Amir Taherkhani, Fateme Ghonji, A. Mazaheri, Mohammad Parsa Lohrasbi, Z. Mohamadi, Z. Khamverdi
Background: Dental caries is one of the most common oral chronic diseases. Streptococcus mutans is the main pathogenic bacteria playing a role in degrading the mineral texture of the teeth. Glucosyltransferase (GTFase) of S. mutans is responsible for producing glucan, which is the main exopolysaccharide found in the cariogenic biofilms. Further, previous studies have reported that cinnamic acid diminished biofilm formation of S. mutans. Therefore, we hypothesized that cinnamic acid and its derivatives might act as GTFase inhibitors. Methods: The binding affinity of a total of 12 plant-based compounds including cinnamic acid and its 11 derivatives to the GTFase active site were examined by utilizing the AutoDock tool. The possible interactions between top-ranked cinnamic acid derivatives and the residues within the GTFase catalytic site were also taken into consideration. Results: Five of the cinnamic acid derivatives including rosmarinic acid (RA), cynarine, chlorogenic acid (CGA), caffeic acid 3-glucoside, and N-p-coumaroyltyramine demonstrated inhibitory effects on GTFase at nanomolar concentration. Stabilizing interactions such as π–π stack pairing and pi-charge interactions were detected between top-ranked GTFase inhibitors and residues within the enzyme active site. Conclusions: The present study suggests that RA, cynarine, CGA, caffeic acid 3-glucoside, and N-p-coumaroyltyramine might have protective effects on dental caries, and therefore, may be considered as anti-tooth caries compounds.
{"title":"Identification of Potential Glucosyltransferase Inhibitors from Cinnamic Acid Derivatives Using Molecular Docking Analysis: A Bioinformatics Study","authors":"Amir Taherkhani, Fateme Ghonji, A. Mazaheri, Mohammad Parsa Lohrasbi, Z. Mohamadi, Z. Khamverdi","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.27","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.27","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Dental caries is one of the most common oral chronic diseases. Streptococcus mutans is the main pathogenic bacteria playing a role in degrading the mineral texture of the teeth. Glucosyltransferase (GTFase) of S. mutans is responsible for producing glucan, which is the main exopolysaccharide found in the cariogenic biofilms. Further, previous studies have reported that cinnamic acid diminished biofilm formation of S. mutans. Therefore, we hypothesized that cinnamic acid and its derivatives might act as GTFase inhibitors. Methods: The binding affinity of a total of 12 plant-based compounds including cinnamic acid and its 11 derivatives to the GTFase active site were examined by utilizing the AutoDock tool. The possible interactions between top-ranked cinnamic acid derivatives and the residues within the GTFase catalytic site were also taken into consideration. Results: Five of the cinnamic acid derivatives including rosmarinic acid (RA), cynarine, chlorogenic acid (CGA), caffeic acid 3-glucoside, and N-p-coumaroyltyramine demonstrated inhibitory effects on GTFase at nanomolar concentration. Stabilizing interactions such as π–π stack pairing and pi-charge interactions were detected between top-ranked GTFase inhibitors and residues within the enzyme active site. Conclusions: The present study suggests that RA, cynarine, CGA, caffeic acid 3-glucoside, and N-p-coumaroyltyramine might have protective effects on dental caries, and therefore, may be considered as anti-tooth caries compounds.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"111 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80337307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Fathi, K. Vakili, Ramtin Hajibeygi, N. Deravi, Arian Tavasol, Shirin Yaghoobpoor, Elahe Ahsan, Melika Mokhtari, Tara Fazel, N. Kassaian
For the last three decades, the world population has experienced new epidemics of coronaviruses. The world is currently witnessing the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic, which is a disease that comes from a novel coronavirus called Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The available genetic and clinical proofs suggest a similar route to those of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and SARS. The clinical manifestations of infections caused by coronaviruses including SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 are pneumonia, bronchitis, or other serious respiratory infections. Various transmission ways (e.g., nosocomial transmission) and transmission through moderately symptomatic or non-symptomatic infected individuals have caused great concerns. Although no certain treatment has so far been developed for this disease, and prevention is the main applied strategy for these viruses, some medications can be used to help with this disease. Corticosteroids can be mentioned as an example of these medications. This article specifically reviewed the evidence regarding the effectiveness of the corticosteroid therapy for the coronavirus family (i.e., SARS, MERS, and COVID-19) and showed that there are insufficient data to recommend corticosteroid therapy for patients suffering from COVID-19.
