bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The prevalence and characterization of the epidemic ST239-MRSA clone
Authors: Faraji Niloofar , Malekzadegan Yalda , Khashei Reza , Haghighi Mohammad Ali , Nazari Alam Ali , Fathi Javad , Sedigh Ebrahim-Saraie Hadi
Published: November 2024

Background:

ST239-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is possibly the true oldest pandemic methicillin-resistant strain that is still often isolated in different parts of the world. Recently, there have been increasing reports of ST239-MRSA in Iran. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the published literature for estimating the prevalence and microbiological characteristics of ST239-MRSA.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed through searching various electronic bibliographic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar from January 2000 to December 2020. Afterward, 11 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were selected for data extraction and analysis by Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software.

Results:

In these surveys, the pooled prevalence of ST239-MRSA among Iranian patients was 39.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25.8–54.6%). According to subgroup analysis patients in Ahvaz (South of Iran) experienced the highest prevalence of ST239-MRSA isolates with a pooled prevalence of 77.5% (95% CI: 66.3–85.7). This study showed that a remarkable proportion of ST239-MRSA isolates were toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 producer with 16.7% (95% CI: 9.5–27.6), while, the occurrence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive ST239-MRSA isolates was low 1.3% (95% CI: 0.6–2.8).

Conclusion:

Our results showed the prevalence of the epidemic ST239-MRSA clone among Iranian patients. Because of the aggressive characterization of ST239-MRSA, circulation this clone within the country could be a predictor of treatment failure and higher morbidity and mortality among inpatients. The wide dissemination of ST239-MRSA emphasizes the need for restricted infection prevention and control and optimizing antibiotic stewardship.
White piedra of the scalp caused by Trichosporon inkin: a case report with antifungal susceptibility testing and review of the literature
Authors: Ferreira Iago Gonçalves , Koehler Alessandra , Ribeiro Amanda Carvalho , Damiani Leandro , Venier Natália Andressa Buss , Vettorato Gerson , Scroferneker Maria Lúcia
Published: November 2024

We report a case of white piedra of the scalp caused by Trichosporon inkin in a 38-year-old woman living in southern Brazil. Trichoscopic examination revealed whitish nodules involving the hair shafts. Blastoconidia clustered around the hair shaft were visualized by light microscopy with 10% KOH. The isolate was molecularly identified, and its antifungal susceptibility profile was defined following the M27-A3 protocol of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), with itraconazole being the most effective antifungal agent, followed by ketoconazole. For treatment, topical medications were used, consisting of 1% itraconazole solution and 2% ketoconazole shampoo for 30 days. The literature on cases of white piedra of the scalp caused by T. inkin, in addition to the in vitro antifungal susceptibility profile of this species, was reviewed.
Most important bacterial and parasitic zoonotic diseases in Iran
Authors: Hedayati Manouchehr Ahmadi , Bahmani Nasrin
Published: November 2024

The World Health Organization in 1959 described zoonoses are infections that can be transmitted naturally from vertebrate animals to human and inversely. Infectious diseases with determinate geographical dissemination caused by fungi, viruses, parasites and bacteria are classified as zoonotic diseases. The bacterial and parasite zoonotic disease's agents transmit between humans and animals through a number of factors including direct contact, food and water sources, and vector-borne. Prevalence of zoonotic diseases increases in a variety of geographical areas with along changes in humans’ demographic characteristics including international travel, susceptibility to infectious diseases, agricultural development and microbial attributes. These critical factors affect on the epidemiological aspect of infectious diseases directly and indirectly. Despite the use of various programs and adoption preventive measures, controlling of zoonotic diseases has still remained as the most important infectious agent in human's morbidity and mortality rates recorded around the worldwide. However, implemented control measures have shown effective results in decreased rates of many infections such as tuberculosis and brucellosis. Iran has shown a considerable geographical and socio-economic significance throughout a vast area. Because of a variety of climate and high rates transferring with poor public health countries, zoonotic diseases has been a serious public health problem in Iran. Hence, new measures need to tackle infectious agent's dissemination issues with research findings related to zoonotic diseases. This review article discusses the major bacterial and parasitic zoonotic diseases in Iran.
Approaches of therapeutic drug conjugates for bacterial infections
Authors: Gholizadeh-Hashjin Aiesheh , Lotfipour Farzaneh , Gholikhani Tooba
Published: November 2024

Drug conjugates are novel subjects in biology. Drug conjugates are a newfound major of particularly potent biopharmaceutical drugs, which have been evaluated as a diagnostic and therapeutic approach for bacterial infections. The resistance of antibiotics is a pivotal threat to public health totalities and considered strategies decrease resistance. The aim of the present review is to present an overview of the therapeutic studies including these fields. Special attention has been presented to antimicrobial drug conjugates in two decades. The authors introduce an overview of the studies explaining the research and development of current drug conjugates for bacterial diseases. The current project indicates the reason behind the production, biological functions and enhancement of the novel drug conjugates. Novel approaches and methodologies used for the research in this area have been described. The inventions described in this review have been brought from various databases such as Scopus, Nature, PubMed, Elsevier, Springer from 1999 to 2021.All the Conjugations of these drugs discussed in this review are indicated to exhibit enhanced efficacy, delivery, targeting capabilities and less deleterious effects. Versatile strategies were presented to obtain these aims.
Emergence of extensively drug-resistant and colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from hospitalized patients in Isfahan, Iran
Authors: Ghasemi Jamal , Shokri Dariush , Ghasemi Seyed Mahdi
Published: November 2024

