Iranian Journal of Virology
Volume:17 Issue: 1, Winter and Spring 2023

Early detection of COVID-19 can decrease the motality rate. The diagnostic tools available so far have been based on a) detection of viral genes, b) detection of human antibodies and c) detection of viral antigens, among which detection of viral genes by RT-PCR is recognized as the most reliable method. In order to speed up the detection process and reduce the false negative results presented, it is necessary to design an accurate and fast test.

A specific probe against N gene was designed and then gold nanoparticles were synthesized by citrate reduction method. The properties of the synthesized Nano systems were determined in terms of size, surface charge, morphology and accuracy of nanoparticle formation using dynamic light scattering device, zeta potential, transmission electron microscope and ultraviolet light spectroscopy. The designed probe was added to gold nanoparticles after activation. Negative and positive samples were taken from patients and added to nanoparticles containing probes.

Due to the free the sulfhydryl group and the high bond energy between the gold and this group, after the probe was added to the nanoparticles, change in color was observed in the nanoparticle solution. UV Spectrum and DLS results showed 4 nm red shift and change in size from 11 to 16 nm, respectively. In the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA, AuNPs-probe would bound with RNA particles, resulting in a space barrier against salt particle on the other hand in negative samples, the salt bridge would be formed and agglomeration of AuNPs and a change in color would be observed by naked eye.

Coronaviruses cause upper respiratory ailments and sporadically lower tract sickness in vulnerable populations. This study examined the prevalence of six human coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), OC43, 229E, HKU1, NL63, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) during the 2019 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 in Tehran, Iran.

Specimens were collected from 204 adult patients with acute respiratory illness. The specimens were examined for the presence of six human coronaviruses using consensus and subtype-specific Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. The demographic and clinical characteristics associated with coronavirus infection were examined retrospectively.

Coronaviruses were identified in 204 adult patients. The gender ratio was 104/100 male and female, respectively. HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 0.5%, 1.0%, 4.0%, 7.4%, 0.0%, and 22.5% of patients, respectively. The acute clinical features were similar across subtypes. There was no report of fatality incidence among the population during the investigation period.

HCoVs could play a significant role in causing upper respiratory tract infections among adults and older children. Based on the findings of this study and those of others, more extensive studies using other diagnostic methods and higher sample sizes are suggested.

Coronaviruses are one of the most common viral agents associated with respiratory disease in children, causing severe respiratory infections and hospitalizations in children. However, there is no information about the prevalence of these seasonal coronavirus infection in the northwest of Iran. The aim of this study was to identify and investigate the frequency of NL63, OC-43 and 229E, Influenza type A, B viruses in children less than 5 years of age with respiratory infection in the northwest of Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Material&

In the present study, 164 respiratory samples were taken from children with respiratory problems who were negative for influenza type A, B and SARS-CoV-2 (Taqman Real Time RT-PCR method). NL63, OC-43 and 229E viruses were evaluated in a panel by Cyber green RT-PCR method.

In our investigation, 2 out of 164 (1.2%) cases of NL63 infection were detected in children less than one year, but OC-43 and 229E viruses were not detected.  NL63 positive samples in this study were detected in late winter and early spring.

Considering the role of this virus in causing respiratory problems in children and immunocompromised patients, identification and diagnosis of these pathogens in respiratory samples is important. Paying attention to viral infections in the northwest of Iran can play an important role in improving the management of infectious agents in this area.

COVID-19 is a viral disease that spreads easily, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This illness has led to a worldwide pandemic and has caused many human fatalities. Patients with cancer have a weakened immune system, which makes them more susceptible to various infections. In this research, we wanted to compare mortality, hospitalization rate, and clinical findings in multiple myeloma (MM) patients.

This research examined the effect of COVID-19 on sixteen individuals diagnosed with MM. Four hospitals—Imam Khomeini, Rouhani, Shariati, and Sina—were included in the study. All participants in affiliated hospitals underwent Real-time PCR testing to determine whether they had a viral infection with SARS-CoV-2. According to Iranian CDC guidelines, the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test was performed on throat specimens using flocked swabs obtained immediately upon admission to confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection. Collaborative clinical virology necessitates the utilization of two pairs of primers, each designed to target two specific genes (the E gene and the RdRP gene).

