Showing 19 results for Majid
Tajeddin, E. (msc), Jahani Sherafat, S. (msc), Seyyed Majidi, M. R. (md), Alebouyeh, M. (phd), Nazemalhosseini Mojarad, E. (msc), Pourhossengholi, A. (phd), Mohammad Alizadeh A H (md), Zali, Mr (md),
Volume 5, Issue 2 (Autumn – Winter 2011[PERSIAN] 2011)
Abstract
Abstract Background and objectives: Bile in healthy people is a sterile fluid and presence of any microorganism can be a marker for a disorder like cholelithiasis. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of bacterial agents in the bile of patients with bilestone, malignant pancreatic and biliary diseases. Material and Methods: One hundred and two bile samples were obtained, during six months in 2011, from patients subjected to ERCP in Taleghani hospital, Tehran. First, Patient's clinical data, the type stone, and their disease status were studied, and then the microbiological investigations, such as culture, identification of the bacteria and detection of their counts, drug susceptibility testing and molecular tests (16s rDNA PCR) performed on all the samples. Higher than 103 bacteria counts for each sample, in the absence of underlying infections, was considered as stable colonization. We run SPSS version 13 to analyze the data. Results: Out of 42(41.1%) positive bile culture samples, 59 bacterial isolates are detected by conventional methods. Of culture negative samples, seven have bacterial DNA indicated by PCR method. The most isolated bacteria are E. coli (%34.4), Enterococcus spp. (%19.7), Klebsiella pneumoniae (%18) and Pseudomonas aeruginos (18%). The most frequent stones are cholesterol, black pigment and brown pigment, respectively. There is no significant association between the diseases, stones and types of bacteria. Previous antibiotic usage (44.6%) is meaningfully more than that of other biliary problems (p=0.01) Conclusion: The presence of bacteria, Escherchi coli and Entrococcus which are the most in bile samples, is considered as a risk factor in pathogenesis of biliary disorders. Further studies on the pathogenesis and pathophysiological effects of bacteria can help us to clarify the role of bacteria in producing bile stones. Key words: Bile stones, Bacteria, ERCP, Antibiotics.
Nourollah Ramroodi , Mohammad Taghi Kardi , Majid Bouzari , Marzieh Rezaei , Majid Komijani , Mahsa Yazdi,
Volume 10, Issue 3 (May-Jun 2016 2016)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Herpes simplex encephalitis is a life-threatening consequence of the central nervous system (CNS) infection with Herpes simplex virus (HSV). Although it is a rare disease, mortality rates reach 70% in the absence of therapy and only a minority of individuals can return to normal function. The aim of this study was to determine possible correlation between HSV infection and the incidence of encephalitis in patients with neurological signs.
Methods: Overall, 152 CSF samples were tested from patients with neurological signs referred to Mahdieh Clinical Laboratory in Isfahan from 2010 to 2013. After cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection, DNA was extracted and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for HSV detection.
Results: Of 152 patients tested, 50 were diagnosed with encephalitis. HSV DNA was present in the CSF of 13 patients with encephalitis. HSV was significantly higher (p< 0.05) in patients with encephalitis, which shows the significance of infection as an etiological factor of this disease. About 60% of the encephalitis cases were in age range of 1-24 months.
Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, Cesarean section is recommended for HSV-positive mothers. A routine real-time PCR test is suggested for HSV detection in patients with encephalitis to avoid unnecessary antiviral treatments.
Azizollah Ebrahimi Kahrizsangi , Saied Habibian Dehkordi , Ziba Shabanpur, Reza Hakimi Alni , Majid Hemati,
Volume 10, Issue 6 (Nov-Dec-2016 2016)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Biofilms are community of bacteria that attach to inanimate surfaces or living tissues via production of extracellular polymers and exopolysaccharide matrix. Microbial biofilms on various surfaces of the hospital environment are considered as a reservoir of infection spread. The present study aimed to evaluate the disinfecting effect of benzalkonium chloride on some bacterial isolates causing nosocomial infections.
Methods: First, 13 isolates from four bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter were obtained from Microbiology Laboratory of Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan, Iran. The samples were transferred to Microbiology Laboratory of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Shahrekord University for testing. Evaluation of biofilm formation and determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the disinfectant and effect of the disinfectant on planktonic growth and biofilm formation were performed.
Results: All bacterial isolates (52 cases) produced biofilm. Mean MIC of benzalkonium chloride for P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, Enterobacter and Acinetobacter was 0.14, 0.2, 0.18, 0.17 g/ml, respectively. Planktonic growth of all four bacteria was inhibited at concentrations of 2MIC, MIC and 1/2MIC. Biofilm was not produced in MIC and 2MIC concentrations, and biofilm formation capability increased by reducing the concentration of benzalkonium chloride.