{"title":"Corticosteroid Therapy for 2019 Novel Coronavirus: Lessons From SARS and MERS","authors":"M. Fathi, K. Vakili, Ramtin Hajibeygi, N. Deravi, Arian Tavasol, Shirin Yaghoobpoor, Elahe Ahsan, Melika Mokhtari, Tara Fazel, N. Kassaian","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.29","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.29","url":null,"abstract":"For the last three decades, the world population has experienced new epidemics of coronaviruses. The world is currently witnessing the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic, which is a disease that comes from a novel coronavirus called Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The available genetic and clinical proofs suggest a similar route to those of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and SARS. The clinical manifestations of infections caused by coronaviruses including SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 are pneumonia, bronchitis, or other serious respiratory infections. Various transmission ways (e.g., nosocomial transmission) and transmission through moderately symptomatic or non-symptomatic infected individuals have caused great concerns. Although no certain treatment has so far been developed for this disease, and prevention is the main applied strategy for these viruses, some medications can be used to help with this disease. Corticosteroids can be mentioned as an example of these medications. This article specifically reviewed the evidence regarding the effectiveness of the corticosteroid therapy for the coronavirus family (i.e., SARS, MERS, and COVID-19) and showed that there are insufficient data to recommend corticosteroid therapy for patients suffering from COVID-19.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"81 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83985083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most important causes of opportunistic infections, including lobar pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTIs), and wound infection. Treatment of disease caused by this bacterium has also become a challenge, as many strains are resistant to all β-lactam antibiotics. Metallo-β-lactamases hydrolyze most β-lactam antibiotics, especially carbapenems, but cannot inactivate monobactams. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Metallo-β-lactamase genes (blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaNDM) in K. pneumoniae isolated from clinical specimens. Methods: Clinical samples were collected from hospitals of Mazandaran province. Among 500 clinical samples collected, only 40 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were detected by culture and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on all isolates by the Kirby-Bauer method. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used for the identification of blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaNDM genes. Results: Antibiogram by disk diffusion method showed that 21 (52%) and 19 (48%) isolates were classified as imipenem resistant and sensitive, respectively. Of all the samples, 30 (75%), 7 (17.5%), and 36 (90%) contained blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaNDM genes, respectively. The co-existence of the blaVIM and blaNDM genes was observed in 22 (55%) isolates. The presence of both blaIMP and blaNDM genes was confirmed in 2 (5%) of the isolates. Four isolates (10%) had blaNDM, blaIMP, and blaVIM genes simultaneously, but none of these genes were present in one isolate (2.5%). Conclusions: This study showed that the prevalence of metallo-β-lactamase genes in K. pneumoniae isolated from clinical specimens is very high, so it is recommended that physicians treat patients based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics.
