@article{ author = {Payandeh, Zahra and Khalesi, Bahman and Mard-Soltani, Maysam and Sefid, Fateme}, title = {OprF and OprL Conjugate as Vaccine Candidates against Pseudomonas aeruginosa; an in Silico Study}, abstract ={Introduction: Vaccine studies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa have often focused on outer membrane proteins (OPRs) due to their potent stimulation of the immune response. Using major outer membrane proteins of cell walls (mOMPs) of P. aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacteria actively stimulate the immune system without any toxic side effects. Moreover, these antigens show immunological cross-reactivity with mOMPs of other serotypes belonging to the same species. The main OPRs of P. aeruginosa, OprF, and OprL, have received much attention from biologists as the potential OPR-based vaccine candidates. Methods: Homology modeling of OprF and OprL was done based on the template structures obtained from the BLAST search. The quality of OprF and OprL molecules was assessed using GMQE and QMEAN4 quality assessment tools. The secondary structure of the proteins was predicted as well as the structural topology, subcellular localization, functional analyses, signal peptide and B cell epitopes of proteins. Results: The structures of OprF and OprL proteins were successfully modeled and assessed using 4RLC-A and 4G4V-A as template structures. The regions of the proteins with a high B cell epitope density were identified as candidates for vaccine design. These regions contain functional and exposed amino acids. In these regions, the majority of amino acids were hydrophilic, flexible and accessible. Conclusion: It should be noted that in silico approaches are appealing alternatives for empirical methods. These approaches could pave the way for precise vaccine design efforts with lower cost and time.}, Keywords = {Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vaccine candidate, OprF, OprL, Bioinformatic}, volume = {6}, Number = {1}, pages = {1-7}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.1.1}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-142-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-142-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {saeedi, Elham and JonaidiJafari, Nematollah and Salehzadeh, Ali}, title = {Detection of Giardia lamblia Cysts in Surface Waters of Rasht City, Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Giardia lamblia is a protozoan parasite with universal distribution in human populations. This infections transfer to human via contaminated foods and waters with Giardia cysts. The Knowledge on the incidence of this agent in the potential infection sources can provide valuable information for control and the spread of this parasite to human communities. This study was aimed to isolate and identify the Giardia lamblia cysts in the surface waters of Rasht city, Guilan province, north of Iran with microscopy and PCR assay. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 45 samples of surface waters collected from rivers and wetlands in the vicinity of Rasht city. The samples were concentrated using nitrocellulose membrane filters, and the sediments were examined for Giardia cysts by microscopy with a magnification of 1000 X. Also, DNA was extracted from the sediments, and the heat shock protein gene of G. lamblia was amplified. Results: From 45 samples, 33.33% and 40% were positive by microscopy and PCR, respectively. Conclusion: In comparison with the standard microscopic method, PCR showed more sensitivity for detection of G. lamblia cysts in water samples.}, Keywords = {Giardia lamblia Cysts, Surface Water, PCR, Rasht}, volume = {6}, Number = {1}, pages = {8-12}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.1.8}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-150-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-150-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Rohani, Mahdi and Papizadeh, Moslem and Pourshafie, Mohammad Rez}, title = {Correlation of Biofilm Formation and Caco-2 Cell Attachment Properties in Colonization Ability of Acid-Bile Resistant Fecal Lactobacillus plantarum Isolates}, abstract ={Introduction: The strain-specific capabilities of lactobacilli are critical for gut colonization. In this study, we evaluated various colonization determinants of 42 fecal Lactobacillus plantarum isolates from the healthy human fecal samples. Methods: We investigated the attachment to the Caco-2 cell line, biofilm formation ability and cell surface activity of the isolates. Such properties were comparatively studied, and the regression between these features was statistically analyzed. Results: Among our results 18 (42.9%) were non-adhesive, 11 (26.2%) moderate adhesive and 13 (31%) strongly adhesive. The results showed that some isolates were significantly capable of biofilm formation. The highest rate of auto-aggregation was recorded for L. plantarum isolate RPR 240 (58%). Conclusion: Our results revealed a high degree of variability among colonization characteristics of the L. plantarum isolates indicating strain-specificity. Also, the colonization properties of the potential probiotic isolates had no significant correlation with each other. Our results confirmed the necessity of further in vivo colonization assays for selection of probiotic candidates.