Purpose: This study aimed to search for randomized clinical trials evaluating the clinical effectiveness of ertapenem compared to piperacillin/tazob actam in adult patients with mild to moderate intra-abdominal infections. Results: The analysis of 4 studies involving 767 patients in the ertapenem group and 728 patients in the piperacillin/tazobactam group showed that ertapenem can be 3% more effective than piperacillin/tazobactam (Weighted mean differences = 3.02, confidence interval (0.79-6.84) although the difference was insignificant (I-squared = 0.0%, P=0.98)
{"title":"Clinical Effectiveness of Ertapenem Versus Piperacillin/Tazobactam in Patients With Mild to Moderate Intraabdominal Infections: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis of Randomized Controlled Trials","authors":"M. Pezeshki, F. Soleymani, M. Seyedifar","doi":"10.34172/AJCMI.2020.28","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/AJCMI.2020.28","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study aimed to search for randomized clinical trials evaluating the clinical effectiveness of ertapenem compared to piperacillin/tazob actam in adult patients with mild to moderate intra-abdominal infections. Results: The analysis of 4 studies involving 767 patients in the ertapenem group and 728 patients in the piperacillin/tazobactam group showed that ertapenem can be 3% more effective than piperacillin/tazobactam (Weighted mean differences = 3.02, confidence interval (0.79-6.84) although the difference was insignificant (I-squared = 0.0%, P=0.98)","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"15 1","pages":"129-134"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88751096","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}
Bahram Askarpour, A. Sedaghat, Nazanin Hazrati, A. Ahmadabadi, M. Youssefi, Majid Khadem-Rezaiyan, N. Abdollahpour
Background: Burn remains a globally significant life-threatening problem, especially in developing countries, and infection is considered as a major complication among burn patients. The rate of antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from burn patients has demonstrated a significant increase. In this regard, this study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients’ burn wound infections. Methods: All available wound cultures of burn patients admitted to the burn unit of Emam-Reza hospital/ Mashhad, northeast Iran from March 2012 to March 2017 were included in this retrospective study. Then, the resistance of isolated S. aureus strains against 25 different antibiotic disks was studied based on the aim of the study. Results: Overall, 1973 patients were admitted, out of whom 4758 swab samples were taken from them. Out of 3188 micro-organisms isolated from burn wound cultures, 185 (5.8%) cases were S. aureus. Based on the results, the highest susceptibility rates were related to vancomycin (98.8%), cefazolin (72%), ciprofloxacin (75%), and gentamicin (74.6%). Conclusions: In general, vancomycin, cefazolin, and ciprofloxacin appeared to be the most effective agents among all tested antibiotics for S. aureus. The extensive use of antibiotics in treating infections has resulted in the emergence of resistant strains. Routine microbiological surveillance and careful in vitro testing before antibiotic use may help in the prevention of the ever-increasing antibiotic-resistant pathogens in burn infections.
{"title":"Antibiotic Resistance Pattern Among Staphylococcus aureus Isolated From Wound Cultures in Burn Patients: A Five-Year Study","authors":"Bahram Askarpour, A. Sedaghat, Nazanin Hazrati, A. Ahmadabadi, M. Youssefi, Majid Khadem-Rezaiyan, N. Abdollahpour","doi":"10.34172/AJCMI.2020.23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/AJCMI.2020.23","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Burn remains a globally significant life-threatening problem, especially in developing countries, and infection is considered as a major complication among burn patients. The rate of antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from burn patients has demonstrated a significant increase. In this regard, this study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients’ burn wound infections. Methods: All available wound cultures of burn patients admitted to the burn unit of Emam-Reza hospital/ Mashhad, northeast Iran from March 2012 to March 2017 were included in this retrospective study. Then, the resistance of isolated S. aureus strains against 25 different antibiotic disks was studied based on the aim of the study. Results: Overall, 1973 patients were admitted, out of whom 4758 swab samples were taken from them. Out of 3188 micro-organisms isolated from burn wound cultures, 185 (5.8%) cases were S. aureus. Based on the results, the highest susceptibility rates were related to vancomycin (98.8%), cefazolin (72%), ciprofloxacin (75%), and gentamicin (74.6%). Conclusions: In general, vancomycin, cefazolin, and ciprofloxacin appeared to be the most effective agents among all tested antibiotics for S. aureus. The extensive use of antibiotics in treating infections has resulted in the emergence of resistant strains. Routine microbiological surveillance and careful in vitro testing before antibiotic use may help in the prevention of the ever-increasing antibiotic-resistant pathogens in burn infections.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81268478","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 incidence of keratomycosis has increased dramatically in recent years. Early diagnosis and treatment of keratomycosis are important in preventing further complications. Direct microscopic techniques are time-saving for diagnosing keratomycosis when compared to culture methods. This study was carried out to determine the sensitivities of potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet mount, Gram stain and Calcofluor white (CFW) stain plus KOH wet mount by taking culture as the gold standard. The positivity of CFW stain plus KOH wet mount, KOH wet mount, and Gram stain was 30%, 23.3%, and 20%, respectively. Sensitivities of CFW stain plus KOH wet mount, KOH wet mount, and Gram stain were 79.55%, 54.55%, and 47.62%, respectively. Conclusion: Post-investigative analysis has revealed that CFW stain plus KOH wet mount was better than KOH wet mount alone in demonstrating fungal pathogens. Therefore, early diagnosis of keratomycosis by meticulous examination of corneal scrapings by direct microscopy specifically using CFW stain plus KOH wet mount and institution of antifungal therapy may limit ocular morbidity and disastrous sequelae among these patients.