{"title":"Prevalence of Metallo-β-Lactamase Genes in Clinical Isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae in Health Care Centers in Mazandaran Province","authors":"Rougayeh Alizadeh, M. Alipour, Fatereh Rezaee","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.24","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most important causes of opportunistic infections, including lobar pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTIs), and wound infection. Treatment of disease caused by this bacterium has also become a challenge, as many strains are resistant to all β-lactam antibiotics. Metallo-β-lactamases hydrolyze most β-lactam antibiotics, especially carbapenems, but cannot inactivate monobactams. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Metallo-β-lactamase genes (blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaNDM) in K. pneumoniae isolated from clinical specimens. Methods: Clinical samples were collected from hospitals of Mazandaran province. Among 500 clinical samples collected, only 40 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were detected by culture and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on all isolates by the Kirby-Bauer method. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used for the identification of blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaNDM genes. Results: Antibiogram by disk diffusion method showed that 21 (52%) and 19 (48%) isolates were classified as imipenem resistant and sensitive, respectively. Of all the samples, 30 (75%), 7 (17.5%), and 36 (90%) contained blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaNDM genes, respectively. The co-existence of the blaVIM and blaNDM genes was observed in 22 (55%) isolates. The presence of both blaIMP and blaNDM genes was confirmed in 2 (5%) of the isolates. Four isolates (10%) had blaNDM, blaIMP, and blaVIM genes simultaneously, but none of these genes were present in one isolate (2.5%). Conclusions: This study showed that the prevalence of metallo-β-lactamase genes in K. pneumoniae isolated from clinical specimens is very high, so it is recommended that physicians treat patients based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"2038 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91319777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Habibian, H. Soleimanjahi, T. Bamdad, Seyed Mahmood Seyed khorrami, A. Yari
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic infectious disease which has led to thousands of deaths around the world. The Coronaviridae family is the second cause of the common cold that targets human respiratory tracts. Specific diagnostic laboratory tests in addition to clinical investigations would be helpful in confirming COVID-19 in the early stages for controlling the disease. Upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody responses are produced during the early phase of illness (>7 days), meanwhile, viral nucleic acid real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test is applied as the confirmatory assay in the first 5-6 days after the onset of illness. Due to the rise of antibodies, the viral nucleic acid represents a gradual decline. These laboratory tests may be considered valuable for monitoring the patient’s status to prevent the spreading of infections and keep him/her in quarantine. The results of molecular and serological assays revealed that whether the person is recovered and protected against disease. Furthermore, regarding the rise of antibody titer and undetectable viral RNA, it may be possible to make a decision about when the recovered people could back to work and social life.
{"title":"Who Is Immune Against COVID-19 and Safe to Return to Work: The Impact of Laboratory Assays","authors":"A. Habibian, H. Soleimanjahi, T. Bamdad, Seyed Mahmood Seyed khorrami, A. Yari","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.28","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.28","url":null,"abstract":"Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic infectious disease which has led to thousands of deaths around the world. The Coronaviridae family is the second cause of the common cold that targets human respiratory tracts. Specific diagnostic laboratory tests in addition to clinical investigations would be helpful in confirming COVID-19 in the early stages for controlling the disease. Upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody responses are produced during the early phase of illness (>7 days), meanwhile, viral nucleic acid real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test is applied as the confirmatory assay in the first 5-6 days after the onset of illness. Due to the rise of antibodies, the viral nucleic acid represents a gradual decline. These laboratory tests may be considered valuable for monitoring the patient’s status to prevent the spreading of infections and keep him/her in quarantine. The results of molecular and serological assays revealed that whether the person is recovered and protected against disease. Furthermore, regarding the rise of antibody titer and undetectable viral RNA, it may be possible to make a decision about when the recovered people could back to work and social life.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"29 5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83316435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: The growing spread of drug resistance in Helicobacter pylori has caused concern. Urease is one of the most important enzymes associated with H. pylori activity. Oxadiazoles have a wide range of inhibitory activities. The aim of this study was to investigate new oxadiazole compounds as urease inhibitors of H. pylori. Methods: The synthesized compounds were reused as ligands in the previous study, and the initial structure of the compounds was optimized by the Molecular Mechanics Models method. Then, the compounds were evaluated as inhibitors on the active site of the urease enzyme by AutoDock Vina software, and the output results were analyzed and evaluated using soft Discovery Studio software. Results: All compounds, especially (4c) with flour groups, exhibited powerful inhibitory activity against the urease enzyme of H. pylori. Conclusions: The present findings indicated the inhibitory potential of the novel synthetic 1, 3, 4-oxadiazole compounds.