The current study was performed to investigate the antibiotic resistance pattern, the prevalence of colistin resistance and its molecular mechanisms in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae obtained from hospitalized patients in teaching hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. This cross-sectional study was performed during 2019–2020 at several teaching hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. All the K. pneumoniae isolates were screened against 14 antimicrobial agents based on standard disk diffusion method. Moreover, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of colistin was determined by the E-test strips. Also, PCR assay was carried out to detect genes encoding resistance to colistin, including mcr-1, mcr-2, pmrA, pmrB, and crrB. In the present study, a total of 79 strains of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae were isolated. Of these, 35 colistin-resistant clinical K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern showed a high rate of antibiotic resistance to ceftazidime (94.9%), while, the lowest resistance rate was observed against tigecycline (2.5%). All colistin-resistant isolates were classified as extensively drug-resistant (XDR). PCR results showed that mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes were not detected, while, 10.1% contained pmrA and pmrB genes. In addition, the frequency of crrB gene among our isolates was 3.8%. Due to the fact that the last line of treatment for infections associated with K. pneumoniae is colistin, increasing resistance to this antibiotic causes many concerns and problems in the treatment of patients. Detection of colistin-resistant strains and reporting of occurrence of genes associated with this resistance can greatly help in the treatment of diseases.
Overview of heteroresistance, persistence and optimized strategies to control them
Authors: Marjani Mohammed F. Al , Mohammed Haneen N. , Al-Kadmy Israa M.S. , Aziz Sarah Naji
Published: November 2024

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become much more prevalent, posing a significant concern to universal care. In basic concepts, the phenomenon of heteroresistance is typified as antibiotic resistance displayed by a subgroup of the entire bacterial community which is typically thought to be sensitive to these antibiotics based on standard in-vitro sensitivity assays. Although this small subgroup is temporarily dormant nondividing state displays enhanced resistance to broad antibiotics ranges. Persistence is a subpopulation of a sensitive bacterial isolate that can tolerate the bactericidal antibiotics because of its dormant physiological state. Until recent times, the occurrence of heteroresistance and persistence phenomena are often misunderstood and perhaps neglected. Here, we review the outline literature about bacterial heteroresistance, their detection methods, their associated mechanisms, the objectives of some bacterial species to develop heteroresistance. Bacterial persistence, some of their features, their main mechanisms, and their clinical importance are also described. Furthermore, this study provides optimized strategies to combat both phenomena.
The prevalence of phylogenetic group of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strain isolated from farm animals in Iran: a meta-analysis study
Authors: Mohammadi Forogh , Sedigh Ebrahim-Saraie Hadi , Sinaei Neda , Karimi-Dehkordi Maryam
Published: November 2024

Background:

The study of the prevalence of the phylogenetic group in the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strain isolated from farm animals is valuable for epidemiology aspects; therefore, the current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prevalence of the phylogenetic group in STEC isolates obtained from farm animals in Iran.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Embase electronic databases. The search investigated articles published by Iranian authors to the end of December 2020. Analysis of data was conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software (Biostat Company). To estimate the pooled prevalence and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI), the random-effects model was used.

Results:

Our comprehensive search identified nine studies with eligibility criteria subjected to the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of phylogroup A was 21% (95% CI: 10–38). There was significant heterogeneity among the nine studies (χ
2 = 92.52; P < 0.001; I
2 = 91.35%). Additionally, the pooled prevalence of phylogroups B1, B2 and D among the nine studies was 63, 3, and 9%, respectively. The subgroup analysis results based on healthy and diarrheic cases indicated that the rate of phylogroup A in healthy and diarrheic samples was 27 and 2%, respectively. For phylogroup B1, this rate was 55 and 88% in healthy and diarrheic samples, respectively.

Conclusion:

In summary, our results demonstrated that domestic animals might be the possible reservoirs of STEC in the studied population. Comparison of the phylogroup characteristics of the STEC strain obtained from different sources exhibited a partial genetic diversity in isolates, and there was heterogeneity among the studies in terms of phylogenetic groups. This study provides important information about STEC regarding the phylogenetic characteristics
Akkermansia Muciniphila as novel powerful bacterial player in colorectal cancer biotherapeutics
Authors: Eslami Majid , Yousefi Bahman
Published: November 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a fatal malignant tumor in the gastrointestinal region that is characterized by a weak prediction and the second leading reason for cancer death worldwide. Chemotherapy is common for progressive CRC patients, and 5-fluorouracil is commonly used in CRC therapy that inhibits cancer cell proliferation by suppressing DNA replication, but it can also cause the death of typical cells and hurt to normal tissues. Akkermansia muciniphila is an associate of the Verrucomicrobia phylum that plays a significant function in maintaining the mucosal layer of the human gastrointestinal region and by producing several mucolytic enzymes, it plays a substantial function in the degradation of mucin. Analysis of A. muciniphila bacterial cell proteins consisting of Amuc-1100, a thermostable OMP that reacts directly with the Toll like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR-4 receptors and involved in immune responses that induce the production of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha in human-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs). Amuc-1100 recovers the role of the metabolic endotoxemia in high-fat diet-induced fat mice and protects the growth of other commensal bacteria by inducing mucus production and promotes the production of immunoregulatory propionate. The importance of association among the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy through modified gut microbiota in various tumors has been revealed. By the way, when the gastric levels of A. muciniphila were importantly enhanced in patients with CRC that have been related with positive antitumor immune responses in preclinical tumor models and patients with tumor they had a positive response to the immune therapy.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic and older people: what we know about the clinical, laboratory, imaging features, and clinical outcomes
Authors: Abdel Alem Shereen , Moustafa Ahmed
Published: November 2024

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an emerging and rapidly evolving situation. Older people represent a uniquely vulnerable group during any infectious disease outbreaks due to their altered physiology, increased susceptibility to infections, presence of comorbidities, malnutrition, and compromised immunological and mechanical functions. The clinical symptoms, laboratory, and imaging features of SARS-CoV-2 are similar to younger adults but rapid disease progression, a high proportion of severe to critical cases, and a high fatality rate are more observed in the older people. To date, no targeted therapy is available for SARS-CoV-2, many drugs are still being tested for efficacy and safety due to the novelty of the virus and little knowledge about it among the older people. In this article, we summarize the clinical, laboratory, radiological features, and clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the older people and present the predictive factors associated with fatal clinical outcomes among them.
Skin infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes after the Eid Al-Adha
Authors: Şafak Birol , Albayrak Hülya , Kurç Mine Aydin , Günaydin Betül
Published: November 2024

Introduction:

Streptococcus pyogenes is Gram-positive bacteria in chain form. Infections typically begin in the throat and skin, although they present with a many different clinical cases. This study aimed to present a different clinical manifestation related to S. pyogenes.

Methods:

In this study, swab samples were taken from patients who came to our center with skin lesions after Eid al-Adha. Identification was performed using conventional methods (bacitracin susceptibility test and PYR test) and VITEK 2 (bioMerieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France). Phylogenetic tree was generated using the Tamura Nei model of Neighbor-joining method in MEGA 6.0 program.

Results:

All of the isolated microorganisms were defined as S. pyogenes. Phylogenetic tree revealed that strains were highly related, but there were genetic differences between the strains.

Conclusion:

While Orf virus (Parapoxvirus) is the most common cause of skin lesions after Eid al-Adha, S. pyogenes was found to be the causative agent in our study. To our knowledge, cases of S. pyogenes skin infection due to religious practices have been reported for the first time.
Comparison of genetic factors of Escherichia coli in patients with urosepsis and urinary tract infections. A systematic review
Authors: Varghese Aneena , Saleena Ummer V. , Bhat Gopalakrishna , KE Vandana , AM Ciraj
Published: November 2024

Extraintestinal pathogenic bacteria, ExPEC Escherichia coli strains produce a wide range of invasive infections in humans and animals, and these infections frequently result in septicemia. ExPEC pathogenicity factors (VF) include adhesins, toxins, iron acquisition factors, lipopolysaccharides, polysaccharide capsules, and invasins, which are usually encoded on pathogenicity islands (PAIs), plasmids, and other genetic elements, and have a wide range of activities, from bacteria colonization to virulence. The data was retrieved using electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science with specific keywords. Data constraints were imposed, such as limiting the publishing year to the previous five years and using English as the medium of publication. The review follows the PRISMA principles for systematic reviews and has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021245293). A total of 14 papers were pulled from several databases, and were found to be appropriate for scrutiny after a thorough analysis of their whole content. In Uro-Pathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) virulence, the polysaccharide capsule plays a key role. The capsule, when combined with adhesins, facilitates the organism's attachment to the urinary tract's walls, allowing the infection to start. The iutA, pap GII, and hlyA genes were discovered with significantly varied frequencies in urosepsis isolates. These findings imply that a variety of VFs can mediate the bloodstream infection process, and that each train might have a different arrangement of these factors. Several genetic processes that contribute to genomic plasticity, including as plasmids, phages, and transposable elements, can be used to explain the diversity of virulence genes.
Relationship between blood components, inflammatory factors and bacterial spp that cause tonsillitis and dental caries in Iraqi children
Authors: Shabeeb Dunia B. , Naji Eman N.
Published: November 2024

Aims and Objectives:

Study the correlation between anti-streptolysin O titer (ASOT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with other related factor and the correlation between bacterial species and related with some tested parameter.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 120 patients were part of the study and was divided into six groups, each group had 20 patients with age range was 6–12 years. Blood sample collection about 10 ml was withdrawn from each patient via vein puncture using 10 ml disposable syringes, 5 ml for immunological study and 5 ml for hematological study.