{"title":"A Comparative Study of Potassium Hydroxide Wet Mount, Calcofluor White Staining and Culture for the Diagnosis of Keratomycosis","authors":"P. Alekhya, C. Aruna Sunder, Prathiba .","doi":"10.34172/AJCMI.2020.27","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/AJCMI.2020.27","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The incidence of keratomycosis has increased dramatically in recent years. Early diagnosis and treatment of keratomycosis are important in preventing further complications. Direct microscopic techniques are time-saving for diagnosing keratomycosis when compared to culture methods. This study was carried out to determine the sensitivities of potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet mount, Gram stain and Calcofluor white (CFW) stain plus KOH wet mount by taking culture as the gold standard. The positivity of CFW stain plus KOH wet mount, KOH wet mount, and Gram stain was 30%, 23.3%, and 20%, respectively. Sensitivities of CFW stain plus KOH wet mount, KOH wet mount, and Gram stain were 79.55%, 54.55%, and 47.62%, respectively. Conclusion: Post-investigative analysis has revealed that CFW stain plus KOH wet mount was better than KOH wet mount alone in demonstrating fungal pathogens. Therefore, early diagnosis of keratomycosis by meticulous examination of corneal scrapings by direct microscopy specifically using CFW stain plus KOH wet mount and institution of antifungal therapy may limit ocular morbidity and disastrous sequelae among these patients.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"69 1","pages":"124-128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90907186","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: Serious infections are associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria and this can lead to many deaths in the world. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against MRSA isolates from clinical samples. Methods: Ag nanoparticles were synthesized by ultrasound-assisted reverse micelles method. The as-prepared Ag nanoparticles were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antibacterial effect of AgNPs was investigated using agar well diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. Results: The XRD studies showed that pure Ag nanoparticles have been produced after calcination. Synthesized AgNPs showed favorable effects on the bacteria used. MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were determined to be 0.015 and 0.07 mg/mL, respectively. All MRSA isolates were susceptible to AgNPs. In contrast, they showed high resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. Conclusions: AgNPs had high inhibitory activity against MRSA; therefore, they can be proposed as an alternative or adjuvant to antibiotics for the treatment of MRSA infections. Further investigations are required to assess the safety and efficacy of AgNPs in the body.