{"title":"Anti-Helicobacter pylori Activity of New Derivatives of 1, 3,4-Oxadiazole: In Silico Study","authors":"Yasin SarveAhrabi","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.25","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The growing spread of drug resistance in Helicobacter pylori has caused concern. Urease is one of the most important enzymes associated with H. pylori activity. Oxadiazoles have a wide range of inhibitory activities. The aim of this study was to investigate new oxadiazole compounds as urease inhibitors of H. pylori. Methods: The synthesized compounds were reused as ligands in the previous study, and the initial structure of the compounds was optimized by the Molecular Mechanics Models method. Then, the compounds were evaluated as inhibitors on the active site of the urease enzyme by AutoDock Vina software, and the output results were analyzed and evaluated using soft Discovery Studio software. Results: All compounds, especially (4c) with flour groups, exhibited powerful inhibitory activity against the urease enzyme of H. pylori. Conclusions: The present findings indicated the inhibitory potential of the novel synthetic 1, 3, 4-oxadiazole compounds.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78828601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Composites used in the direct bonding of brackets in fixed orthodontics are considered a suitable environment for the multiplication of cariogenic bacteria and the establishment of microbial plaques by creating a distance between the bracket, tooth surface, and surface properties such as porosity. In the present study, we decided to combine curcumin-reduced nano-graphene oxide (rGO-NCUR) with a composite resin used in orthodontics to achieve a composite with optimal shear bond strength (SBS) and antimicrobial properties against Streptococcus mutans as a main cariogenic bacterium. Methods: In the present study, nanoparticle of graphene oxide (NGO) was synthesized by the modified Hummers’ method using graphite powder and reacted by NCUR to regenerate reduced-NGO (rGO-NCUR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to confirm the synthesis of NGO, NCUR, and rGO-NCUR. SBS and antimicrobial activity of Transbond XT composite containing 5% rGO-NCUR were performed against S. mutans biofilms. SPSS software, one-way ANOVA test, and Tukey post hoc test with a significance level equal to or less than 0.05 were used to analyze the data. Results: The synthesis of NGO, NCUR, and rGO-NCUR in nanoscale was confirmed by SEM. The amount of SBS in the composite sample with 5% w/w rGO-NCUR was 12.30 ± 0.65 MPa. The optical density of S. mutans in the biofilm structure formed on composite containing 5% w/w rGO-NCUR was significantly reduced (62.10%) compared with the control group, namely, original composites used in orthodontics (P<0.05). Conclusions: Based on the data of the present study, it can be concluded that composite containing 5% w/w rGO-CUR, without adverse effect on the physical-mechanical properties of composites, can be used as an antimicrobial additive of composites used in orthodontics to control biofilm formation and caries around orthodontic brackets.
{"title":"Antimicrobial Properties and Shear Bond Strength of Composite Used in Orthodontics Following the Addition of Curcumin-Reduced Nanographene Oxide","authors":"R. Ghorbanzadeh, A. Salehi Vaziri, A. Bahador","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.26","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.26","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Composites used in the direct bonding of brackets in fixed orthodontics are considered a suitable environment for the multiplication of cariogenic bacteria and the establishment of microbial plaques by creating a distance between the bracket, tooth surface, and surface properties such as porosity. In the present study, we decided to combine curcumin-reduced nano-graphene oxide (rGO-NCUR) with a composite resin used in orthodontics to achieve a composite with optimal shear bond strength (SBS) and antimicrobial properties against Streptococcus mutans as a main cariogenic bacterium. Methods: In the present study, nanoparticle of graphene oxide (NGO) was synthesized by the modified Hummers’ method using graphite powder and reacted by NCUR to regenerate reduced-NGO (rGO-NCUR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to confirm the synthesis of NGO, NCUR, and rGO-NCUR. SBS and antimicrobial activity of Transbond XT composite containing 5% rGO-NCUR were performed against S. mutans biofilms. SPSS software, one-way ANOVA test, and Tukey post hoc test with a significance level equal to or less than 0.05 were used to analyze the data. Results: The synthesis of NGO, NCUR, and rGO-NCUR in nanoscale was confirmed by SEM. The amount of SBS in the composite sample with 5% w/w rGO-NCUR was 12.30 ± 0.65 MPa. The optical density of S. mutans in the biofilm structure formed on composite containing 5% w/w rGO-NCUR was significantly reduced (62.10%) compared with the control group, namely, original composites used in orthodontics (P<0.05). Conclusions: Based on the data of the present study, it can be concluded that composite containing 5% w/w rGO-CUR, without adverse effect on the physical-mechanical properties of composites, can be used as an antimicrobial additive of composites used in orthodontics to control biofilm formation and caries around orthodontic brackets.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81554673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Keramati, Sahereh Garaei, Shiva Roshankhah, M. Esmaeli
