Iranian Journal of Public Health
Volume:34 Issue: 4, Winter 2005

Abstract: This study was undertaken to define the epidemiological aspects of thyroid carcinoma in Iran, an area of endemic iodine deficiency nearly until recently. The Tehran Cancer Institute Data System Registry (TCIDSR) was used to identify patients with different histological types of thyroid cancer (TC) in Iran. Data were analyzed from 438 thyroid cancer cases identified by the TCIDSR in 1998-99. Disease prevalence was calculated by age, time and place. The TCIDSR recorded 438 primary malignancies of the thyroid gland: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic carcinomas accounted for 67.1%, 10.7%, 5.3% and 4.3% of cases, respectively. The remaining 12.6% was classified as OD (other diagnoses). The prevalence of TC was the highest in Farsis population. The age range of patients was 8-85 yr. Mean patient age was 44.52± 17.03 yr (mean± SD) overall, 47.74± 18.10 yr in male patients and 43.04± 16.34 in female patients. Anaplastic (6.5% vs. 3.3%) and medullary (10.0% vs. 3.0%) cancers were more common in men than women. Against expectation for an iodine-deficient area, the frequency distribution of tumours in our study was closer to that seen in iodine-rich areas. Additional research on the risk factors for thyroid cancer-genetic, ethnic, geographic and environmental is needed to explain the high incidence of PTC overall, and among Farsis population in particular, in Iran.

Abstract: With the aim of controlling malaria by reducing vector population, the effects of antibodies produced against salivary glands and deglycosylated midgut antigens of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes on fecundity and longevity of the same species were tested. Three deglycosylated preparations of midgut and two preparations of salivary glands were produced, conjugated with aluminum hydroxide gel, and subcutaneously injected to shoulders of TO (Turner Out-bred) mice. After 4 immunizations and assurance of enough antibody production against utilized antigenic suspensions, effects of blood feeding on immunized and control mice were assayed. Insoluble preparation of midgut showed the strongest effect with 23.5% reduction in egg laying, and increasing death rate of vectors in third day after feeding. No significant reduction in fecundity or survivorship was seen with other preparations. Anopheles midgut insoluble antigens are potential candidates for designing vaccines against malaria vectors and further investigations need to be done to find effective antigens and the best way of their use.

Abstract: Cryptococcosis has become the fourth leading life-threatening opportunistic infection in patients with AIDS, but also occurs in non-AIDS patients. In view of the increasing numbers of infection during last decade in Iran, use of rapid, sensitive and specific test for diagnosis of cryptococcal disease has become important than ever. We aimed to produce the reagents for latex cryptococcal antigen test. The antigen was prepared from NCPF 3168 strain of Cryptococcus neoformans. Anticapsular antiserum of C. neoformans raised in rabbits and latex carboxylate- modified beads were coated with antiserum. The maximally- reactive globulin dilution was obtained at dilution of 1:400. For evaluation of efficacy of reagents, challenged 38 BALB/C mice and other 38 mice were used as controls. The mice were bled and autopsied. Brain, heart and lung were checked by direct, histopathological and cultural examination for cryptococcosis. The sera from case and control mice were tested with Immunomycologic (Immy) kit and also our produced reagents (OPR) for detection of cryptococcal antigen. Moreover, 15 cerebrospinal fluid and 15 serum samples from patients with cryptococcal meningitis, 30 with aspergillosis, 30 with suspected other fungal infections, and 30 from healthy individuals were tested as well. The results showed that the sensitivity (97.3%) and specificity (100%) of OPR was quite comparable with those of Immy kit. Therefore, it could be regarded as a substitute for commercial kits.

Abstract: TTV was first isolated from the serum of a Japanese patient with post transfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology in 1977. TTV has been visualized by electron microscopy and was found to be an unenveloped, small, spherical particle with a diameter of 30-32 nm, and is a member of family related to Circovridae family. The exact role of TTV in the pathogenesis of liver disease is yet to be established. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of TTV in thalassemic patients in Ahwaz. Viral DNA was studied in 250 thalasemic patients. The results were compared with those of 250 blood donor controls. DNA was extracted from plasma and amplified by semi nested polymerase chain reaction with reported primer sets from a conserved region of the TTV genome. 57.2% (143/250) samples obtained from patients and 20% (54/250) of blood donors were positive for TTV-DNA detected by PCR. The difference in TTV prevalence between the two groups was statistically (χ²) significant (P= 0.0001). The prevalence of TTV-DNA in Iranian thalassemic patients is high, which is the same as other countries.

Abstract: Vampirolepis nana is the most common cestode in humans especially children. Domestic mice and rats can serve as definitive hosts for V. nana. Confusion exists over the species status and host-specificity of this tapeworm. In a previous study done by the same authors it was found that the Egyptian human isolates of V. nana could be used to infect mice for experimental work. Eggs in human feces and in the fecal pellets excreted by mice probably lose their infectivity sooner or later. Such information is very important from the epidemiologic and epizootic points of view. The aim of this work was to study the infectivity of V. nana var. nana eggs isolated from human feces, murine fecal pellets and worm gravid proglottids after storage for different periods of time. According to the results, the transmission potential capacity of the human strain of V. nana by mice can not be ignored. The relative infectivity of the eggs isolated from the murine rectal fecal pellets is higher than that isolated from the worm because some immature eggs are found in the gravid segments. It was clear that storage of eggs had a deteriorating effect and that the egg infectivity was dependent upon storage time. After 2 wk of storage in dechlorinated water some eggs were still viable and infective. Such a group of eggs present a health risk for people living in the wastewater-exposed areas like Egyptian rural areas, or when wastewater is reused for agricultural purposes as in countries with water scarcity.