{"title":"Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles with Ultrasound-Assisted Reverse Micelles Method and Their Antibacterial Effects on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates","authors":"Sima Sedrizadeh-Bami, A. Kariminik, M. Ranjbar","doi":"10.34172/AJCMI.2020.22","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/AJCMI.2020.22","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Serious infections are associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria and this can lead to many deaths in the world. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against MRSA isolates from clinical samples. Methods: Ag nanoparticles were synthesized by ultrasound-assisted reverse micelles method. The as-prepared Ag nanoparticles were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antibacterial effect of AgNPs was investigated using agar well diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. Results: The XRD studies showed that pure Ag nanoparticles have been produced after calcination. Synthesized AgNPs showed favorable effects on the bacteria used. MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were determined to be 0.015 and 0.07 mg/mL, respectively. All MRSA isolates were susceptible to AgNPs. In contrast, they showed high resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. Conclusions: AgNPs had high inhibitory activity against MRSA; therefore, they can be proposed as an alternative or adjuvant to antibiotics for the treatment of MRSA infections. Further investigations are required to assess the safety and efficacy of AgNPs in the body.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"466 1","pages":"99-103"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83023861","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: Enterobiasis is a common parasitic disease at all age groups, especially children. It results in perianal itching, insomnia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rarely appendicitis and fallopian tube inflammation in the affected patients. The prevalence of enterobiasis varies in different parts of Iran. However, the status of the enterobiasis prevalence among Sabzevar children remains unknown. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of enterobiasis among the kindergarten children of Sabzevar, Razavi Khorasan province, the northeast of Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical-descriptive study, sampling was carried out on children aged below 7 years using the Scotch-tape technique in the kindergartens of Sabzevar in 2019. The samples were then examined by a light microscope. Finally, the data were recorded in a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software and Fisher exact test. Results: Based on the results, 6 (3.49%) out of 172 collected samples were found to be infected with enterobiasis. There was no significant association between gender and infection. Eventually, no significant relationship was found between the geographical living area and enterobiasis. Conclusions: These findings indicated that the overall prevalence of enterobiasis among Sabzevar kindergarten children was lower than that of many parts of Iran. However, educational programs for parents and kindergarten staff regarding enterobiasis infection and the transmission routes should be conducted to reduce the infection rate.
{"title":"Prevalence of Enterobiasis Among the Kindergarten Children of Sabzevar, Northeast of Iran","authors":"H. Elyasi, R. Golmohammadi, M. Mojadadi","doi":"10.34172/AJCMI.2020.26","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/AJCMI.2020.26","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Enterobiasis is a common parasitic disease at all age groups, especially children. It results in perianal itching, insomnia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rarely appendicitis and fallopian tube inflammation in the affected patients. The prevalence of enterobiasis varies in different parts of Iran. However, the status of the enterobiasis prevalence among Sabzevar children remains unknown. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of enterobiasis among the kindergarten children of Sabzevar, Razavi Khorasan province, the northeast of Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical-descriptive study, sampling was carried out on children aged below 7 years using the Scotch-tape technique in the kindergartens of Sabzevar in 2019. The samples were then examined by a light microscope. Finally, the data were recorded in a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software and Fisher exact test. Results: Based on the results, 6 (3.49%) out of 172 collected samples were found to be infected with enterobiasis. There was no significant association between gender and infection. Eventually, no significant relationship was found between the geographical living area and enterobiasis. Conclusions: These findings indicated that the overall prevalence of enterobiasis among Sabzevar kindergarten children was lower than that of many parts of Iran. However, educational programs for parents and kindergarten staff regarding enterobiasis infection and the transmission routes should be conducted to reduce the infection rate.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"2 11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91051668","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. Sazmand, S. Torkaman, Saba Namayeshi, S. Faraji, M. Zeinali, M. Zibaei
Background: Toxocariasis is one of the most commonly reported zoonotic helminth infections in the world which is caused by the parasitic roundworms of dogs or cats. This survey aimed to provide data on the contamination of the soil of public parks by Toxocara spp. eggs in Hamedan city, capital of Hamedan Province in the west of Iran.
{"title":"Prevalence of Toxocara Species Eggs in the Soil of Public Parks in Hamedan City, Western Iran","authors":"A. Sazmand, S. Torkaman, Saba Namayeshi, S. Faraji, M. Zeinali, M. Zibaei","doi":"10.34172/AJCMI.2020.25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/AJCMI.2020.25","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Toxocariasis is one of the most commonly reported zoonotic helminth infections in the world which is caused by the parasitic roundworms of dogs or cats. This survey aimed to provide data on the contamination of the soil of public parks by Toxocara spp. eggs in Hamedan city, capital of Hamedan Province in the west of Iran.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"40 1","pages":"114-119"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78175555","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: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus strains isolated from buffalo milk and yogurt in Aliabad-e Katul city, Golestan province, north-east of Iran. Methods: Raw milk and yogurt samples were collected and cultured on MRS medium by incubating anaerobically at 37°C for 48 hours. The suspected colonies were identified on the basis of Gram staining, biochemical tests, and carbohydrates fermentation. The antibacterial activity of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) extracted from Lactobacillus strains was determined using the agar well diffusion method against standard strains of Escherichia coli ATCC 11303, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 as well as gram-negative uropathogens previously isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Three isolates of E. coli (E1, E2, and E3), two isolates of P. aeruginosa (P1 and P2), and two isolates of K. pneumoniae (K1 and K2) were used in this study. Results: A total of 19 Lactobacillus strains were identified as L. plantarum, L. casei, L. acidophilus, and L. helveticus. Based on the results of antibacterial activity test, the isolates had the highest and lowest inhibitory effects on the E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates, respectively. Among the isolates, only L. casei isolates showed inhibitory activity against K. pneumoniae isolates. Conclusions: In this study, Lactobacilli from buffalo milk and yogurt demonstrated a good inhibitory activity against E. coli as a common cause of urinary tract infection. Therefore, further studies are recommended to elucidate their potential for being used as an alternative to antibiotic therapy.