}, Keywords = {Probiotics, Strain specificity, Colonization ability, Caco-2 cell, Cell surface activity }, volume = {6}, Number = {1}, pages = {13-19}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.1.13}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-152-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-152-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Mohammadpour, Roya and Mostafavi, Ehs}, title = {A Historical Report of Plague Outbreak in Northwestern Iran, 1966}, abstract ={Plague is an endemic disease to the west of Iran and has frequently stricken this area over the last decades. In 1954, Pasteur Institute of Iran established a research station in the west of the country and since then has monitored the plague outbreaks as well as the disease status in rodents and carnivores by dispatching research teams to different villages and localities. We noticed that there were some valuable data from the past with no records in Journals, among them, a report of a plague outbreak in Seyed Abad village, West Azerbaijan province in 1966. During this 41-day outbreak, 22 people acquired the infection, and 11 died. Fever and buboes were the most predominant clinical symptoms in the patients. The causative agent Yersinia pestis was identified by examination of biopsies from lymph nodes, bacteriological tests, and inoculation of guinea pigs. The bubonic form of the disease and the epidemiological data suggested that the disease might have been transmitted to humans through the infective-bite of the fleas of the wild animals mainly rodents living in the vicinity of the homes of Seyed Abad village.}, Keywords = {Plague, Outbreak, West Azerbaijan province, Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {1}, pages = {20-24}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.1.20}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-160-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-160-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Hajihosein-Tabrizi, Aida and Habibi, Mehri and Tabasi, Mohsen and AsadiKaram, Mohammad Rez}, title = {Distribution of Genes Encoding Iron Uptake Systems among the Escherichia coli Isolates from Diarrheal Patients of Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) including enteropathogenic (EPEC), enteroaggregative (EAEC), enterotoxigenic (ETEC), and shiga toxin producing E. coli are among the most common agents of diarrhea. There are various classes of iron uptake receptors, but there is not much data on the presence of these iron receptors in DEC isolates. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of iron receptor genes and also hemolysis activity in these isolates. Methods: Totally, 88 DEC isolates (EAEC, ETEC, STEC, and EPEC) from a previous microbial collection were included in this study. The isolates were tested for the production of hemolysin on blood agar plates. Then, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used for detection of iron acquisition genes, including chuA, hma, iroN, fyuA, iutA and ireA. Results: Our results showed that 8 (66.7%), 25 (89.3%), 17 (44.4%) and 10 (83.4%) of EPEC, STEC, ETEC and EAEC isolates, respectively had hemolytic activity. All the EPEC isolates were negative for hma gene, and iroN and ireA genes were absent in the EAEC isolates. The frequency of chuA, hma and fyuA genes in the STEC and EAEC isolates was higher, whereas EPEC and ETEC isolates revealed a higher frequency of iroN gene than the STEC and EAEC isolates. Conclusion: This study reports the presence of various iron receptor genes with a significant hemolysin activity in DEC isolates from Iran. The presence of these genes may contribute to the increased pathogenesis of these isolates in the intestinal tract.}, Keywords = {Diarrheagenic, Escherichia coli, Iron receptors, Hemolysin, PCR}, volume = {6}, Number = {1}, pages = {25-30}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.1.25}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-161-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-161-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Momeni, Somaye and Najafi, faezeh and Naddaf, Saied Reza and Zahabiun, Farzaneh and Hosseini, Mostafa and Mohammadi, Zeinolabedin and Aliabadian, Mansour and Mowlavi, Gholamrez}, title = {Infection of Afghan Pika (Ochotona rufescens) with Oxyurid Worms in Northeastern Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: The Afghan pika (Ochotona rufescens) is a small mammal in the family Ochotonidae. This small mammal occurs in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan.  Here, we investigated the helminth infections among the Afghan pikas from northeastern Iran. Methods: Fourteen Afghan pikas were entrapped from Bojnord, Mashhad, Birjand, and Tandoureh in the northeast of Iran during 2013-2015. The animals were euthanized, dissected, and their gastrointestinal tracts were removed, which were then cut longitudinally, and inspected under a stereomicroscope for the presence of helminths. Also, using the formalin-ether concentration technique, the intestinal contents of the animals were examined microscopically for helminths eggs. Results: Out of 14 pikas examined, 11 (78%) harbored at least one helminth species and mixed infections with two helminths were observed in 3 (21%) animals. Four oxyurid species including Cephaluris chabaudi, Cephaluris akhtar, Fastigiuris prudhoei, and Dermatoxy schneider were identified. Also, the Oxyurid eggs were recovered from the intestinal contents of four pikas. No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in infection rate between male and female animals and between the areas. Conclusion: Oxyurid worms were the only prevalent infection among the Afghan pikas in northeastern Iran. The absence of other helminthic infections in pikas of the study area might be attributed to various factors like the lack of hosts species, high-elevation, and adequate moisture which facilitate the life cycle of many helminths species.