Conclusion: The results show that the use of appropriate concentration of benzalkonium chloride can prevent the growth of different bacterial species, but sub-MIC dose of this disinfectant may stimulate biofilm formation.
Keywords: Biofilm, Benzalkonium Chloride, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Staphylococcus Aureus, Enterobacter, Acinetobacter.
Hossein Naghili, Hossein Tajik, Mojtaba Raeisi, Hadi Ghasem Mahdi , Mehran Moradi, Majid Amin Zare, Touraj Mehdizadeh, Hasan Hasanzadazar , Fardin Hariri,
Volume 10, Issue 6 (Nov-Dec-2016 2016)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Several studies have
shown the antimicrobial activity of lactobacilli against Salmonella enterica (serotype typhimurium). The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory potential of metabolites produced by probiotic culture of Lactobacillus casei against S. typhimurium and its impact on S. typhimurium motility and biofilm formation.
Methods: In order to evaluate the impact of the metabolites, L. casei cell-free culture supernatant (CFCS) was collected by centrifugation of L. casei secondary cultures. Effectiveness of the CFCS against Salmonella was evaluated by the well-diffusion method. In addition, in vitro effect of this treatment on motility in Swarm agar and biofilm formation by the bacteria was investigated.
Results: Inhibition zone diameters of S. typhimurium were 0.83 and 12.1 mm at concentrations of 50 and 100 μl of Lactobacillus CFCS against the log4 of S. typhimurium, respectively. Moreover, CFCS treatment inhibited the motility and biofilm formation by Salmonella. Concentrations of 5% and 10% were determined as the minimum inhibitory concentrations for motility and biofilm formation by S. typhimurium. Furthermore, effectiveness of the CFCS against Salmonella was dose-dependent (P<0.05).
Conclusion: L. casei CFCS is able to inhibit the growth, motility and biofilm formation in S. typhimurium.
Keywords: Anti-Bacterial, Lactobacillus Casei Metabolites, Phenotypic Characteristics of S. typhimurium
Majid Komijani , Majid Bouzari , Fateh Rahimi ,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (Mar-Apr 2017)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Escherichia coli is one of the most common causes of hospital-acquired infections. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli strains are resistant to third-generation cephalosporins. The three main genes involved in ESBL production are TEM, SHV and CTX-M. Detection of ESBL-producing E. coli is of importance for infection control, reduction of excessive antibiotic use and epidemiological surveillance. This study aimed to detect ESBL-producing E. coli strains isolated from wound infections using phenotypic and molecular methods.
Methods: During 2013- early 2015, 86 strains were collected from three hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using ceftazidime and ceftazidime + clavulanic acid discs. Polymerase chain reaction was used for the detection of the three resistance genes.
Results: The resistance genes SHV, CTX-M and TEM were detected in 49 isolates (56.9%). In addition, 39 isolates (45%) were ESBL-producing strains. According to the results, 5 (5.8%), 14 (16.2%), 19 (22%) and 11 (12.7%) isolates contained the SHV, CTX-M, TEM and CTX-M + TEM genes, respectively. The frequency of CTX and TEM were significantly higher than that of SHV gene (P <0.05). Most of the isolated bacteria were resistant to cefazolin and sensitive to nitrofurantoin.
Conclusions: There is a difference between the frequency of ESBL-positive isolates reported in the phenotypic and genotypic methods, which could be due to the lower sensitivity of the phenotypic method and impact of environmental factors on the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
Keywords: Antibiotic resistance genes, ESBL, TEM, SHV, CTX-M, Escherichia coli.
Nima Shaykh Baygloo , Majid Bouzari , Fateh Rahimi ,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (May-Jun 2017)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Prophage sequences are major contributors to interstrain variations within the same bacterial species. Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative bacterium that causes a wide range of nosocomial infections, especially in intensive care unit inpatients. Prophage sequences constitute a considerable proportion of several sequenced complete genomes of A. baumannii. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of prophage sequences in A. baumannii strains isolated from burn patients, and compare the results with other studies.
Methods: Presence of eight prophage sequences was investigated in the genome of ten multi-drug resistant A. baumannii isolates obtained from burn sites of 10 burn patients in a hospital in Isfahan, Iran. PCR and sequencing were performed to detect the prophage sequences. The presence of the eight prophage sequences in the genome of A. baumannii strains from other studies was investigated by BLAST analysis of whole nucleotide sequence of prophage sequences.