{"title":"Lactobacilli From Buffalo Milk and Yogurt With Antibacterial Activity Against Gram-Negative Uropathogens","authors":"S. Baie, A. Ahani Azari, T. Dadgar","doi":"10.34172/AJCMI.2020.24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/AJCMI.2020.24","url":null,"abstract":"Background: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus strains isolated from buffalo milk and yogurt in Aliabad-e Katul city, Golestan province, north-east of Iran. Methods: Raw milk and yogurt samples were collected and cultured on MRS medium by incubating anaerobically at 37°C for 48 hours. The suspected colonies were identified on the basis of Gram staining, biochemical tests, and carbohydrates fermentation. The antibacterial activity of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) extracted from Lactobacillus strains was determined using the agar well diffusion method against standard strains of Escherichia coli ATCC 11303, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 as well as gram-negative uropathogens previously isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Three isolates of E. coli (E1, E2, and E3), two isolates of P. aeruginosa (P1 and P2), and two isolates of K. pneumoniae (K1 and K2) were used in this study. Results: A total of 19 Lactobacillus strains were identified as L. plantarum, L. casei, L. acidophilus, and L. helveticus. Based on the results of antibacterial activity test, the isolates had the highest and lowest inhibitory effects on the E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates, respectively. Among the isolates, only L. casei isolates showed inhibitory activity against K. pneumoniae isolates. Conclusions: In this study, Lactobacilli from buffalo milk and yogurt demonstrated a good inhibitory activity against E. coli as a common cause of urinary tract infection. Therefore, further studies are recommended to elucidate their potential for being used as an alternative to antibiotic therapy.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"475 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77457442","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 resistance of pathogenic bacteria against synthetic drugs led scientists to conduct research on medicinal plants. The present study investigated the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of the aqueous, methanol, and ethanol alcoholic extracts of the plant Citrus maxima Merr. (Syn. Citrus grandis) against some human pathogenic bacteria. Then, the presence of secondary metabolites was evaluated in vitro, including alkaloid, saponin, and tannin. Methods: The samples (i.e., root, stem, and seed) of C. maxima were collected at Babolsar, Mazandaran province, Iran. The agar well diffusion assay was used to determine antibacterial activity. In addition, several bacteria were applied based on the aim of the study, including Streptococcus pyogenes (PTCC1447), Bacillus subtilis (PTCC-1156), Bacillus cereus (PTCC-1247), Enterococcus faecalis (PTCC-1185), Micrococcus luteus (ATCC-10987), and Staphylococcus aureus (PTCC-1189). Further, some Gram-negative bacteria were used, encompassing Escherichia coli (ATCC-25922), Shigella boydi(-), Salmonella typhi (PTCC-1609), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PTCC-1181), Enterobacter aerogenes (PTCC-1221), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (PTCC-1139). Next, the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were determined by the serial dilution method. Furthermore, free radical activity was identified by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Moreover, the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were conducted by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Finally, the phytochemical compounds were investigated as well. Results: The highest sensitivity was observed on M. luteus against the root methanol extract. Additionally, the total phenolic content of root, seed, and leaf was determined as 98.22, 89.66, and 77.51 (mgGA/g), respectively. Similarly, the flavonoid content was determined as 3.52, 3.43, and 3.56 (mgQ/g), respectively. In addition, the IC50 of the root, seed, leaf, and ascorbic acid were calculated as 0.129, 0.135, 0.113, and 0.109 mg mL-1, respectively. Eventually, the methanol extract of the leaf and root showed the presence of alkaloid, saponin, and tannin. Conclusions: In general, C. maxima is suggested for producing natural drugs with antibiotic properties in the pharmaceutical industry due to the presence of secondary metabolites in its different parts.