}, Keywords = {Afghan pika, Oxyurid worms , Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {1}, pages = {31-34}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.1.31}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-170-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-170-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Eybpoosh, S}, title = {Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium Testing and Interpretation: Focus on infection}, abstract ={Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) holds when, in a closed population with random mating and without mutation and natural selection, genotype frequencies at any locus is a simple function of allele frequencies. Testing for HWE is now a common practice in population genetics and genetic association studies of non-communicable diseases; however, it is less-regarded, or sometimes miss-interpreted, in the context of infectious diseases. In both fields, conforming to HWE assumption is usually desired. These expectations are assumed to hold for most healthy human populations, and deviations from HWE at particular markers may suggest population sub-structure, problems with genotyping or, in samples of diseased individuals, an association with the disease. Deviations from HWE are tested using simple Pearson’s χ2 test, or an equivalent log-likelihood-ratio test. The tests evaluate the degree of difference between observed genotype and allele frequencies with the frequencies that are expected if HWE assumption holds. So, statistically significant test results are suggestive of deviation from HWE assumption. Departures from HWE may suggest that allele-disease associations are biased, which should invoke thinking for the underlying reason.}, Keywords = {Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, Genotyping Technique, Genetic Association Studies, Infection}, volume = {6}, Number = {1}, pages = {35-36}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.1.35}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-174-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-174-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Eftekhar, Fereshteh and EsmaeeliTorkanpoory, Nasri}, title = {Contribution of Contaminated Environmental Surfaces to the Transmission of Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Special Care Units of a Hospital in Tehran, Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the major causes of nosocomial infections. We investigated the distribution of A. baumannii among patients and the environment in special care units of a hospital in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Sixty-nine non-duplicate clinical and environmental samples were collected from ICU, Post-ICU, and CCU in EbneSina Hospital (Tehran, Iran) from June 2015 to April 2016. The isolates were identified using standard biochemical tests, and their identity was confirmed by detection of blaoxa51 gene. Susceptibility to 14 antibiotics was determined by disc the diffusion method, and genetic fingerprinting of the isolates was performed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR). Results: We recovered 66 A. baumannii isolates, 41 from patients, and 25 from the environment. All isolates from patients were resistant to all tested antibiotics except colistin. Environmental isolates were resistant to piperacillin (100%), tetracycline, piperacillin/tazobactam, beta-lactams and quinolones (86%), and amikacin (81%) but sensitive to colistin. The RAPD-PCR results revealed 35 clusters with 80% similarity. Despite the heterogeneity among the RAPD-PCR profiles, similar patterns were observed among 11 clusters comprising both clinical and environmental isolates. Conclusion: The results of this research suggest that the presence of A. baumannii on environmental surfaces could have played an essential role in the colonization of the hospitalized patients.}, Keywords = {Acinetobacter baumannii, RAPD-PCR, MDR, ICU, environmental contamination. }, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {37-42}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.37}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-176-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-176-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Naghizadeh, Mohammad Sadegh and Naseri, Mohsen and Fereyduni, Mohammad and Ziaee, Masoud and Tane, Abdolghader and Safari, Hamidreza and Mahavar, Neda and Mahdavi, Roya and AnaniSarab, Gholamrez}, title = {Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of the Interferon-γ Gene (IFN-γ +874 T/A) and the Prognosis of Hepatitis B Infection}, abstract ={Introduction: Chronic Hepatitis B virus infection is a multifactorial disease with a variety of clinical outcomes. Since interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is a significant immune factor in antiviral defense, this case-control study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism of rs2430561 and hepatitis B infection outcome in a population of Birjand city, eastern Iran. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 60 chronically HBV- infected patients and 60 healthy subjects with the history of HBV infection. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood by the salting-out method. The first intron of IFN-γ with a length of 264 bp was amplified by Amplification Refractory Mutation System Polymerase Chain Reaction (ARMS-PCR) followed by sequencing. Results: Our results exhibited a statistically significant difference between patients and control individuals (p-value<0.001). The frequency of the allele A was 73.3% in HBV- infected patients, whereas in controls (individuals with a history of HBV infection) it was 46.7%. Conclusion: A statistically significant relationship was found between the IFN-γ (+874T/A, rs2430561) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and chronic HBV infec­tion in the studied population. The obtained results showed that HBV infected individuals with T allele have less risk of progressing to chronic HBV infection. It also suggests that the homozygous carriers of the A allele are more vulnerable to chronic HBV infection.