Results: The isolates in the present study had different prophage sequence profiles. Two isolates did not contain any of the sequences, while two isolates contained three and two of the prophage sequences. Other isolates contained only one sequence. The prophage sequence profiles observed in this study were not found in A. baumannii isolates from other studies.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the prophage sequences profile can be useful for studying the epidemiology of A. baumannii strains.
Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii, genome, prophage sequences.
Majid Komijani, Mohammad Taghi Kardi, Khashayar Shahin, Mahsa Yazdi,
Volume 11, Issue 5 (Sep - Oct 2017)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Three major hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigens include HBcAg, HBeAg and HBsAg. HBeAg is the extracellular form of HBcAg, and is seen almost exclusively in people who have circulating serum HBV DNA. Presence of HBsAg in serum indicates that the individual has contracted HBV infection. Chronic hepatitis HBeAg-negative/anti-HBe–positive is known as an important form of chronic hepatitis B in the Mediterranean region. In this report, we used Real-Time PCR and ELISA for detection of HBV and HBeAg/HbsAg, respectively. In our investigation on 4743 HBV cases referred to the Mahdieh Clinical Laboratory between 2008 and 2016, we found a
53-year-old man with clinical symptoms of hepatitis and abnormal molecular and serological features. Despite the presence of clinical symptoms and high viral load (128 × 10
5 iu/ml), the patient was HBsAg-positive and HBeAg-negative. Identifying this type of HBV could indicate spread of this type of hepatitis in Isfahan, Iran.
Keywords: Hepatitis B, HbsAg, HBeAg.
Asra Askari , Amir Rashid Lamir , Nahid Bijeh , Majid Momeni Moghadam ,
Volume 11, Issue 6 (Nov - Dec 2017)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate effects of eight weeks of aquatic exercise and resistance training on plasma neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) levels and NT-4 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of women with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Thirty women with MS were randomly assigned to a resistance-training group, an aquatic exercise group and a control group. After separating plasma and PBMCs from blood samples, level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression was measured after eight weeks of exercise via ELISA and Real-time PCR, respectively.
Results: The level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression increased significantly following eight weeks of aquatic training and resistance training.
Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, both resistance training and aquatic exercise can increase the level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression in female MS patients. It can be concluded that such trainings could have protective and positive effects on the nervous system of MS patients.
Keywords: Exercise, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurotrophic Factors, Women.
Reza Hakimi Alni , Abdolmajid Mohammadzadeh , Pezhman Mahmoodi , Mohammad Yousef Alikhani ,
Volume 11, Issue 6 (Nov - Dec 2017)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Determining the genetic relationship between S. aureus isolates is important for epidemiological surveillance and control of infections caused by this bacterium. The present study was conducted to determine polymorphisms of coagulase gene (coa) among S. aureus isolates from pastry and cheese samples using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.
Methods: Overall, 65 S. aureus isolated from pastry (n=45) and cheese (n=20) samples were examined for the coa gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were digested with AluI enzyme and the products were assessed using gel electrophoresis.
Results: Except for two isolates, all isolates were positive in coa-PCR and produced four different PCR products, with molecular sizes ranging from 570 to 970 bp. Overall; five distinct RFLP patterns were detected (I-V). Although pattern types I and III were present in isolates from both samples, types I and IV were mainly present in isolates from cheese and pastry samples, respectively.
Conclusion: PCR-RFLP analysis of the coa gene indicates that S. aureus isolates from pastry and cheese samples may be originated from different sources. However, as one pattern type was predominant in each group, it can be concluded that majority of the isolates may have the same origin.
Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus, PCR-RFLP, Coagulase, Pastry, Cheese.
Mahsa Yazdi, Majid Bouzari, Ezzat Allah Ghaemi,
Volume 12, Issue 5 (Sep-Oct 2018)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and objectives: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases caused by bacteria. The primary etiologic agent of UTIs is Escherichia coli. Uropathogenic E.coli (UPEC) strains have a number of specific virulence factors, which can worsen UTIs. This study was performed to detect fim, pap, sfa and afa genes among E.coli strains isolated from UTIs.
Methods: A total of 100 E. coli isolates from patients with UTI was collected between June and December 2015 from Mosavi and Sayyad Shirazi hospitals in Gorgan, Iran. All bacterial isolates were identified via standard biochemical testing and Gram straining. Presence of the genes was assessed by polymerase chain reaction.
Results: The frequency of the fim, pap, sfa and afa genes was 100%, 79%, 69% and 8%, respectively. All isolates contained at least one virulence gene. Prevalence of multiple adhesion genes was 6% for all genes and 65% for three genes (fim, pap and sfa) together. In addition, the frequency of the fim gene was significantly higher than that of the other genes (P<0.0001).