{"title":"Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of the Aqueous and Alcoholic Extracts of the Plant Citrus maxima Merr","authors":"M. Alamholo, Mohadeseh Shojaemehr, J. Soltani","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2020.20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2020.20","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The resistance of pathogenic bacteria against synthetic drugs led scientists to conduct research on medicinal plants. The present study investigated the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of the aqueous, methanol, and ethanol alcoholic extracts of the plant Citrus maxima Merr. (Syn. Citrus grandis) against some human pathogenic bacteria. Then, the presence of secondary metabolites was evaluated in vitro, including alkaloid, saponin, and tannin. Methods: The samples (i.e., root, stem, and seed) of C. maxima were collected at Babolsar, Mazandaran province, Iran. The agar well diffusion assay was used to determine antibacterial activity. In addition, several bacteria were applied based on the aim of the study, including Streptococcus pyogenes (PTCC1447), Bacillus subtilis (PTCC-1156), Bacillus cereus (PTCC-1247), Enterococcus faecalis (PTCC-1185), Micrococcus luteus (ATCC-10987), and Staphylococcus aureus (PTCC-1189). Further, some Gram-negative bacteria were used, encompassing Escherichia coli (ATCC-25922), Shigella boydi(-), Salmonella typhi (PTCC-1609), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PTCC-1181), Enterobacter aerogenes (PTCC-1221), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (PTCC-1139). Next, the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were determined by the serial dilution method. Furthermore, free radical activity was identified by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Moreover, the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were conducted by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Finally, the phytochemical compounds were investigated as well. Results: The highest sensitivity was observed on M. luteus against the root methanol extract. Additionally, the total phenolic content of root, seed, and leaf was determined as 98.22, 89.66, and 77.51 (mgGA/g), respectively. Similarly, the flavonoid content was determined as 3.52, 3.43, and 3.56 (mgQ/g), respectively. In addition, the IC50 of the root, seed, leaf, and ascorbic acid were calculated as 0.129, 0.135, 0.113, and 0.109 mg mL-1, respectively. Eventually, the methanol extract of the leaf and root showed the presence of alkaloid, saponin, and tannin. Conclusions: In general, C. maxima is suggested for producing natural drugs with antibiotic properties in the pharmaceutical industry due to the presence of secondary metabolites in its different parts.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"13 1","pages":"90-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73943696","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. Gholami-Ahangaran, Maziar Haj Salehi, M. Karimi-Dehkordi, S. Azizi
Background: Influenza is a main viral disease in poultry production that causes various annual economic losses to the poultry production industry. Avian influenza virus (AIV) is susceptible to antigenic changes, and the genome of this virus codes different proteins some of which have more biological properties. The matrix (M) protein is one of these proteins that plays a role in the immunization and pathogenesis of the virus. Therefore, the evaluation of molecular characteristics and changes in the influenza gene can provide a new horizon for further genomic studies. Accordingly, in this study, the molecular characteristics of AI H9N2 strains were compared with those of other reference strains in the world gene bank by determining their M gene sequence. Methods: In this regard, 4 strains of AIV (H9N2) were selected for the analysis of the M gene sequence. The polymerase chain reaction product was sequenced after its purification from the gel and the amplification of the M gene. Finally, the nucleotide sequence of these strains and other reference strains were aligned and analyzed by MegAlign software using the Clustal W method. Results: The results indicated that the M gene sequences of AIVs belonging to the last decade were highly similar to each other and other reference strains in special regions such as the ionic gate and the cleavage site. Based on the M sequence, 3 strains appeared to be resistant to amantadine. These viruses in the epitope regions showed a high similarity to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Hong Kong H5N1 strain. Conclusions: In general, it seems that the sequence of the M gene in Iranian H9N2 strains belonging to the last decade is relatively constant although the continuous monitoring of changes in various genes of the influenza virus is necessary.