}, Keywords = {Chronic Hepatitis B, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, Interferon-γ (+874T/A), Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {43-47}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.43}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-149-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-149-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Ghasemi, Ahmad and Hajinezhad, Mohammad Reza and Esmaeili, Saber and Mostafavi, Ehs}, title = {Seroprevalence of Q Fever and Brucellosis in Domestic and Imported Cattle of Southeastern Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Q fever and brucellosis caused by Coxiella burnetii and Brucella spp., respectively are among the significant zoonotic infectious diseases worldwide affecting both humans and domestic animals. Iran and its neighboring countries in the east are endemic for these diseases. This study, conducted in 2011-2012, aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Q fever and brucellosis among domestic and imported cattle slaughtered in Zabol city of Sistan and Baluchistan province, eastern Iran. Methods: We collected blood samples from 103 imported and 62 domestic animals. The Sera were separated and examined by an ELISA for the presence of IgG against the two causative agents. Results: The seroprevalence of brucellosis in imported cattle was 0.97%, while none of the domestic animals turned positive. Seroprevalence of Q fever in domestic cattle was 3.23%, whereas all imported cattle were negative. Conclusion: In this study, brucellosis and Q fever exhibited a very low seroprevalence in domestic and imported animals. Further studies on other livestock would provide more information on the status of these diseases in the southeast of Iran. Furthermore, studies on the prevalence of these diseases in border regions and neighboring countries of Sistan and Baluchistan would provide more in-depth insights into these diseases and the possibility of their importation to Iran.}, Keywords = {Q Fever, Zoonoses, Coxiella burnetii, Brucella, Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {48-52}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.48}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-175-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-175-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Farahnak, Ali and Zaki, Leila and MolaeiRad, Mohamad Bagher and Golestani, Abolfazl and Eshraghiyan, Mohammad Rez}, title = {Increased Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in the Somatic Extract of Hydatid Cyst Protoscoleces upon Treatment with Albendazole, an Implication for in vitro Evaluation of Drug Efficiency}, abstract ={Introduction: Hydatidosis is an endemic parasitic disease of humans in Iran, and Albendazole (ABZ) is a drug of choice for treatment of this infection. As the Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is necessary for the metabolism of parasites, this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of ABZ on ALP enzyme activity in hydatid cyst parasite as a marker for drug efficiency. Methods: In the present study, the ALP activity level was estimated in the extracts of the untreated parasite (Hydatid cyst protoscoleces) as well as the ABZ-treated samples with a final concentration of 100 µg. The protein concentration and the protein bands in the extracted samples were analyzed by Bradford and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) methods, respectively. Results: The results showed that the mean value of the ALP activity level of the treated samples (0.474 U/ml/mg) was significantly higher than that of untreated samples (0.205 U/ml/mg) (P<0.05). SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated the higher intensity of the 59 kDa protein band in ABZ-treated samples, compared to the untreated sample. Conclusion: Considering the effect of the ABZ drug on ALP activity in the hydatid cyst protoscoleces, this enzyme might be regarded as an indicator for the effectivity of drug on this parasite.}, Keywords = {Albendazole, Parasites, Alkaline Phosphatase, Hydatid cyst, Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {53-56}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.53}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-167-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-167-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Khosravi, Mohammad and Gharibi, Darioush and Kaviani, Farnoosh and Mohammadidust, Mehr}, title = {The Antibacterial and Immunomodulatory Effects of Carbohydrate Fractions of the Seaweed Gracilaria persica}, abstract ={Introduction: Red seaweeds are the source of polyanionic polymers that play a critical role in ionic, mechanical, and osmotic functions of the cells. The Gracilaria polysaccharides have numerous biological activities. This research aimed to compare the in vivo and in vitro effects of the various carbohydrate fractions of the seaweed Gracilariopsis persica. Methods: The crude polysaccharide of the G. persica seaweed was extracted using three methods, including soaking in water, hot water extraction, and acid extraction. On the optimal conditions, the seaweed polysaccharides were extracted using HCl 0.1 M 10% (w/v), and the crude carbohydrates were precipitated by ethanol. The extract was fractionated on diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE-C) column using a NaCl