Patients with MM were found to have a considerably higher risk of hospitalization and mortality from COVID-19, as per the study results. Common symptoms observed in MM patients with COVID-19 included fever (87.5%), cough (87.5%), and dyspnea (62.5%). Moreover, the study revealed a substantial 17-fold increase in the odds of MM patients with COVID-19 positive compared to their counterparts without COVID-19.

The study results emphasize the critical significance of prompt identification of COVID-19 among patients with MM. It underscores the importance of implementing public health measures, vaccination efforts, and continued research to effectively prevent severe illness and fatalities related to COVID-19 within this vulnerable population.

The appearance of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gave rise to the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 primarily affects the respiratory system, ranging from mild to severe symptoms. Cancer patients are at higher risk of severe outcomes and mortality rates due to compromised immune systems.This study aims to evaluate the clinical findings of cancer patients following infection with SARS-CoV-2, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches to address challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study enrolled a total of 158 individuals, all of whom had previously been diagnosed with various cancers and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 with Real-time PCR. Demographic information of patients, characteristics of underlying diseases, type of cancer and clinical symptoms with geographical distribution of Iranian provinces by the Iran Viral Research Network were investigated.

Among 158 patients, 62.65% were male and 37.34% were female. The majority were over 60 years old (55.69%). Leukemia was the predominant cancer (37.34%), followed by genital cancers and breast cancer (each at 13.51%). Respiratory symptoms were prominent, with shortness of breath (59.49%) and dry cough (41.77%) being the most common. Other symptoms such as runny nose (6.32%), sore throat (6.96%), and lethargy (41.77%) were common. Digestive symptoms like anorexia (25.31%) and nausea (10.75%) were also observed in a significant percentage of patients. In total, nine (5.6%) patients passed away during the study.

In conclusion, this study provides insights into the clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients, revealing a higher susceptibility to severe outcomes due to compromised immune systems. The majority of patients exhibited respiratory symptoms, with leukemia being the most prevalent cancer type. These findings underscore the importance of tailored approaches in managing COVID-19 in cancer patients. As the pandemic continues, it is imperative to implement strategies that mitigate the risk and optimize care for this vulnerable population.

Human papillomaviruses are the most common sexually transmitted infections, with high-risk types linked to cervical cancer in women and other cancers in both sexes. Analyzing published data can guide future research priorities and address overlooked areas. Bibliometric analysis, which assesses research activities in a specific field, is a valuable tool for this purpose. To understand HPV research trends in Iran, a scientometric analysis was conducted on articles published by Iranian researchers in the HPV field from 2002 to 2023 and indexed in the Web of Science database. 74% of the articles were original, with the highest publication rate in 2021. Tehran University of Medical Sciences had the most publications. Cancer-related studies received the most attention, while genital warts research was less common. Gene cloning/protein expression, adjuvants/nano-delivery systems and therapeutic vaccines was found to be the most popular area of studies on HPV vaccine. The number of publications in Iran is significantly lower compared to developed countries. It is imperative to delve deeper into various aspects of HPV within the country. Enhancing the quality of original studies that delve into the basic aspects of HPV is crucial. Research on HPV vaccines should be structured as extensive, collaborative endeavors involving universities and vaccine manufacturers. Further investigations into genital warts are warranted.

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. Several factors can influence the occurrence of BC, including the presence of murine mammary tumor virus (MMTV). In this study, we aimed to perform the epidemiology of MMTV and investigation of human fgf-3 gene expression in cancerous and noncancerous individuals infected with MMTV

A total of 85 BC tissue samples and 85 tumor-free margin tissue samples (normal tissue) were collected from women undergoing breast surgery at general hospitals in the Qom Province, Iran. The presence of the MMTV env gene was determined using the nested PCR method. Additionally, the correlation between the fgf-3 gene expression and the MMTV-env gene conducted by Real-time PCR for the first time in Iran.

The MMTV env gene was detected in 16 (18.8%) out of 85 BC tissue samples, but in only 2 (2.35%) samples without cancer. In the MMTV-positive samples, the expression of the fgf-3 gene was increased compared to MMTV-negative samples (P=0.012). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in fgf-3 gene expression between grade I and II BC samples. However, a significant increase in fgf-3 gene expression was observed in grade III and TNBC cases. (P< 0.05).

