Iranian Journal of Public Health
Volume:35 Issue: 1, Spring 2006

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a worldwide problem. Among HCV proteins, core antigen (Ag), besides its importance for diagnostic application is a prime candidate for component of a vaccine. Herein, we report results of studies on production of the hydrophilic domain of core Ag (2-122) in native conformation by an arabinose induction system in E.coli and the primary characterization of this recombinant protein for applications in diagnosis, immunization and mAb production. Recombinant core (r-Core) was able to detect anti-core antibodies in HCV positive serum samples in a dilution rate of 1/3200. It was also capable to elicit a potent anti-HCV humoral immune response in BALB/c mice. Finally, we established two stable clones of hybridoma which shown to produce specific and sensitive mAbs against the core protein. HCV core was able to elicit a broad range of antibody specificities depending on the immunogen conformation. Therefore, it may be possible to get new mAbs with higher affinities towards native conformation of core Ag.

Amebiasis caused by Entamoeba histolytica is still mentioned as one of the major health problems in tropical and subtropical areas. E. histolytica has recently been redescribed as two distinct species; E. histolytica and E. dispar. In the present study, we characterized the 70 kDa Heat Shock Protein (HSP70) of E. dispar at molecular level and compared it with that of E. histolytica. With these findings, we were able to distinguishe E. dispar from the infectious E. histolytica. Pairs of 21 nucleotide primers were designed from highly conserved regions of the same gene in other eukaryotic cells. Mentioned primers were utilized in PCR by using isolated genomic DNA template of E. dispar and the PCR fragments were then sequenced. By the time, 1020 nucleotides have been sequenced and characterized within open reading frame of this new gene which encode a polypeptide with 337 amino acids. Nucleotide sequence comparison in gene data banks (NCBI, NIH) for both the partial DNA and its deduced amino acid sequence revealed significant homology with members of the eukaryotic 70 kDa HSP family. Small parts of the mentioned sequences from E. dispar were about 100% identical to the sequences of 70 kDa HSP from E. histolytica other eukaryotic cells. The new partial gene fragment and its encoded protein have been submitted to the gene data banks (NCBI, NIH) and registered under the accession number of AY763790.

Recent evidences suggest that multiple myeloma phenotypes (MMPs) are involved in the infiltration of multiple myeloma-affected marrow foci. In this study, the effects of arsenic trioxide on the invasive and angiogenic phenotypes of multiple myeloma (MM) cell line were assessed on a dose-response and time-course basis. Multiple myeloma cell line, Karpas 707, was treated with step-wise elevated concentrations of arsenic trioxide compound at 24, 48, and 72 h intervals. Cytotoxicity was assessed with a colorimetric assay. Potential antiinvasive phenotype was analyzed with MMP-2 zymography. To verify directly the anti angiogenic effect, F1 endothelial cell line was also treated with arsenic and the dose-dependent cytotoxicity was assessed with a colorimetric assay. Apoptotic properties of arsenic trioxide compound were investigated using TUNEL assay. The significant dose-dependent inhibitory effects of arsenic trioxide on MMP-2 were seen at given concentrations. Cytotoxicity analysis revealed much higher cell death than untreated cells (P< 0.01), both in Karpas 707 and F1 endothelial cell lines. Colectively, this study showed that arsenic trioxide might potentially elicit anti-invasive anti-angiogenesis properties in the treatment of myeloma dissemination process. In addition, the concurrent inhibition of MMPs activity and endothelial cell proliferation could compose the scenario of neoangiogenesis inhibition in the marrow-infiltrated foci.