{"title":"A Retrospective Phylogenetic Analysis of Matrix Gene and Amantadine Resistance in Avian Influenza (H9N2 subtype) During 2014-2015 in Isfahan, Iran","authors":"M. Gholami-Ahangaran, Maziar Haj Salehi, M. Karimi-Dehkordi, S. Azizi","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2020.19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2020.19","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Influenza is a main viral disease in poultry production that causes various annual economic losses to the poultry production industry. Avian influenza virus (AIV) is susceptible to antigenic changes, and the genome of this virus codes different proteins some of which have more biological properties. The matrix (M) protein is one of these proteins that plays a role in the immunization and pathogenesis of the virus. Therefore, the evaluation of molecular characteristics and changes in the influenza gene can provide a new horizon for further genomic studies. Accordingly, in this study, the molecular characteristics of AI H9N2 strains were compared with those of other reference strains in the world gene bank by determining their M gene sequence. Methods: In this regard, 4 strains of AIV (H9N2) were selected for the analysis of the M gene sequence. The polymerase chain reaction product was sequenced after its purification from the gel and the amplification of the M gene. Finally, the nucleotide sequence of these strains and other reference strains were aligned and analyzed by MegAlign software using the Clustal W method. Results: The results indicated that the M gene sequences of AIVs belonging to the last decade were highly similar to each other and other reference strains in special regions such as the ionic gate and the cleavage site. Based on the M sequence, 3 strains appeared to be resistant to amantadine. These viruses in the epitope regions showed a high similarity to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Hong Kong H5N1 strain. Conclusions: In general, it seems that the sequence of the M gene in Iranian H9N2 strains belonging to the last decade is relatively constant although the continuous monitoring of changes in various genes of the influenza virus is necessary.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"31 9 1","pages":"85-89"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87017844","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}
N. Hussein, A. S. Abdullah, H. S. Majed, I. Naqid, Basheer A. Abdi, Brisk H Rashad, Haval M. Salih, Ferhad Mr Ahmed
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a public health issue. Successful treatment of HCV infection results in sustained virologic response (SVR) in the majority of subjects. Subsequent recurrence of HCV, either from late relapse or reinfection, may occur. The aim of this study was to assess the recurrence rate of HCV in Iraqi patients. Methods: In this study, 113 patients who completed anti-HCV therapy successfully were recruited. While 23 patients received a classical regimen of peg-interferon plus ribavirin, 90 patients received direct-acting antiviral therapy. Those patients were followed up for three years. HCV recurrence rate was calculated using events/ person years of follow-up (PYFU). Results: Among the recruited patients, HCV RT-PCR was positive in 1 (0.88%) patient giving a recurrence rate of 2.95 per 1000 PYFU. When the data were stratified according to the treatment regimen, the recurrence rate was 14.49 per 1000 PYFU in patients who received the classical regimen of interferon and ribavirin. Conclusions: The overall recurrence rate was low in Iraq. No recurrence was recorded in patients received direct-acting antiviral therapy. Further studies are needed with a larger sample size and longer follow-up to determine the relapse rate in Iraq.
{"title":"Recurrence Rate of Hepatitis C Virus After Achieving a Sustained Virologic Response in Kurdistan Region, Iraq","authors":"N. Hussein, A. S. Abdullah, H. S. Majed, I. Naqid, Basheer A. Abdi, Brisk H Rashad, Haval M. Salih, Ferhad Mr Ahmed","doi":"10.34172/ajcmi.2020.16","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34172/ajcmi.2020.16","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a public health issue. Successful treatment of HCV infection results in sustained virologic response (SVR) in the majority of subjects. Subsequent recurrence of HCV, either from late relapse or reinfection, may occur. The aim of this study was to assess the recurrence rate of HCV in Iraqi patients. Methods: In this study, 113 patients who completed anti-HCV therapy successfully were recruited. While 23 patients received a classical regimen of peg-interferon plus ribavirin, 90 patients received direct-acting antiviral therapy. Those patients were followed up for three years. HCV recurrence rate was calculated using events/ person years of follow-up (PYFU). Results: Among the recruited patients, HCV RT-PCR was positive in 1 (0.88%) patient giving a recurrence rate of 2.95 per 1000 PYFU. When the data were stratified according to the treatment regimen, the recurrence rate was 14.49 per 1000 PYFU in patients who received the classical regimen of interferon and ribavirin. Conclusions: The overall recurrence rate was low in Iraq. No recurrence was recorded in patients received direct-acting antiviral therapy. Further studies are needed with a larger sample size and longer follow-up to determine the relapse rate in Iraq.","PeriodicalId":8689,"journal":{"name":"Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection","volume":"115 1","pages":"72-74"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80982612","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}