Results:

The results of ASOT showed that a highly significant positive correlation with monocytes and a highly negative correlation with eosinophil. As for CRP, it was found it have a highly significant positive correlation with eosinophil, lymphocytes and have a highly negative correlation with neutrophil percentage and monocytes percentage with a positive correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).

Conclusion:

Our study shown that ASOT are still useful diagnostic tools for tonsillitis. CRP levels in the tonsillitis patients group were significantly higher than those in other groups, whereas ESR levels in the tonsillectomy patients group were significantly higher than those in other groups.
Procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, ferritin and interleukin-37 levels among COVID-19 patients in the presence or absence of secondary bacterial infections
Authors: Qasim Aliaa Jabbar , Naji Eman Natiq , Brakhas Suad Almas
Published: November 2024

Since 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is widely spread and caused by a novel virulent virus belonging to coronaries, leading to fatal respiratory symptoms that are very similar to severe respiratory distress syndrome. Secondary bacterial infections which are the most common complications in COVID-19 became the hidden threat lurking behind the disease. Different clinical signs can refer to the severity of the disease including immunological markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, procalcitonin and anti-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin-37). Hence, the present study was performed to examine the levels of some pathological markers in the presence or absence of secondary bacterial infections in 300 patients with COVID-19 who were classified according to their immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G levels into <50, 50–100, >100 subgroups. Results show significantly elevated levels of each of CRP, ferritin, procalcitonin and neutrophil were related to COVID-19 patients who were with secondary bacterial infections.
Applications of nanotechnology in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Sayad Reem , Abdelsabour Huda Ahmed , Farhat Samia Mohamed , Omer Nehal Gamal , Ahmed Manar Magdy , Elsayh Ibrahim Khalid , Ibrahim Islam H. , Algammal Abdelazeem M. , AL-Kadmy Israa M.S. , Batiha Gaber El-Saber , Hetta Helal F.
Published: November 2024

Background and aim:

In early December 2019 started coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in China by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection which transmitted from bats to humans. According to WHO, there are more than two hundred million confirmed cases of COVID-19 including more than seven million deaths, so we desperately need to discover an effective treatment to eliminate SARS-CoV-2 infection permanently. One of the most promising technologies for the treatment of COVID-19 is Nanotechnology. Herein we tried to summarize usages of nanotechnology in fighting of COVID-19 and to focus on the challenges, advantages, and disadvantages of the application of this technology.

Methods:

Searching of PubMed, SCOPUS and Google scholar by using a specific search strategy “(COVID 19 OR COVID-19 Virus Disease OR COVID 19 Virus Infection OR 2019-nCoV Infection OR Coronavirus Disease-19 OR 2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection OR SARS-CoV-2 Infection OR COVID-19 Pandemic) AND nanotechnology.

Results and Conclusions:

Nanotechnology can be used in treatment, diagnosis and prevention of COVID-19. Many nanoparticle types can be used in treatment of COVID-19 such as polymers, dendrimers and quantum dots. In addition to these types of nanoparticles, there is Nan bot used for carrying out localized drug delivery and can be controlled by a user. We can also use quantum dots, metal and magnetic nanoparticles for the diagnosis of COVID-19 to increase the efficiency of diagnostic tests. Regarding to COVID-19 prevention, nanoparticles are used for the manufacture of nano-masks and vaccines such as: Oxford/AstraZeneca, Cansino, Moderna and Biotech/Pfizer vaccines. Each technology has advantages and disadvantages. Challenges remain in the domain for its application due to lack of knowledge.
Thromboembolism: the secret lethal weapon of coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Ahmed Abdulrahman K. , Moustafa Eslam R. , Abd EL-Monem Aya M. , Hasan Galal A. , Mohamed Omar A. , Ibrahim Islam H. , Batiha Gaber El-Saber , Al-Kadmy Israa M.S. , Hosni Amal , Hetta Helal F.
Published: November 2024

Covid-19 (COVID-19) is a pandemic disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which began in Wuhan, China, and spread globally in the last few months. COVID-19 pandemic affects anticoagulation, in most patients who need regular anticoagulant care, not just those infected with (SARS-CoV-2). In patients with COVID-19, coagulopathy causes morbidity and mortality. Yet the mechanisms are uncertain and there are few biomarkers. Venous thromboembolism, a possible reason for unexplained mortality, has often been documented in cases of COVID-19, but because of the complexities of antithrombotic treatment and coagulation disorders, its management is still challenging. So, because of the emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unknown risks about its coagulopathy management, we intended to provide such a literature review on the potential blood clotting disorder mechanisms, the unique characteristics of COVID-19 coagulopathy, the effect of heparin in COVID-19, prevention and risk assessment for venous thromboembolism, anticoagulation management in venous thromboembolism, diagnosis and treatment of thromboembolism, and thrombolytic therapy in pregnancy in COVID-19. Here, our overview may provide useful information for physicians to enable them to manage COVID-19 coagulopathy.
CTX-M gene and presence of insertion elements in patients with septicemia caused by Escherichia coli
Authors: Yousefi Bahman , Pakdel Abbas , Hasanpour Sahar , Abdolshahi Anna , Emadi Alireza , Pahlevan Daryoush , Dadashpour Mehdi , Eslami Majid
Published: November 2024