Although Candida albicans is the most common etiologic agent of candidiasis, C. dubliniensis, has been emerged, as another pathogen resembles C. albicans in many phenotypic aspects and noted for its in vitro potential for fluconazole resistance. Since there was no evidence of any report about detection of this organism in Iran, this study was designed to use of five different tests for identification of Candida species with special reference to C. dubliniensis among 313 suspected Candida isolates in Tehran, capital of Iran. Overall, 199 (63.6%) C. albicans and 114 (36.6%) Candida spp. were identified. All 199 C. albicans isolates were found germ tube and chlamydospore positive. Different shades of green color colonies were yielded on CHROMagar Candida of which 23 (11.6%) showed dark green color indicative of C. dubliniensis. All but four C. albicans isolates grew well at 45 °C. These 4 isolates beyond to 23 dark green colony producers were suspected of being C.dubliniensis, later examined by API 20C AUX system. The results indicated that all 27 isolates were able to assimilate both xylose and α-methyl-D-glucoside, therefore these isolates were identified as C. albicans. Overall, C. dubliniensis had not been found in present study. It must be concluded that no single phenotypic test has proven to be highly effective, and the use of several tests may be necessary of these two closely related Candida species for definitive identification.

Urinary 1-hydroxypuren (1-OHP) is commonly used as a major metabolite and biological indicator of the overall exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). For evaluation of human exposure to such compounds, biological monitoring is an essential process, in which, preparation of samples is one of the most time-consuming and error-prone aspects prior to chromatographic techniques. In this study, non classic form of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) was optimized with regard to solvent type, solvent volume, extraction temperature, mixing type, and mixing duration. Through the extraction process, a mild temperature was used to keep the compound of interest as stable as possible. In this study, a high performance liquid chromatography, using reverse-phase column was used. The isocratic run was done at a constant flow rate of 0.8 ml/min, the mobile phase was methanol/water and a fluorescence detector was used, setting at 242 nm and 388 nm. At the developed conditions, the extraction recovery was exceeded 87.3%, achieving detection limit of 0.2 µg/l. The factors were evaluated statically and the procedure was validated with three different pools of spiked urine samples and showed a good reproducibility over six consecutive days as well as experiments. It was concluded that, this optimized method could simplify sample preparation for trace residue analysis of PAHs metabolites.

Oxidative stress arises when there is an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and scavenging capacity of antioxidants, and it can induce and progress many diseases such as breast cancer. The present study was conducted to investigate the status of plasma antioxidative vitamins (E and C) and lipid peroxidation on 50 untreated breast cancer patients and 50 healthy age-matched women. The results revealed that plasma vitamin E and vitamin E adjusted for the sum of cholesterol and triglycerides decreased significantly in patients group (P< 0.05). We could also observe that vitamin E adjusted for lipid was significantly different in various stages of breast cancer. On the other hand, the level of malondialdehyde increased significantly in patients as compared to the controls (P <0.05). There were no significant changes in plasma vitamin C between two groups. According to the findings, attention to the level of plasma antioxidant vitamins and lipid peroxidation is of great importance to promote the level of health in women suffering from breast cancer.

ز, immediately after their admission into the Neonatal ward of the above hospital. A temperature less than 36. 5C was considered as hypothermia. A questionnaire was filled for each subject. Using logistic regression the risk of development of respiratory distress in the first six hours of birth, hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis, hyperbilirubinemia, scleroderma, pulmonary hemorrhage, Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy (DIC) in the first three days of birth were assessed and compared with the hypothermic and normothermic newborn infants. Nine hundred and forty neonates were enrolled into the study. A significant relationship was found between hypothermia and respiratory distress in the first six hours of birth and death, as well as with jaundice, hypoglycemia and metabolic acidosis in the first three days of birth (P=0. 0001). Logistic regression showed that, regardless of weight and gestational age, hypothermia at birth alone could increase the risk of neonatal death (OR=3. 64, CI=1. 85-7. 18), Respiratory distress (OR=2. 12, CI=1. 53-2. 93), metabolic acidosis (OR=2. 83, CI=1. 74-4. 59) and jaundice (OR=2. 01, CI=1. 45-2. 79). Neonatal hypothermia at birth increases mortality as well as significant morbidity and hospitalization period.