Background: Diagnosing viral and bacterial infectious diseases in children is of great importance. The conventional treatment for the given diseases has been proven relatively impractical and, therefore, finding a practical diagnostic method seems necessary. Measuring procalcitonin (PCT) levels in the blood is one of those useful tests which have high sensitivity and specificity compared to other methods. Moreover, many researchers have emphasized that the level of PCT in bacterial infections is significant. Therefore, PCT level measurement can be adopted as a highly effective factor for distinguishing bacterial infections from viral ones. Our study aimed to evaluate the plasma levels of PCT in children aged 3-36 months. Methods: In this study which was conducted in 2020 in Kermanshah, Iran, 49 children aged 3-36 months having focal fever and referring to the pediatric emergency department of Mohammad Kermanshahi and Imam Reza hospitals in Kermanshah were examined. Distinguishing bacterial infection from viral one was first made by a pediatrician using CBC diff-ESR-CRP tests. Results: The mean serum level of PCT in bacterial infections was significantly higher than that in viral infections. Furthermore, the mean of white blood cell (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in bacterial infection was significantly higher than that in viral infection. Conclusions: According to our study findings, plasma levels of PCT could have been considered as a diagnostic indicator of the infection. Therefore, it was recommended that the evaluation of PCT plasma levels in children with infection be performed in early stages of the disease. However, it was also suggested that this evaluation be conducted after performing further investigations in this field.
{"title":"Procalcitonin Serum Level in Patients Aged 3-36 Months With Focal Fever Referred to Hospitals in Western Iran in 2020","authors":"A. Keramati, Sahereh Garaei, Shiva Roshankhah, M. Esmaeli","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.18","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.18","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Diagnosing viral and bacterial infectious diseases in children is of great importance. The conventional treatment for the given diseases has been proven relatively impractical and, therefore, finding a practical diagnostic method seems necessary. Measuring procalcitonin (PCT) levels in the blood is one of those useful tests which have high sensitivity and specificity compared to other methods. Moreover, many researchers have emphasized that the level of PCT in bacterial infections is significant. Therefore, PCT level measurement can be adopted as a highly effective factor for distinguishing bacterial infections from viral ones. Our study aimed to evaluate the plasma levels of PCT in children aged 3-36 months. Methods: In this study which was conducted in 2020 in Kermanshah, Iran, 49 children aged 3-36 months having focal fever and referring to the pediatric emergency department of Mohammad Kermanshahi and Imam Reza hospitals in Kermanshah were examined. Distinguishing bacterial infection from viral one was first made by a pediatrician using CBC diff-ESR-CRP tests. Results: The mean serum level of PCT in bacterial infections was significantly higher than that in viral infections. Furthermore, the mean of white blood cell (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in bacterial infection was significantly higher than that in viral infection. Conclusions: According to our study findings, plasma levels of PCT could have been considered as a diagnostic indicator of the infection. Therefore, it was recommended that the evaluation of PCT plasma levels in children with infection be performed in early stages of the disease. However, it was also suggested that this evaluation be conducted after performing further investigations in this field.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"48 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82272390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Javid Taghinejad, Farnaz Zakikhani, A. Esmaeili, M. Golshan, M. Emadi, Sara Alami