Abstract: Entamoeba histolytica is the etiological agent of invasive amoebiasis, the third leading parasitic cause of mortality in the world. Our aim was to find a molecular correlation between a glucosephosphate isomerase zymodeme analyses in E. histolytica zymodemes. It was demonstrated that natural and recombinant glucosephosphate isomerase enzymes of E. histolytica comigrated in the starch gel electrophoresis, indicating that the isoenzyme pattern of E. histolytica glucosephosphate isomerase could be explained from the primary sequences alone and means that expression of the polypeptides of the described sequences in Escherichia coli are able to reproduce the classical glucosephosphate isomerase isoenzyme patterns.

Abstract: The hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a newly discovered RNA virus, which is associated with acute or chronic hepatitis. A survey was conducted in thalassemic patients, intravenous drug users (IVDU) and blood donors aiming to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in these groups in Tehran. The presence of HGV RNA in these populations was determined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the 5’ non-coding region (NCR) of the virus. One percent of blood donors, 12.9% of thalassemics and 8.8% of the IVDUs, were infected with HGV. Twenty-five percent of HGV positive cases were also positive for HCV and none were positive for HBV-DNA. The greatest proportion of HCV positive cases were seen in IVDU group (67.4%) being the only HIV positive group (8.8%). In conclusion our study showed that HGV infection occurs with relatively intermediate frequency among thalassemics and IVDUs in Iran and a higher rate of HGV-RNA was observed in older IVDUs.

Abstract: Mazandaran province, northern Iran, has been an area with highest prevalence of infectivity with human taeniasis during past decades. In order to assess current situation of taeniasis in the province by a method which can yield a correct estimation of infection rate, this study was performed by administrating anti-Taenia drug, during 2003-2004. A total of 417 people were randomly selected from rural areas of Mazandaran province. All of them were at first given a dose of niclosamide (2-4 500 mg tablets) and bisacodile (1-3 5 mg tablets); then their 36 h stool passage was collected and examined macroscopically and microscopically. The results revealed that 2 individuals (0.5%) were infected with Taenia saginata. Compared with previous decades, there is a sharp drop on human taeniasis in the study area. Infected peoples were followed up till complete treatment.

Abstract: Giardia intestinalis is the most common intestinal parasite in human worldwide. It can produce a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. In order to assess the nutritional status of preschool children infected with Giardia intestinalis, a cross sectional study was made in Marvdasht city, Fars Province, Southern Iran. A total of 337 preschool boys and girls aged 3-6 years were randomly selected for stool examination of intestinal parasites as well as measurement of height, weight, head and arm circumferences. A total of 77 individuals were infected with G. intestinalis. Seventy-one individuals who had only G. intestinalis and 229 with no parasitic infections were selected as infected and control groups, respectively. Z-Score of -2SD was used as cut off point of malnutrition. A total of 9 (12.7%) of infected children and 18 (7.9%) of non infected individuals had a height for age Z-score (HAZ) below -2SD. Eight (11.3%) of former group had a weight for age Z-score (WAZ) under-2SD. In control group 4.4% of preschool children had WAZ under-2SD. 4.2% of infected children had a weight for height Z-score (WHZ) under-2SD but none of the controls had it. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in height, weight, head circumference, HAZ, and WAZ between infected and control children (P<0.05). Also, HAZ and WAZ, was significantly different between these two groups, but not for WHZ. A higher infection with G. intestinalis in the children with lower parents’ education was observed. However the distribution of malnutrition was not significantly different between boys and girls. In conclusion the present study indicated that giardiasis retarded growth of preschool children in this region.

Abstract: The human erythrocyte is a rich raw material for the purification of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD). We applied a simple and rapid procedure for the purification of SOD from human erythrocytes by ion exchange chromatography. The purified SOD had a specific activity of 2285.6 u/mg protein and gave a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and each of its to subunit has a molecular weight about 18600 daltons (SOD molecular weight is 37200 daltons).The physicochemical properties of the enzyme obtained by this method are identical to those of the native protein.This procedure appears, therefore, to be a convenient and easily method for isolating this enzyme.

Abstract: Clostridium difficile is a frequently identified cause of nosocomial gastrointestinal disease. It has been proved to be a causative agent in antibiotic-associated diarrhea, antibiotic-associated colitis, and pseudomembraneous colitis. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of C.difficile- associated diarrhea in hospitalized patients with nosocomial diarrhea. The 942 hospitalized patients stool samples with nosocomial diarrhea were collected at three hospitals in Tehran from Dec 2002 to Feb 2004.All the stool samples were cultured and in 97 (prevalence: 10.9%) samples grew C.difficile that 57 (prevalence: 6.1%) isolates were toxigenic by cytotoxicity assay and so 57 patients had C.difficile- associated diarrhea. Results of statistical analysis showed significant difference between the rate of C.difficile associated diarrhea and the patients ages (P<0.05).

Abstract: Echinococcosis is the major helminthic parasitic infection in Iran. The health hazard and economic loss in man and livestock is significant. In this study 3 major topics as the prevalence of hydatid cyst in human population, in livestock and echinococcosis in stray dogs, were studied. Total of 1114 serum samples in different age groups in Sanandaj and Divandareh area of Kurdestan province in west of Iran were examined by indirect immunoflurecent test (IFA). In Sanandaj area 3.3% and in Divandareh 9.5% of serum samples were positive for hydatidosis. In livestock using abattoir inspection the rate of infection was 51.9% and 28.02% for sheep and cattle, respectively. Nine stray dogs (44%) autopsied in Sanandaj were positive for Echinococcosis.