Nasal polyposis is an inflammatory condition of unknown etiology that involves nasal and sinus mucous membrane. These polyps can impair a person’s quality of life by nasal obstruction, recurrent sinusitis, persistent postnasal drainage, hyposmia, anosmia, changes in sense of taste and even bony destruction. It has been shown that chronic inflammation causes a reactive hyperplasia of the intranasal mucosal membrane which results in the formation of polyps. Recently, fungal elements were suspected to be the causative agent of chronic rhinosinusitis and a fungal etiology has been proposed to underlie severe nasal polyposis. The present study was undertaken to determine the role of fungi in development of nasal polyps. In this study resected polyps from 100 patients were examined by mycological and pathological methods for the presence of fungi. Fungal elements were shown in 9 samples by mycological methods and isolated fungi were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus sp. Tissue invasion by fungi also was seen by histopathological examination in 6 patients. Therefore, fungi could be considered as the causative factor in the development of nasal polyposis in those patients and since medical treatment of nasal polyps have become increasingly recognized in recent years, the present study also implying the benefits of topical antifungal therapy in such cases.

The emergence of multi-drug resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has complicated treatment decision and may lead to treatment failures. In this study, we describe the trends of drug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolated in blood cultures from patients detected in a tertiary teaching hospital and evaluated the prevalence of resistance to amikacin, ampicillin, carbeni- cillin, cefixime, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ceftizoxime, ceftriaxone, gentamicin, imipenem, and trimethoprim/ sulfameth- oxazole in sixty-nine strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from neonates with septicemia in Kashan, Iran, from April, 2000 to June 2004. In assessment of the current breadth of multi-drug resistance in P. aeruginosa isolated from neonates with septicemia, 4.3% were susceptible to all studied agents, 10.1% were resistant to a single agent. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) isolates accounted for 73.9% of isolates. The majority of MDR isolates (41.2%) were resistant to three antimicrobial agents, which accounted for 30.4% of all isolates. Nineteen MDR isolates from fifty-one (37.3%) were resistant to four agents (19 out of 69; 27.5% of all isolates) and 21.6% to five agents (15.9% of all isolates). Statistical analysis confirmed that there were no significant differences between multi-drug resistance phenotypes of isolates with age, gender, gestational age, outcome of septicemia, and application of respirator in neonates. Continued local surveillance studies are urged to monitor emerging antimicrobial resistance and to guide interventions to minimize its occurrence.

Control of insect pests of agriculture, economic, and medical importance usually focuses on the use of insecticides. The susceptibility levels of eleven strains of German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), were compared with a standard susceptible strain against permethrin and fipronil. The strains were collected from nine infested students’ dormitories and two infested hospitals in Tehran, capital of Iran. The susceptible strain showed LD50 of 0.43 µg and 0.96 ng for permethrin and fipronil respectively. Comparison of the resistance ratio of collected strain with susceptible strain showed resistance ratios of 8.6 to 17.7-folds for permethrin and 1.5 to 2.6-folds for fipronil, respectively. The result of this investigation indicated that the all strains were resistant to permethrin. Resistance spectrum of fipronil to permethrin showed different pattern of susceptibility to fipronil, indicating that there was no relationship between resistance to permethrin and fipronil.

The high occurrence of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDS) in Iranian ironwork industries indicates a need to assess the risk factors of the disorders at such workplaces. In order to prevent such disorders, the Occupational Repetitive Actions (OCRA) carried out to obtain an integrated assessment of the various risk factors, classify different jobs and suggest ergonomic designing solutions. Four data gathering methods including Observational, Interview, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and OCRA were utilized. All 385 male workers occupying in five various jabs (72 tasks) in Qaemshahre ironwork industry located in the north of Iran were studied. The percent of work tasks lain in low, moderate, and high-risk level were 6.14%, 69.27%, and 24.59%, respectively. Mean of exposure indices between five jobs including administrative (0.69), lathing (2.87), welding (3.43), melting (3.58) and foundry (5.96) jobs showed significant difference (F= 4.881, P= 0.003). In addition, the foundry job had the highest risk of occurrence of UEMSDS. The highest incidence of distal upper extremity was allocated to the hand and fingers region. There was a significant relationship between surveyed work groups and incidences of upper extremities (χ2= 6.425, P= 0.008). The OCRA Method could be a useful method for evaluating risk factors of UEMSDS in repetitive tasks of the ironwork industry.