Introduction:

Septicemia is a significant infection caused by some agents such as Escherichia coli. The goal of this study was to see how effective antibiotics were against E. coli isolates from septicemia patients, as well as to look into their genetic relationship.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 100 E. coli isolates were collected from septicemic patients. The antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted with disk diffusion method. The prevalence of CTX-M gene and presence of insertion elements IS26 (IS26a and IS26b) and ISEcp1 were investigated. Phylogrouping, serogrouping and virulence typing were also investigated. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was also performed for genetic classification.

Results:

Fifty-one CTX-M positive isolates were identified. There was no resistance to phosphomycin. The ISEcp1, IS26a, and IS26b were detected in upstream of 84.3%, 5.8% and 9.8% of CTX-M, respectively. The orf477 was detected downstream of all CTX-M positive isolates. Thirty-six isolates belonged to the B2 phylogroup, followed by 25 D, 22 A, and 17 B1. The most frequent serogroup in the isolates is O1 serogroup. The highest rate of virulence genes included csgA, traT, iutA, hlyA, and kpsMII. The results of PFGE showed five clusters (A–E) using 80% cut-off.

Conclusion:

A significant relation between CTX-M gene and virulence factors was determined. Hence, surveillance and proper control strategies are essential to prevent the distribution virulent and drug-resistant E. coli. Although phosphomycin was found to be effective in eradicating extended spectrum β-lactamases-producing E. coli infections in septicemic patients, no genetic relationships between isolates were discovered.
Factors influencing microbial growth in the human oral cavity
Authors: Khan Reyaz Ahmad , Sarmah Rajeev
Published: November 2024

The human oral cavity is a significant contact point for diverse microbes. It allows frequent entry and exit of microbes through inhalation, exhalation, drinks, spitting, and consuming foods. The environmental conditions inside the cavity influence the selection, growth, and development of microbial communities. The conditions, in turn, are probably because of complex interaction and activities of various molecules of host and residential microbes. Further, oral ecology is influenced by the food habit of individuals and the community. The community of microorganisms may shift gradually or spontaneously depending on the physicochemical environment in the cavity. The presence of a group of organisms along with the food habit jointly may indicate the probable microbes succeeding. Understanding the relation complexity among the physiochemical nature of the oral cavity, the resident microbes, and individuals’ food habits may decipher the microbes to be attracted for succession. This review is for understanding the factors that influence the occurrence and refusal of oral microorganisms.
Helicobacter pylori: a systematic review of drug resistance in Iran
Authors: Jafari-Sales Abolfazl , Jafari Behboud , Khaneshpour Homeira , Sadeghi-Deylamdeh Zahra , Shariat Afsoon , Bannazadeh-Baghi Hossein , Nasiri Rozita
Published: November 2024

AIM:

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most common causes of gastrointestinal diseases, including gastric infections in humans. It is estimated that the annual incidence of H. pylori infection in developing countries is 4–15%. Approximately 50% of people worldwide are infected with this bacterium. The purpose of this study is to review recent studies on antibiotic resistance of H. pylori in Iran.

Methods:

A complete search was performed using SID, PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases to access various articles for these studies. In this study, articles published from 2005 to 2020 were selected. Previously published specialized articles and systematic meta-analysis were used as a supplementary source for identifying relevant articles. Finally, data from 34 articles were pooled and analyzed.

Results:

In this study, the resistance of H. pylori to metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, furazolidone, rifamycin, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and tetracycline antibacterial agents was evaluated in about 34 studies over 15 years. The mean resistance to metronidazole is about 64.10%, rifamycin 27.78%, furazolidone 24.33%, ciprofloxacin 22.51%, clarithromycin 22.50%, amoxicillin 18.37, and tetracycline 14.89%.

Conclusion:

H. pylori drug resistance has increased throughout Iran against the studied antibiotics. The present study shows alarming results and a new program is needed to eradicate H. pylori infections.
CagL amino acid (122 and 134) polymorphisms associated with reduction of Helicobacter pylori-related diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Karbalaei Mohsen , Keikha Masoud
Published: November 2024

Background:

Cytotoxic-associated gene L (CagL) protein is a structural component of the type IV secretion system in Helicobacter pylori that plays a pivotal role in the translocation and secretion of CagA protein. However, the effect of this factor in severe gastroduodenal outcomes has not yet been demonstrated.

Methods:

In the current study, using databases such as ISI Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus, we systematically investigated the role of cagL gene and its polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of H. pylori. Then, the logical relationship between cagL polymorphisms and frequency of gastrointestinal disorders such as gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease (PUD) was measured.