The mouse mammary tumor virus represents a significant risk factor for BC. Therefore, implementing preventive measures, including timely MMTV infection detection and control, can be effective in BC prevention programs in Iran and globally.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), is a highly infectious and contagious disease in livestock. An effective and efficient vaccine is needed to Control FMD and reduces the associated damage. The goal of this study was to find out if the protective dose or challenge (PD50%) could be used instead of the antibody titer method to measure the effectiveness of the FMD vaccine. To achieve this, several calves were selected and divided into four groups. The vaccine was administered in three doses: a full dose, a 1/3 dose and a 1/9 dose. Twenty-one days after vaccination, all animals were challenged with a 10,000 LID50% virus in the tongue epithelium. For 7 days after, the animals were evaluated and monitored for the appearance of FMD symptoms. The PD50% (Protective Dose) for each vaccine against the virus was determined in the experiment. After obtaining the VN results that indicated the antibody titer and the PD50% level, a comparison was made between these two parameters. By examining 5 test cases, a formula was derived that accurately determined the PD50% with a high degree of precision using the VN50% result. This study determined the constants for A and O types using the VN50% test results. By incorporating these values into the derived formula, the PD50% level could be determined.

Virus of caprine arthritis encephalitis belongs to the Retrovirdae family, which can cause arthritis, mastitis and abortion in adult goats, and encephalitis in kids especially in dairy breeds. Therfore, income of farmers are affected .since, in the recent years many importation of small ruminant animals especially dairy goats breeds to our country have been done . This study was conducted to evaluate infection of CAEV in imported and indigenous dairy goat breeds which were kept together in one herd.

In this study, blood samples were taken from 249 dairy goats in one of the industrial breeding farm. Buffy coat was separated from the samples using centrifugation and DNA was extracted from them. Nested polymerase chain reaction (Nested PCR) method was performed with specific primers in order to detect the gag gene.

The gag gene was detected in21 blood samples (8.3%) out of 249  samples and result of CAEV  Infection rate was 11 (13.8%), 7 (8.1%) and 3 (3.6%) for Alpine, Saanen and Indigenous breeds, respectively. Percent of infection based on old was 15.8%, in < two years goats, 8% in 2 3 years and 7.7% > three years old.

Unfortunately, the imported and local breed of dairy goats were infected with CAEV, therefore, phylogeny studies are required to for identification of prevalence of the disease in herds of the country.

Immunosuppressive viral diseases have become a significant reason for mor-tality and economic losses in the poultry industry, mainly because of the increased susceptibility of to second bacterial infections and low responses to vaccination. The aim of this study, was to investigate the immunosuppressive viral agent, including IBDV, IBV, MDV, FadV, NDV, AIV, and CAV, in healthy farms. Bursas samples were collected from 3-4 week old broilers farm without clinical signs. One part of bursas fixed by immersion in 10% buffered formalin for histopathologic study and other parts selected for molecular studies. The RNA and DNA were extracted. PCR and RT-PCR were performed for this RNA and DNA viruses, respectively, and Phylogenetic analysis was conducted for IBD positive samples, also fixed tissue prepared for the histopathological purpose. Generally, four samples of 12 bursas samples were IBDV positive, five samples IBV positive (%41.66), and two samples MDV positive (16.66%). Interestingly these four IBDV positive samples showed the histopathological changes described above. According to the results of PCR and histopathology determine that % 33.33 of broilers farm in Iran are suffering from subclinical IBD. All samples for AIV, NDV, CAV, and IBH were negative in PCR detection methods. The phylogenic tree analysis results show that these sequences are similar to other IBDV strains circulating in Iran broiler farms and belong to very virulent IBDV genogroups.

No abstract

Monkeypox (MPX) is a zoonotic disease due to Orthopoxvirus infection that has reemerged after decades of Smallpox eradication, raising international concern. Monkeypox virus (MPXV) was originally found in Central and West Africa in the 1970s, but it has now crossed the borders of Africa, Europe, and America and recorded the most newly infected patients at the time. Common ways of transmission could be the zoonotic and human-to-human transmission. The most common means of transmission are direct and prolonged contact with patient bodily fluids, unprotected contact with lesions, and sexual contact. Early symptoms can manifest as headache, fever, and lymph node inflammation. Despite the similarity in clinical manifestation between Smallpox and Monkeypox, swollen lymph nodes can distinguish MPX from Smallpox. MPX has five stages based on the clinical manifestation of lesions appearing on the skin, macula, papule, vesicle, pustule, and scar. Also, there are several methods for detecting, preventing, and treating MPXV. This paper provides a comprehensive review of Monkeypox and various aspects of the disease were discussed.