worldwide. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of E. granulosus in domestic and wild carnivores and the infection rate of hydatid cyst in slaughtered animals and people in Kashan area, central Iran. A total of 142 carnivores including 70 stray dogs, 40 jackals, 22 red foxes, and 10 wolves were examined for the presence of E. granulosus, as well as, 170510 slaughtered sheep, 162665 goats and 13059 cattle for hydatid cyst infection. In addition, 500 inhabitants in rural areas were examined for antibodies to hydatid cyst. Results indicated that 43.7% of carnivores were infected with E. granulosus. Infection rate in slaughtered animals was 2.7%. Overall, the seroprevalence rate in human cases was 2.4%. Eighty-five patients including 47 females and 38 males were hospitalized. The mean annual incidence rate of hydatidosis in human was three cases per 100 000 populations. In general, the situation of the hydatidosis in the livestock and human and echinococcosis in the carnivores of the Kashan is similar to the other zones in Iran.

In today’s world, due to incensement of communication and different social relationship between people, oral health and aesthetic are considered more important than the past. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge and behaviour of Gonbadkavoos, northern Iran high school female students regarding their oral hygiene and health status. In this descriptive study cluster, sampling technique was used to select 300 samples. The level of knowledge of each individual was assessed according to their information on the causes of caries, the preventive effect of fluoride supplement and so on. In terms of their oral health behaviour, tooth brushing frequency, use of dental floss and regular dentist visit were recorded. Results revealed that 80% of the students were aware of the fluoride preventive action and 18% of them replied, "I don’t know", to this question. Parents were identified as their main source of oral health information by 68.3% of them and 12.6% identified the microbial activity as the main cause of dental caries. 44.3% of students expressed lack of time as the main reason for irregular dentist visit and 70% of them stated, only upon dental problems, referred to the dentist. Sixty two percent of the students brushed their teeth regularly. It is recommended to do similar researches on the level of knowledge and behaviour, about dental and oral health in other populations.

Despite the enormous heterogeneity of genetic hearing loss, mutations in the GJB2 (connexin 26) gene located on “DFNB1” locus (13q12) account for up to 50% of cases of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) in some populations. This study describes the analysis of 100 autosomal recessive and sporadic nonsyndromic hearing loss individuals from 79 families each having at least one deaf child in Chehar Mahal va Bakhtiari province in west of Iran. We have investigated the prevalence of the connexin 26 gene mutations using nested PCR strategy to screen the predominant 35delG mutation and subsequent direct sequencing to detect other Cx26 mutations. Seven different genetic variants were detected from which one novel variant was including 363delC. The 35delG was the most common mutation found in 5 of 79 families (6.3%). Cx26 related deafness mutations (35delG, [V27I; E114G]) and R127H) were found in 12 of 158 chromosomes studied (7.8%). We conclude that the association of Cx26 mutations with deafness in Chehar Mahal va Bakhtiari province is low and looks like most other populations of Iran.

Trichomonas vaginalis infection is a sexually transmitted infection causing vaginitis and acute inflammatory disease of the genital mucosa. Although Metronidazole resistance in T. vaginalis is well documented, The only drug approved for the treatment of trichomoniasis in some countries is metronidazole. Genus Allium plants including garlic; shallot and onion have had an important medicinal role for centuries. Some study have proven antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoal and antihelmintic properties of genus Allium plants. at first PSHE and PSDE (persian shallot hydroalcoholic and dichlromethanic extract) was prepared in ethanol/water (50:50) and dichlromethane respectively at cool temperature (10ºC). genus Allium plants extracts were shown to decrease the oxygen uptake, reduce the growth of the organism, inhibit the synthesis of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids and damage membranes. In this study the Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of PSHE, PSDE and metronidazole respectively were 10, 5 and 2µg/ml. Persian shallot inhibited growth of T. vaginalis at low concentrations and in short times, therefore this plant have some antitrichomonas components (including allicin, ajoene and other organosulfides) that antimicrobial properties of these was proven.