Results:

In total, data from 1071 bacterial strains were evaluated. The prevalence of H. pylori cagL gene in patients with various forms of infections such as nonulcer dyspepsia, PUD, and gastric cancer was measured 81.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 68.0–90.5], 94.0% (95% CI: 81.4–98.3), and 86.2% (95% CI: 73.8–93.3), respectively. We show that infection with bacteria harboring cagL gene increases the risk of PUD and gastric cancer by 3.7- and 1.7-fold, respectively. Moreover, CagL/CagA/(<2) EPIYA C repeats could increase the risk of severe gastrointestinal disorders by 7.1-fold. Among the all sequence variations of this gene, it was found that only mutations associated with amino acids at positions 122K/N (odds ratio: 0.1) and 134I/V (odds ratio: 0.23) significantly reduced the risk of PUD.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that the presence of the cagL gene could potentially lead to severe gastrointestinal outcomes, particularly PUD and gastric cancer. However, although most polymorphisms of cagL have no a significant relationship with H. pylori-related diseases, but variants 122K/N and 134I/V play a protective role against PUD.
The predominance of virulence genes associated with multidrug-resistant Serratia marcescens isolated from urinary tract infections
Authors: Abid Suhad Abbas , Al-Kadmy Israa M.S. , Aziz Sarah Naji , Hamzah Israa H.
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

Serratia marcescens owns different virulence factors that contribute to their pathogenesis and result in bacterial invasion and resistance. Moreover, patients who suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIs) are at an increased risk of contracting different bacterial infections. This study aimed to detect and verify the occurrence of virulence genes in S. marcescens isolated from patients with UTIs in some hospitals in Iraq.

Methodology:

After bacterial collection, the identification was achieved by busing phenotypic and genotypic methods. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns were done by using the VITEK2 compact system AST 69 and minimum inhibitory concentration for the colistin antibiotic was detected by the broth micro-dilution assay. The PCR was employed for the detection of virulence genes including papC, fimH, ompA, and entB genes.

Results:

S. marcescens had a high level of resistance to antibiotics. The prevalence rate of virulence genes in S. marcescens was: papC (100%), fimH (47.3%), ompA (32.8%), and entB (30.2%). We found that the number papC was the most predominant gene in the clinical S. marcescens. RT-qPCR showed over expression of papC as compared to the 16rRNA gene, may explains the predominant.

Conclusions:

This study shows that there is a high prevalence of virulence genes in S. marcescens isolated from UTI with high antibiotic resistance capacity. Moreover, necessitates for further studies on virulence factors using modern molecular techniques are recommended to straighten the drug-resistant profiles of bacterial isolates to develop novel antimicrobials utilizing strategies which target pathogenic bacteria's virulence genes in order to provide efficient clinical treatment.
Investigating the epidemiology and etiology of foodborne diarrhea in Semnan province, Iran
Authors: Soltan Dallal Mohammad Mehdi , Mohammadi Mohammad Reza , Rajabi Zahra , Mirbagheri Seyedeh Zohre
Published: November 2024

Introduction:

Given the health risks caused by the presence of pathogenic bacteria in food and the occurrence of diarrhea as one of the most common diseases, a comprehensive epidemiological study in a specific population can provide good results on the causes of occurrence to determine ways to prevent and control the disease. Thus, due to the lack of domestic statistics in Iran related to outbreaks caused by water and food, this study was carried out to identify the most common bacterial factors causing outbreaks caused by foodborne diseases in Semnan province.

Materials and methods:

This study was carried out on all the outbreaks caused by food items in Semnan province for 1 year, from April to March 2020.

The samples were examined to isolate and identify the bacteria of Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia coli O:157: H7. The required information was completed based on the questionnaire and laboratory data, and the study results were analyzed in SPSS-19 software.

Results:

The results revealed that the frequency of outbreaks was observed in women more than in children and men (46%). The frequency of outbreaks in 24–44 years was observed more than in other groups (31.57%). The frequency of outbreaks was more in the city (57.31) than in the village (42.69), and among the cities, Semnan had the highest frequency (32%), and Sorkheh had the lowest frequency (5.26%). The frequency of outbreaks caused by consuming food was more than water, and the frequency of outbreaks caused by consuming fast food (55.55%) was more than homemade food (44.45%). More than half of the bacterial frequency belonged to E. coli species (73%). The lowest bacterial frequency belonged to Proteus vulgaris species with (1.7%), followed by Shigella and Salmonella with 2.9% bacterial frequency. The results of clinical symptoms showed headache, (88.2%) fever, (92.2%) abdominal cramps, (58.8%) vomiting, (58.8%) nausea, (66.7%), nonbloody diarrhea, and bloody diarrhea was observed in 3.9% of people.