gradient. The antimicrobial activity of each fraction was assessed by microdilution broth method against 6 bacteria species, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Aeromonas hydrophila. Moreover, the obtained fractions were orally administered (100 µg/day) for 7 days to 10 groups of 4 adult NMRY mice. The effects of various fractions were evaluated based on the bactericidal effect of the sera and some immune response indicators, including complement activity and humoral immune response against sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Results: Most of the fractions had direct antibacterial effects; however, oral administration of the fractions neither increased the antibacterial effect of sera nor triggered the complement activity. However, the fractions 1, 2, 5, and 6 significantly induced the humoral immune response against SRBC. Conclusion: The G. persica seaweed has direct antibacterial effects. However, unlike the humoral immune response induction, the carbohydrate fractions have no effects on innate immune responses.}, Keywords = {Gracilaria, Mice, Anti-bacterial Agents, Immunity}, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {57-61}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.57}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-168-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-168-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Khodabakhsh-Arbat, Shirin and Hooshyar, Hossein and Sadeghi, Hadi}, title = {Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Patients Referring to Medical Diagnostic Laboratories, Kashan, Central Iran, 2015-2018}, abstract ={Introduction: Intestinal parasitic infections are among the most common diseases worldwide and are significant indicators of the health status of communities, especially in developing countries. This study aims to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites infection in patients referring to Kashan diagnostic laboratories from July 2015 to August 2018. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 6921 patients referring to medical diagnostic laboratories, Kashan, central Iran. Fecal specimens were examined by direct smear and formalin-ether concentration methods. The results together with risk factors including sex, age were recorded and analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS 16 software. Results: Out of the 6921 individuals examined, 3636 (52.5%) were male and 3285 (47.5%) were female. Microscopy revealed the prevalence of parasitic infection by 4.96% (4.96 ± 0.5). Totally 5.1% of males and 4.6% of females had intestinal parasite infections. No significant association was seen between sex, seasons, and parasite infections. Rate of infection to intestinal parasites were  Blastocystis spp. (3.06%), Entamoeba coli (0.95%), Giardia intestinalis (0.59%), Iodamoeba butschlii (0.23%), Endolimax nana (0.20%), Entamoeba hartmanni (0.20%), Dientamoeba fragilis (0.14%), Chilomastix mesnili (0.07%), Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar (0.05%), Hymenolepis nana (0.01%) was the only intestinal worm that observed in one individual. The results showed that 4.48% of the examined individuals were infected with one parasite, 0.39% with two and 0.08% with 3 or more parasites. Conclusion: The prevalence of intestinal parasites in our study was lower than those from other areas of Iran and other countries, indicating an increase in health status as well as public awareness of infectious diseases.}, Keywords = {Prevalence, Intestinal parasites, Kashan, Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {62-66}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.62}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-180-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-180-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Fazeli, Maryam and Golahdouz, Mahsa and Bashar, Rouzbeh and ArabBaferani, Masoumeh and DoostiIrani, Amin and Pourhossein, Behzad and Eybpoosh, S}, title = {Design and Validation of a Persian Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Questionnaire for Rabies (PKAP-Rabies) in the General Population of Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Rabies is a highly fatal disease. However, it is quite preventable. Community awareness about rabies is one of the key components for prevention, which should be assessed and routinely monitored by standard questionnaires. We aimed to develop and validate a Persian knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire for rabies (PKAP-Rabies) in the general population of Iran. Methods: The questionnaire was developed based on existing literature and conducting focus group discussions with experts in the field. Content, face, and construct validity were checked by gathering the opinion of 10 experts in the field. Test-retest reliability was assessed by re-administrating the questionnaire to the same individuals after a 15-days interval. Results: The questionnaire consisted of 64 items, covering five domains including ‘demographics’ (19 items), knowledge about animal and human rabies (14 and 10 items, respectively), attitude towards rabies prevention in animals (6 items), and practice towards rabies prevention/control (14 items). The questionnaires were mainly filled by young (mean= 28.6, SD= 10.3 years) women (63.3%) with a university-level educational background (36.7%). Most knowledge questions had a proper difficulty level (average difficulty index= 20-80%). Wilcoxon test also showed proper test-retest reliability for this questionnaire (PWilcoxon > 0.05). Conclusions: The PKAP-Rabies questionnaire appeared to be feasible, valid and reliable for assessing KAP towards rabies in the general population of Iran with potential application in future large-scale surveys. Information from such surveys can provide insight into adopting prevention and control measures, and would allow us to evaluate the impact of current and upcoming interventions.