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) includes a large family of Coronaviridae, which was first found in Wuhan, China in 2019, and has caused a global pandemic. This study aimed was to assess the awareness, stress, and fear of this disease in part of the Iranian population. Methods: Based on the aim of this cross-sectional and analytical study, electronic questionnaires were sent to 201 of the Iranian population. The statistical data from inferential chi-square and Spearman tests were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics (version 24), and the level of significance was considered at 0.05. Results: The findings showed that 69.07% of the population was from northern Iran. The awareness level of the majority of people (76.06%) was reported to be favorable. The highest and lowest levels of awareness in people with higher education and unemployed people, respectively, showed meaningful significance between education level and age. Finally, the amount of stress to COVID-19 revealed a significant relationship with age. Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, awareness about age and education was reported to be at the desired level. At the beginning of the outbreak, the anxiety level of people was high while its rate decreased by gaining awareness of the prevention of this debase, indicating the importance of personal health and self-care in society
{"title":"A Survey of Awareness and Stress of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in a Part of the Iranian Population","authors":"Javid Taghinejad, Farnaz Zakikhani, A. Esmaeili, M. Golshan, M. Emadi, Sara Alami","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.19","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) includes a large family of Coronaviridae, which was first found in Wuhan, China in 2019, and has caused a global pandemic. This study aimed was to assess the awareness, stress, and fear of this disease in part of the Iranian population. Methods: Based on the aim of this cross-sectional and analytical study, electronic questionnaires were sent to 201 of the Iranian population. The statistical data from inferential chi-square and Spearman tests were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics (version 24), and the level of significance was considered at 0.05. Results: The findings showed that 69.07% of the population was from northern Iran. The awareness level of the majority of people (76.06%) was reported to be favorable. The highest and lowest levels of awareness in people with higher education and unemployed people, respectively, showed meaningful significance between education level and age. Finally, the amount of stress to COVID-19 revealed a significant relationship with age. Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, awareness about age and education was reported to be at the desired level. At the beginning of the outbreak, the anxiety level of people was high while its rate decreased by gaining awareness of the prevention of this debase, indicating the importance of personal health and self-care in society","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76909523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Shukla, M. Gangwar, A. Srivastava, S. Rastogi, Deepak Kumar, D. Singh, Rajesh Kumar, P. Prakash, G. Nath
Background: Scrub typhus (ST) is a rickettsial infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which presents with flu like symptoms. This disease has been reported from all over India but with slight variations in its pattern. For decreasing the prevalence, preventing new incidences, and predicting the course of the ST, therefore, it is crucial to gain knowledge and perception of local risk components associated with the disease. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiological distribution and potential risk factors of O. tsutsugamushi Infection in Eastern Uttar Pradesh (EUP), India. Methods: The serums of 211 samples were collected from the suspected cases along with the detailed information about the participants such as age, location, and place recorded in case history form (CRF). IgM estimation was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay. Results: A total of 58 samples (27.4%) out of 211 ones were found to be positive for IgM antibodies against O. tsutsugamushi bacterium. Furthermore, the results were correlated with epidemiological data such as gender, rural or urban background, pets, and occupation. The results showed that 76.7% of the study participants were from rural areas or had bushes around their houses, 88.3% of them had pets/cattle or frequent encounter with rodents at their houses, and 30.3% of them had no toilet facilities at home. Conclusions: It was concluded that the proximity to pets/cattle, having rodents in closer vicinity, residing in places surrounded by vegetation/farm/bushy areas, and following occupations involving field work increased the chances of getting bitten by mites/chiggers. Overall, Orientia tsutsugamushi prevalence increased in EUP, with respect to clinical features, disease presentation, and laboratory diagnosis can help our community to reduce the mortality caused by this infectious disease.
