1-7
    Background and Objective

    Acinetobacter baumannii is considered as a main opportunistic pathogen in hospitals and exhibit high resistance against most antibiotic groups. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of some antibiotics and essential oils against this bacterium, in vitro.

    Materials and Methods

    Two hundred and one clinical samples were collected from the Children’s Hospital of Damascus. The polymerase chain reaction was conducted to identify the genus and type of bacteria. Finally, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of several antibiotics and essential oils, including Thymus syriacus, Origanum syriacum, Citrus aurantium, Cinnamomum verum, Syzygium aromaticum, Cupressus macrocarpa, Myristica fragrans, Biota orientalis, and Zingiber officinale, were investigated on Luria-Bertani broth agar.

    Results

    Fifty-nine isolates of A. baumannii were identified and the results showed that the DNA fragments of 16S rRNA and the blaOXA-51_like gene were approximately equal to 280 bp and 350 bp, respectively. In addition, most effective antibiotics against 50% of bacteria in each isolate of A. baumannii were rifampicin, linezolid, and levofloxacin whereas most effective essential oils included Cupressus macrocarpa, Citrus aurantium, Myristica fragrans, and Biota orientalis.

    Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii, Essential oils, Fluoroquinolones, Drug therapy, Drug resistance
  • Mohadeseh Shojaemehr, Mostafa Alamholo*, Jalal Soltani Pages 8-14
    Background

    Natural products derived from medicinal plants are a major source of drug preparation and the main basis for the development of pharmaceutical leads. We have aimed at investigating in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activity of various extracts of Citrus medica L. against a number of human pathogenic bacteria.

    Methods

    The plant samples of C. medica L were collected from Ramsar province, Iran. The gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as the gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Shigella boydii, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae were prepared from Bu Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran. Agar diffusion assay was applied, and the antioxidant properties of extracts were determined by DPPH assay. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as some compounds such as alkaloids, saponin, and tannin were further analyzed.

    Results

    Results indicated that C. medica extracts possessed antibacterial activity, and that root, seed, and leaf exhibited the highest activities against human pathogens, especially M. luteus. Roots contained the highest total phenolics (106.1 mgGA/g), while leaves contained the highest total flavonoids (3.24 mgQ/g). Leaf methanol extract also contained alkaloids, saponins, and tannins.

    Conclusions

    The antibacterial activities of C. medica extracts could be explained by synthesizing such compounds. Moreover, seed and root extracts of C. medica showed strong radical scavenging activities

    Keywords: Antibacterial, Citrus medica, Antioxidant, Phenol, Flavonoid
  • Hamid Beyzaei*, Sedigheh Esmaeilzadeh Bahabadi*, Shahla Najafi, Fahime Heidari Sadegh Pages 15-21
    Background

    New antimicrobial agents must be designed and synthesized for treating infectious diseases. In this study, antibacterial and antifungal activities of 6 potassium dithiocarbamates including three newly synthesized products were assessed on 10 bacterial and 3 fungal pathogens.

    Methods

    To this end, some benzhydrazine derivatives were reacted with carbon disulfide to afford dithiocarbamates, followed by applying diethyl ether and potassium hydroxide as solvent and base. Then, antimicrobial susceptibility tests were used to determine minimum inhibitory concentration, the minimum bactericidal concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration values.

    Results

    The chemical structure of all synthesized dithiocarbamates were characterized with 1H-, 13C-NMR (hydrogen-1 and 13-carbon nuclear magnetic resonance) and Fourier-transform infrared spectra. A variety of inhibitory effects was observed by the synthesized salts. Most synthetic dithiocarbamates affected bacterial strains and could efficiently block the proliferation of pathogenic fungi.

    Conclusions

    In general, prepared dithiocarbamates as potent chelating agents are able to interact with cell wall sulfur-containing compounds and the essential enzymes of microorganisms. In addition, the design of new hydrazine-based ligands and their corresponding complexes in future research can improve therapeutic properties. The evaluation of the cytotoxic effects of synthesized dithiocarbamates can also help their antimicrobial usages. Thus, these sulfur-rich and water-soluble salts are potential agents for combating plant pests.

    Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Antifungal effect, Broth microdilution, Potassium dithiocarbamate, Streak plate
  • Jamal Gharekhani*, Mohammad Yakhchali, Reza Khaltabadi Farahani Pages 22-26
    Background

    Neosporosis is considered as a ubiquitous disease in Iran and other countries. This research was expected to determine the prevalence and related risk factors of Neospora caninum in household dogs in Hamadan Municipality, Iran.

    Methods

    A total of 184 whole blood was evaluated for the presence of antibodies to N. caninum by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All seropositive animals were affirmed by molecular techniques.

    Results

    Based on serology and molecular methods, N. caninum infection was detected in 4.9% (95% CI = 4.9 ± 3.1%) of animals. In addition, the highest infection rate was significantly recognized in female dogs (57.1%) with under 6 months old (54.4%). Additionally, the clinical signs of neosporosis were observed in 2 out of 4 positive dogs (P < 0.0001, odds ratio [OR] = 24.71). Finally, the infection had no significant connection (P > 0.05) with breeding, food regime, housing, and direct contact with infected animals.

    Conclusions

    In general, the serological and molecular outcomes were parallel together. It was concluded that this is a universal assessment of risk factors related to N. caninum in Iranian house dogs for the first time.

    Keywords: Neospora caninum, Pets, Dogs, Iran, ELISA, PCR
  • Arash Hasannezhad, Zahra Rezaie, Zeinab Kiani, Ahmad Abolghazi* Pages 27-30
    Background

    Money is one of the most commonly used microbial carriers. Parasites are no exception to this rule. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the presence of parasitic species in paper money collected from various sources in Fars Province and suggesting ways to improve community health.

    Methods

    In this study, banknotes were randomly collected from people from different rural and urban areas of Fars province between March 2018 and November 2019. In addition, these banknotes were gathered from various sources including butchers, bakers, supermarkets, gas stations, and vegetable shops and stored at Diluted Water (DW). Then, they were extracted from the water and the solution was centrifuged at 3000 rpm. The surface water was drained and expanded from the remaining materials, stained with Giemsa color, and finally, observed under a microscope.

    Results

    In the urban areas, 2 (3.7%), 22 (40.7%), 8 (14.8%), 4 (7.4%), 4 (7.4%), 12 (22.3%), and 2 (3.7%) contaminations were related to Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm, unknown larvae, and Hymenolepis nana, respectively. In the rural areas, 4 (11.7%), 8 (23.5%), 6 (17.6%), 2 (5.8%), 4 (11.7%), and 10 (29.4%) infections were related to Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm, and to unknown larvae, respectively.

    Conclusions

    According to the results, hand hygiene is important for promoting community health since hands are largely in contact with money.

    Keywords: Parasitic contamination, Paper money, Fars
  • Zana Sidiq Mohammed Saleem, Ibrahim A. Naqid*, Nawfal R. Hussein, Sidra Jalal Mohammad, Jajeen Shaaban Noaman, Rajeen Salih Haji, Vin Ahmed Haji, Zainnab Muhsin Hussein, Piran Hussamaldin Mohammed Pages 31-33
    Background and aim

    Hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infections are considered as major global public health concerns. Chronic infections may lead to liver cirrhosis, hepatic failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and on regular hemodialysis in Duhok located in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

    Methods

    A cross-sectional study was conducted in Duhok, Iraq between January 2019 and October 2019. During this period, a total of 143 patients within the age range of 9-72 years old with ESKD visited the Duhok dialysis center for regular hemodialysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to test HBV and HCV positivity and then HBV viral load was tested by the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). Finally, HCV positivity was confirmed by the Xpert HCV quantification assay.

    Results

    Among the recruited samples, 5 out of 143 (3.49%) patients were positive for HBV while HBV viral load for those patients was undetected. On the other hand, 3/143 (2.1%) patients tested positive for HCV Ab. All these 3 patients were also confirmed positive by the RT-PCR.

    Conclusions

    ESKD patients on regular analysis showed a low prevalence of HBV and HCV in the Duhok dialysis center. An effective infection control program, vaccination, and treatment of HCV make the elimination of HBV and HCV feasible in such a group

    Keywords: Viral Hepatitis, HBV, HCV, ESKD, ELISA, RT-PCR
  • Nawfal R. Hussein, Ibrahim A. Naqid*, Zana Sidiq M. Saleem, Dildar H. Musa, Naswan Ibrahim Pages 34-35