}, Keywords = {Rabies, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {67-71}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.67}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-184-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-184-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Motevasel, Maryam and Haghkhah, Masou}, title = {Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles and Virulence Genes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates Originated from Hospitalized Patients in Shiraz, Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates are among the common cause of Nosocomial infections. In P. aeruginosa infections, several genes, mexA, and mexB are involved in resistance to antibiotics and pslA, pelA and brlR contribute to biofilm formation. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of these genes in P. aeruginosa isolates and to determine their relationship with biofilm formation, antibiotic resistant, pigment production, and source of infection. Methods: We collected 63 specimens out of 90 samples from patients hospitalized in a hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The specimens belonged to 42 men and 21 women and included urine, sputum, wound, skin, blood, body fluid, and central venous blood (CVB). The samples were cultured on solid media and diagnosed according to standard phenotypic characteristics. Disk diffusion method was used to identify the clinical MDR P. aeruginosa isolates, and the genes pslA, pelA, brlR, mexA, and men were detected by PCR detected. Results: about 25.4% of the clinical isolates were MDR, i.e., resistant to three or more antibiotics. The prevalence of the genes in the clinical isolates was as follows: pslA (92.1%), pelA (68.3%), brlR (93.7%), mexA (95.2%) and mexB (50.8%). The highest and lowest prevalence of drug resistance belonged to ceftriaxone and amikacin, respectively. The highest MDR P. aeruginosa isolates originated from wound, urine and sputum specimens. Conclusion: The presence of MDR isolates correlated significantly with the patients’ gender, the origin of specimens, and bacterial pigment production.  In this study, the detected genes did not significantly correlate with the MDR features of the isolates. J Med Microbiol Infec Dis, 2018, 6 (2): 5 pages.    }, Keywords = { Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Multidrug resistance, Biofilm genes, Shiraz, Iran.}, volume = {6}, Number = {2}, pages = {72-76}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.2.3.72}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-164-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-164-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Golahdooz, Mahsa and Eybpoosh, Sana and Bashar, Rouzbeh and Taherizadeh, Mahsa and Pourhossein, Behzad and Shirzadi, Mohamadreza and Amiri, Behzad and Fazeli, Maryam}, title = {Comparison of Immune Responses following Intradermal and Intramuscular Rabies Vaccination Methods}, abstract ={Rabies is a zoonotic viral disease. The causative agent is a negative-sense RNA genome virus of the genus Lyssavirus (Family: Rhabdoviridae). The disease, commonly transmitted by rabid dogs, is the cause of mortality of over 59000 humans worldwide annually. This disease can be prevented before the development of symptoms through proper vaccination even after exposure. Hence, improvement of the vaccination schedule in the countries where rabies is endemic is essential. In addition to the type of vaccine, injection routes also contribute to enhanced immune responses and increased potency of the vaccines. The vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) include cell culture and embryonated egg-based rabies vaccines (CCEEVs). In order to develop a vaccine against rabies, it is necessary to use an appropriate delivery system to promote a proper antigen-specific immune response. Different routes of injection such as intradermal (ID), intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SC) are practiced, with controversies over their suitability. In this article, we discuss the immunological aspects of rabies vaccination by comparing ID and IM delivery systems.}, Keywords = {Rabies Vaccine, Rabies, Immunization Schedule, Vaccination, Lyssavirus}, volume = {6}, Number = {4}, pages = {77-86}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.4.77}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-165-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-165-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Maslehat, Sholeh and Mostafavi, Ehs}, title = {The History of Milk Pasteurization in Iran and the Role of Pasteur Institute in Its improvement}, abstract ={In November 1950, a relatively modern factory, called Alpha, was established in Javadiyeh district of Tehran. It was the first factory of milk pasteurization in Iran, which started by pasteurizing five tons of milk per day and manufacturing dairy products. The factory was under official health supervision of Pasteur Institute of Iran and had a significant contribution to the improvement of the quality of products. In 1958, the ministry of health established a central laboratory for monitoring of food products, which lifted the official supervision of the Pasteur Institute of Iran. In 1959, despite having advanced equipment, the factory was closed due to bankruptcy. This article tells the story of the first factory of milk and dairy products pasteurization in Iran and the challenges it faced.