{"title":"Epidemiological Distribution and Potential Risk Factors of Orientia tsutsugamushi Infection in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India","authors":"A. Shukla, M. Gangwar, A. Srivastava, S. Rastogi, Deepak Kumar, D. Singh, Rajesh Kumar, P. Prakash, G. Nath","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.20","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Scrub typhus (ST) is a rickettsial infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which presents with flu like symptoms. This disease has been reported from all over India but with slight variations in its pattern. For decreasing the prevalence, preventing new incidences, and predicting the course of the ST, therefore, it is crucial to gain knowledge and perception of local risk components associated with the disease. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiological distribution and potential risk factors of O. tsutsugamushi Infection in Eastern Uttar Pradesh (EUP), India. Methods: The serums of 211 samples were collected from the suspected cases along with the detailed information about the participants such as age, location, and place recorded in case history form (CRF). IgM estimation was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay. Results: A total of 58 samples (27.4%) out of 211 ones were found to be positive for IgM antibodies against O. tsutsugamushi bacterium. Furthermore, the results were correlated with epidemiological data such as gender, rural or urban background, pets, and occupation. The results showed that 76.7% of the study participants were from rural areas or had bushes around their houses, 88.3% of them had pets/cattle or frequent encounter with rodents at their houses, and 30.3% of them had no toilet facilities at home. Conclusions: It was concluded that the proximity to pets/cattle, having rodents in closer vicinity, residing in places surrounded by vegetation/farm/bushy areas, and following occupations involving field work increased the chances of getting bitten by mites/chiggers. Overall, Orientia tsutsugamushi prevalence increased in EUP, with respect to clinical features, disease presentation, and laboratory diagnosis can help our community to reduce the mortality caused by this infectious disease.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83278538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Gharekhani, M. Yakhchali, F. Keramat, R. Berahmat
Background: Neosporosis is a parasitic disease caused by Neospora caninum. This parasite is an obligate intracellular coccidia similar to Toxoplasma gondii with a global distribution. With regard to the experimental studies, vertical transmission of the parasite in the monkey (non-human primates) has increased the concern about the zoonotic potential of this disease. The principal aim of the current research was to perform a mini-review on investigations regarding the Neospora infection in humans on a global scale for the first time. Methods: All peer-reviewed articles (published until April 2021) on the Neospora infection in humans were searched in English databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest. Results: Based on data in the available articles, the presence of antibodies against the Neospora infection was between 0 and 37.7% in people from different countries. The seroprevalence rate of this infection in HIV-positive individuals was higher (26.6% and 37.7%) compared to other cases. Finally, the genomic DNA of Neospora was detected up to 1% using molecular biology techniques. Conclusions: Overall, the detection of anti-Neospora antibodies in humans indicated that people have been exposed to the parasite. Comprehensive research studies are essential for clarifying the risk factors associated with the Neospora infection in humans. This report provides the baseline information for future researchers. Molecular investigations and genotypic works on N. caninum isolates are highly recommended as well.
{"title":"A Literature Review of Neospora caninum Infection in Humans","authors":"J. Gharekhani, M. Yakhchali, F. Keramat, R. Berahmat","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2021.21","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2021.21","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Neosporosis is a parasitic disease caused by Neospora caninum. This parasite is an obligate intracellular coccidia similar to Toxoplasma gondii with a global distribution. With regard to the experimental studies, vertical transmission of the parasite in the monkey (non-human primates) has increased the concern about the zoonotic potential of this disease. The principal aim of the current research was to perform a mini-review on investigations regarding the Neospora infection in humans on a global scale for the first time. Methods: All peer-reviewed articles (published until April 2021) on the Neospora infection in humans were searched in English databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest. Results: Based on data in the available articles, the presence of antibodies against the Neospora infection was between 0 and 37.7% in people from different countries. The seroprevalence rate of this infection in HIV-positive individuals was higher (26.6% and 37.7%) compared to other cases. Finally, the genomic DNA of Neospora was detected up to 1% using molecular biology techniques. Conclusions: Overall, the detection of anti-Neospora antibodies in humans indicated that people have been exposed to the parasite. Comprehensive research studies are essential for clarifying the risk factors associated with the Neospora infection in humans. This report provides the baseline information for future researchers. Molecular investigations and genotypic works on N. caninum isolates are highly recommended as well.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"139 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79708273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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