Conclusion:

According to the results of this study, E. coli can be considered one of the essential causes of diarrhea caused by food outbreaks.
Prevalence of pgaABCD locus in biofilm formation Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Reheama Esraa E. , Ibrahim Susan A.
Published: November 2024

Acinetobacter baumannii is a common cause of nosocomial infections. This bacterium has the ability to survive in different environmental conditions and colonize on biotic and abiotic surfaces to produce biofilm. Biofilm is a structure with three-dimensional of a multicellular complex in which the cells are embedded in an extracellular polymeric substance that was produced by the organism itself. The matrix of biofilm includes ions, proteins, nucleic acids, and polymers of polysaccharides. The crucial factor to form biofilm in A. baumannii is the induction of poly-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG), which is a surface polysaccharides and considers a virulence factor essential for adherence and aggregation by many Gram-negative bacteria. Several studies concluded that PNAG is crucial factor to keep the robustness of A. baumannii under stressful and dynamic environmental conditions. A. baumannii pgaABCD locus of four genes (pgaA, pgaB, pgaC, and pgaD) encode proteins, which are involved in the synthesis of PNAG. Using PCR analysis concluded that 91.7% of A. baumannii clinical isolates had pgaABCD genes and microtitration plate method indicated that 25% of the isolates produced strong-biofilm, 71% produced moderate-biofilm and 4% of isolates were nonforming biofilm. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation P less than 0.0001 between biofilm production and the functional role of four genes of the pgaABCD loci.
Effects of adjuvants (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, levamisole, adjuvant system 04, adjuvant system 02B) on enhancing immune response to hepatitis B vaccine: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zangi Masood , Alemohammad Seyedeh Yasaman , Kohandel Kosar , Binaei Sara , Tavasol Arian , Fathi Mobina , Madani Miremad Moafi , Omidan Niloofar , Mohammadi Jasem , Maleki Farajolah
Published: November 2024

Background and objective:

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is known as one of the prevalent infectious diseases considered a public health problem in numerous countries. At present, the only safe prevention strategy is vaccination, but it cannot provide complete immunity. We aimed to evaluate the effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), levamisole, adjuvant system 04 (AS04), and adjuvant system 02B (AS02B) as adjuvants in HBV vaccination.

Methods:

The databases of ScienceDirect, MEDLIB-ED, PubMed, and Embase were systematically searched using valid keywords. Controlled clinical trial studies, which evaluated the response rate of the population to the HBV vaccine alone (control group) compared with the HBV vaccine combined with adjuvants (study group) were included in this review. The data were analyzed through a random-effects meta-analysis model using R programming language and Stata (version 11.2).

Results:

A total of 36 article including 4805 participants were included in this review. The findings revealed that the response rate to HBV vaccination for levamisole in the study group was 46.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) [38–51]), and that was 43.8% (95% CI [36–51]) in the control group. These values were also 56.8% (95% CI [53–60]) and 43.3% (95% CI [40–46.7]) for GM-CSF in the study group and the control group, respectively. Considering AS04, the response rate in the study group was 50.8% (95% CI [40–61]), and that was 45.8% (95% CI [37–54]) in the control group. Moreover, these values were 86.3% (95% CI [75–95]) and 47.6% (95% CI [31–63]) for AS02B in the study group and the control group, respectively.

Conclusion:

The results of this meta-analysis demonstrated the significant benefit of using GM-CSF, levamisole, AS04, and AS02B as adjuvants to boost the immunogenicity of the HBV vaccine.
Antimicrobial resistance patterns of uncomplicated urinary tract infection among inpatients at the Mousavi education & treatment center, Zanjan, Iran
Authors: Afkari Atigh Mohammadreza , Islambulchilar Mina , Pourmirza Nadia
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a very common bacterial infection caused by a wide variety of pathogens. Bearing in mind that the common pathogens that cause the infection are well known, it remains imperative to study their antibiotic resistance profile to be acquainted with the proper antibiotics to be administered and also to prevent the resistance to antibiotics. This study aims to determine the prevalence of uropathogens and antibiotic resistance patterns.

Methods:

This descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 267 patients with UTI who were admitted to Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan, Iran, for 1 year. Patient records, urine tests, antibiotic susceptibility tests, and prescribed antibiotics were collected from laboratory archives and medical records.

Results:

In total, 267 urine samples were studied, the majority of them (78.7%) were acquired from a community setting. Most of them were female. The most common uropathogens were Escherichia coli (86.8%), Klebsiella (3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (2.2%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (2.2%). The isolated microorganisms were mostly resistant to cefixime (36%), ceftriaxone (31.1%), and ciprofloxacin (29.2%).

Conclusion:

We recommended that ceftriaxone, which was the first-line treatment choice in our conclusive study, should no longer be administered experimentally and used only upon detection of the bacteria and antibiogram testing.
Single nucleotide polymorphism in toll-like receptor 3 gene as a potential risk factor for severe outcome of coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Ramshini Mehdi , Bokharaei-Salim Farah , Donyavi Tahereh , Khoshmirsafa Majid , Ghorbani Saied , Khatami Alireza , Abbasi-Kolli Mohammad , Safi Deh Naeini Alireza , Jafari Ensieh , Tavakoli Ahmad , Monavari Seyed Hamidreza , Ataei-Pirkooh Anjila , Yousefi Ghalejoogh Zohreh , Kiani Seyed Jalal
Published: November 2024

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are required to induce innate immune responses and promote antigen-specific adaptive immunity. TLR3 is responsible to detect double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), activate type I interferon production, and induce pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Gene polymorphisms in the sequence of TLR3 may alter its function and lead to increased susceptibility to certain viral infections. Limited data is available regarding the role of TLR3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the rate of morbidity or disease outcome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify potential association between the frequency of two common SNPs of TLR3, that is, rs3775290 and rs3775291, and the disease outcome in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outpatients and ICU patients.