}, Keywords = {Pasteur Institute of Iran, Alpha, pasteurization, milk, dairy products}, volume = {6}, Number = {4}, pages = {87-90}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.4.87}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-178-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-178-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Sami, Amtul jamil and Khalid, Madeeha and jabeen, Shajia and Khalil, Sharqa and Sajjad, Ghazala and Arooj, Rabi}, title = {Nasal Colonization and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Staphylococcus Species among Children in Lahore, Pakistan}, abstract ={Introduction: Staphylococcus is a genus of pathogenic bacteria, which asymptomatically colonizes the upper respiratory tract of the human. The incidence of invasive Staphylococcal infections and the disease burden are high among children in South Asia, including Pakistan. This study aims to determine the nasal colonization and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus species isolated from preschool children in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: A community-based study was conducted in two camps named Shah Di Khui and Jeevan Haana in Lahore city. A total of 100 nasal samples, were collected from preschool children from lower-middle-class families during January to March 2018. Species identification was performed using the coagulase test, catalase test, and Gram staining. Also, a 370 bp fragment of the tuf gene was targetted using specific primers for the genus Staphylococcus. Antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was defined by an antibiotic susceptibility test using a series of antibiotic discs. Results: The results of this study indicated the presence of Staphylococcus species, mainly Staphylococcus aureus in more than 85% of the children. PCR amplification of tuf gene confirmed the identity of the S. aureus isolates from the nasal cultures. Many showed resistance resistant to more than two broad-spectrum antibiotics. Conclusion: The prevalence of nasal colonization of S. aureus was more than 85% among preschool children. Most of the isolates were resistant to β-lactam antibiotics.}, Keywords = {Staphylococcus, Drug resistance, Invasive burden, MRSA}, volume = {6}, Number = {4}, pages = {91-98}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.4.91}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-163-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-163-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Foroughi, Azadeh and Ramezan-Ghanbari, Shervi}, title = {Prevalence and Pattern of Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia Coli Causing Urinary Tract Infections in Patients Referring to a Laboratory in Kermanshah}, abstract ={Introduction: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is among the primary cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs). This study was conducted to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of E. coli isolates from UTIs in Kermanshah. Methods: In this study, 180 midstream urine samples were collected from outpatients for five months. Based on differential biochemical tests such as oxidase, Indole, and movement, one hundred E. coli isolates were obtained. In order to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of the E. coli isolates, Kirby-Bauer method on the Müller Hinton Agar (Merck, Germany) was performed according to the CLSI instruction, using nalidixic acid (30 mcg), gentamicin (10 mcg), cefalotin (30 mcg), co-trimoxazole (10 mcg), and co-amoxiclav (20 mcg) disks provided by a commercial company (Padtan Teb, Iran). Results: The mean age of the patients was 43.69 years. Out of 100 E. coli-infected patients, 74 were women with an average age of 42.77 years and 26 men with an average age of 45.88 years. The highest rate of UTI was in women aged 61-70 years and the lowest in men aged 71-80 years. The youngest patient was a one-year-old boy, and the oldest was a 95-year-old woman. The highest resistance was found to cefalotin (82%), and only one sample was resistant to gentamicin (1%). Conclusion: Gentamicin and co-amoxiclav are still effective drugs for the empirical treatment of urinary tract infections in Kermanshah. In contrast, cephalothin and possibly the first-generation cephalosporins are not recommended in this province.}, Keywords = {Escherichia coli, Urinary tract infection, Antibiotic resistance, Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {4}, pages = {99-102}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.4.99}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-182-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-182-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Moosavian, Mojtaba and KhoshkholghSima, Mahtab and HaddadzadehShoushtari, Maryam and FazeliNaserabad, Mohammad ami}, title = {Detection of Class 1 Integrons among Gram-negative Bacilli Isolated from Sputum Cultures of Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Ahvaz, Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Diffusion of antibiotic resistance genes by horizontal gene transfer has led to the fast emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) among bacteria. Multiple classes of integrons are effective genetic elements which play a significant role in the acquisition and nosocomial dissemination of resistance factors in strains of Gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Methods: In this study, 110 sputum samples were collected from hospitalized patients with tract infections. Identification of the isolates was performed by standard biochemical tests. The most frequent Gram-negative isolates were 25 Enterobacteriaceae (62.5%), (9 Enterobacter spp, 11 