Blood samples were taken from randomly selected outpatients and ICU patients. After isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and extraction of genomic DNA, high resolution melting curve (HRM) analysis was performed to identify potential SNPs. The results were confirmed by Sanger sequencing.

Although no significant difference was observed in the distribution of rs3775290 polymorphisms, the frequency of rs3775291 genotypes CC vs. CT differed significantly between ICU patients and outpatients. Fisher's exact test revealed that CC genotype was more frequent in outpatients compared to ICU patients.

The results of this study provided some promising clues regarding protective effect of major C allele of SNP rs3775291 against development of severe form of COVID-19. Therefore, minor T allele can be suggested as a potential risk factor for severe outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The role of the therapeutic potential of noncoding RNAs in fungal keratitis. A studies review
Authors: Nami Sanam , Marofi Faroogh , Hazratian Teimour , Spotin Adel , GurtTapeh Behnam Emamgolizadeh , Torab Zeinab , Hassanpour Parviz
Published: November 2024

Fungal keratitis is regarded as the main culprit for the globally prevalent blindness and visual impairment, with contact lenses and traumatic injury being the chief contributors to the disease in developing countries. The incorporation of the function of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) into the genomic investigations of fungal keratitis disease can pave the way for the development of novel diagnostic markers and disease-modifying treatments. During the last decade, the expression and function of eukaryotic genomes are proved to be predominantly regulated by ∼20–30 nucleotide RNA molecules. Functioning in both somatic and germline line-ages in a vast array of eukaryotic species, two major categories of these small RNAs- short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs)-modulate endogenous genes and safeguard the genome against invasive nucleic acids. Recent progress has lifted the veil of a stunning diversity in their biogenesis pathways and the regulatory mechanisms at their disposal. Fundamental biology, as well as disease etiology and treatment, can reap the rewards of our precise perception of siRNA and miRNA based regulation. The current review strives to shed light on recent advances made in the realm of pathogenesis, risk factors, and the role of ncRNAs in fungal keratitis.
Detection of NDM-1 harboring Moraxella lacunata and Sphingomonas paucimobilis: first report from Iraq
Authors: Hussein Nadheema Hammood , AL-Kadmy Israa M.S. , Abid Suhad Abbas , Taha Butheina Mohammed , Hussein Jumaah Dakel , Batiha Gaber El-Saber , Algammal Abdelazeem M. , Hetta Helal F.
Published: November 2024

Background and aim:

This study aimed to detect New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1) harboring Moraxella lacunata and Sphingomonas paucimobilis for the first time in Iraq.

Material and methods:

One hundred and sixty-nine bacterial isolates were collected from blood samples in Baghdad children hospital. Two bacterial species based on the selection of carbapenem will be reported for this study. The results are confirmed by conventional PCR and detection about NDM-1 gene that responsible of carbapenemases resistance.

Results:

Three isolates (one M. lacunata and two S. paucimobilis) were resistant to imipenem, Molecular detection of three isolates of carbapenem resistance showed one isolate of S. paucimobilis carry the gene of bla
DIM-1 and in the other isolate of S. paucimobilis does not have bla
DIM-1 gene. While Moraxella lacunata isolate appears positive result of bla
DIM-1.

Conclusion:

This study detects two issues in the hospital. The first one is about spread of carbapenemases producer isolates among Gram-negative. The second serious problem is for diagnosis very rare bacteria in the world that causes death. Hence, it is important to investigate the convenient infection about this matter.
Occurrence of bone sialoprotein-binding protein gene among clinical vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from bone infections
Authors: Al-Alak Shaymaa Khudhr , Muhammed Haidar J. , Khazaal Saba Saadoon
Published: November 2024

Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium can be found in the bone resulting human osteomyelitis infections, this could be controlled by some encoding genes that can express the bacterial adhesions, which aid in bacterial colonization for the host bone tissues. Hence, this research aimed to detect the occurrence of bbp gene in clinical vancomycin resistant E. faecium isolated from bone infections. After collection, the samples were isolated and identified using different manual and automated protocols. Furthermore, vanA and bbp genes were molecularly investigated. Results show that 60% of the identified E. faecium were vancomycin-resistant with distribution of 32% and 28% in postsurgery and hematogenous infections, respectively. The prevalence of vanA and bbp genes was 100% in 20 vavancomycin-resistant faecium isolates. These findings show that vanA and bbp expression may be associated with bone infections. We draw the conclusion from this study that vanA and bbp detection can be used as a marker for vavancomycin-resistant faecium in the bone invasion.