Citrobacter spp, and 5 Escherichia coli), 6 P. aeruginosa (15%) and 9 Acinetobacter spp (22.5%). Susceptibility of the isolates to antibiotics was carried out by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines, and finally, the class 1 integrons were detected by PCR. Results: Maximum resistance rate among Gram-negative isolates was observed to ceftazidime, co-trimoxazole, and cefotaxime with 89%, 87%, and 82%, respectively. A low-level resistance was recognized for imipenem 32% and gentamicin 34%, while an intermediate level resistance was found against the norfloxacin 40% and ciprofloxacin 44%. Out of 6 P. aeruginosa and 9 A.  baumannii isolates, 2 (33.3%) and 3 isolates (33.3%) were positive for class 1 Integrons, respectively, while all Enterobacteriaceae isolates (100%) were negative for class 1 Integrons. Class 1 integrons were detected among of MDR isolates. Conclusion: Our results showed that monitoring MDR isolates and detection of class 1 integrons in these isolates is necessary for promotion of antibacterial stewardship.}, Keywords = {Class 1 Integrons, Multidrug Resistance, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacteriaceae.}, volume = {6}, Number = {4}, pages = {103-107}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.4.103}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-186-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-186-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {Khakifirouz, Sahar and Mowla, Seyed Javad and Baniasadi, Vahid and Fazlalipour, Mehdi and Jalali, Tahmineh and Mirghiasi, Seyedeh Maryam and Salehi-Vaziri, Mostaf}, title = {No Detection of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) Virus in Ticks from Kerman Province of Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a fatal tick-borne viral zoonosis with a case fatality rate of 5% to 30%. CCHF has been documented as the most frequent tick-borne viral infection in Iran with more than 50 cases annually. Kerman Province in the south of Iran is one of the CCHF-endemic areas of the country, but no data on infection of ticks with this virus from this area is available. This study aimed to investigate the CCHFV infection among ticks collected from 4 different counties in this province. Methods: In 2011, a total of 203 hard ticks were collected from Kerman, Jiroft, Sirjan, and Kuhbanan counties in Kerman Province, southeast of Iran. Infection of ticks with CCHFV was investigated using RT-PCR targeting the small segment of the viral genome. Results: Out of 203 ticks, Dermacentor (50.24%) was the most frequent genus followed by Hyalomma (39.39%), Haemaphysalis (9.85%) and Rhipicephalus (0.49%). Our results showed no CCHFV infection of ticks. Conclusion: Our finding indicates no circulation of CCHFV in ticks from Kerman Province. However, as Kerman Province is an endemic region for CCHF, further investigations are needed to have a better understanding of the CCHFV vectors in this region.}, Keywords = {Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, Tick-Borne Diseases, Ixodidae, Iran}, volume = {6}, Number = {4}, pages = {108-111}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.4.108}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-187-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-187-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} } @article{ author = {MalekpourKolbadinezhad., Sara and Fozouni, Leil}, title = {Molecular Monitoring of Fosfomycin Resistance in Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Patients with Urinary Catheters in north-east of Iran}, abstract ={Introduction: Urinary tract infection is a common nosocomial infection that has recently become difficult to treat because of the increased emergence of multi-drug resistant strains. This study aims to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration, and molecular pattern of resistance to fosfomycin in Escherichia coli isolates originated from patients hospitalized with urinary tract infection in the intensive care unit (ICU) and coronary care unit (CCU) in three hospitals of Gorgan, northeast of Iran. Methods: Urine samples were obtained from 106 patients in three hospitals of Gorgan, northeast of Iran. After isolation and identification of E. coli isolates, the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test was performed to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of isolates to fosfomycin were determined using the agar dilution method over a concentration range of 0.5-1024 μg/mL. Also, the presence of murA and glpT genes were investigated using polymerase chain reaction with specific primers. Results: Frequency of E. coli isolates was 62.3%, most of which originated from ICU patients (56.5%). The rate of susceptibility to fosfomycin was 85%. Moreover, the MIC of 80.3% of the isolates was less than or equal to 64 μg/mL. We also detected the murA and glpT genes in 77.8% and 22.2% of fosfomycin-resistant isolates, respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicated a high bactericidal activity of fosfomycin against uropathogenic E. coli isolates. In agreement with similar studies, we concluded that the presence of murA is significantly associated with the development of resistance to fosfomycin.}, Keywords = {Fosfomycin, Uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Coronary Care Units, PCR}, volume = {6}, Number = {4}, pages = {112-117}, publisher = {Pasteur Institute of Iran}, doi = {10.29252/JoMMID.6.4.112}, url = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-190-en.html}, eprint = {http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-190-en.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, issn = {2345-5349}, eissn = {2345-5330}, year = {2018} }