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the high prevalence of virulence factors that can enhance pathogenicity of E. coli. Therefore, these factors could be used as diagnostic markers or vaccine targets.
Keywords: Virulence factors, Urinary tract infection, Uropathogenic Escherichia coli.
Majid Komijani, Khashayar Shahin, Mohadeseh Barazandeh, Mehdi Sajadi,
Volume 12, Issue 5 (Sep-Oct 2018)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen resistant to various antibiotics. The aim of the present study was to study resistant patterns in clinical isolates of
P. aeruginosa, classify them into pandrug resistance (PDR), extensive drug resistance (XDR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) groups, and identify extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive isolates using the phenotypic and genotypic methods.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 161
P. aeruginosa isolates collected from the city of Isfahan, Iran. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed using 11 antimicrobial agents. ESBL-positive strains were identified using the phenotypic and genotypic methods.
Results: The highest level of antibiotic resistance was observed against ceftazidime (77.64%). None of the isolates was resistant to polymyxin B. In the phenotypic method, 64 isolates (39.75%) were found as ESLB-positive, whereas 132 isolates (81.98%) were ESBL-positive in the genotypic method. The number of ESBL-positive isolates in the genotypic method was significantly higher than in the phenotypic method. The frequency of XDR and MDR isolates was 50.93% and 27.32%, respectively. None of the isolates was PDR. The frequency of the
blaTEM gene was significantly higher than other genes (P<0.0001).
Conclusion: It was revealed that the genotypic method was much more accurate in identifying ESBL-positive strains than the phenotypic method. Therefore, use of the molecular method may increase the chance of successful treatment with antibiotics of the β-lactam family.
Keywords: Drug Resistance,
β-lactamases,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Mina Eghbali, Majid Baserisalehi, Masood Ghane,
Volume 14, Issue 3 (May-Jun 2020)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Moraxella catarrhalis is considered as an emerging pathogen and a new nosocomial infection agent. This study was conducted to isolate and identify M. catarrhalis from clinical samples (respiratory tracts) and assess them for antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.
Methods: In total, 280 samples were collected from patients with respiratory tract infection, and 120 samples were obtained from healthy individuals in the control group. The isolates were identified by phenotyping and genotyping methods, and their antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated using disk diffusion methods. The presence of β-lactamase and efflux pump activity were specified via phenotypic methods. Finally, Bro and acrA genes in the isolates were detected by PCR technique.
Results: The frequency of this bacterium was 9.64% (27 out of 280) in patients with respiratory tract infection and 4.16% (5 out of 120) in the control group. Although the isolates were resistant to penicillin, they had various responses against other antibiotics. The results obtained from molecular method showed that 90.6% and 84.3% of the isolates possessed Bro and acrA genes, respectively. There was a significant relationship (P<0.05) between the presence of Bro and acrA genes and antibacterial resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, and chloramphenicol.
Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the existence of M. catarrhalis in patients with respiratory diseases and the high prevalence of antibiotic resistant genes in M. catarrhalis isolates. Therefore, timely diagnosis and successful treatment can play important roles in preventing their spread.
Somaieh Sabzali, Majid Bouzari,
Volume 14, Issue 4 (Jul-Aug 2020)
Abstract
Background and objectives: are divided into two species: Salmonella enterica and Salmonella Salmonella bongori. S. enterica has more than 2,500 serotypes. Serovars of S. enterica such as Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Paratyphi B, Paratyphi A and Newport are associated with human infections. Approximately 75% of human Salmonella infections have been associated with contaminated food such as eggs, chicken, beef, pork, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of Salmonella strains isolated from various food sources in Isfahan, Iran.
Methods: Forty Salmonella strains were isolated from 450 suspected cases referred to the veterinary reference laboratory of Isfahan Province. The isolates were identified by differential and serotyping tests and then confirmed by PCR. A phylogenic tree was constructed with 34 sequences by neighbor-joining method using the MEGA7 software (version 7.1).
Results: Overall, 10 Salmonella serovars were isolated from 32 chicken meat, three beef and five egg shell samples. S. enterica serovar Ouakum (20%), S. Enteritidis (17.5%) and S. Typhimurium (17.5%) were the most common serovars, while S. enterica serovar Nitra (2.5%) was found as the least prevalent isolate.
Conclusion: In this study, S. Typhimurium species is placed in different clusters along with sequences reported from different parts of the world, indicating that the serovars are circulating all over the world.
Ahmad Hamta, Maliheh Hosseinpour, Majid Komijani,
Volume 15, Issue 4 (Jul-Aug 2021)
Abstract
Background and objectives: Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women. Cytokines regulate the intensity and continuity of immune response by balancing cell-mediated immunity and humoral responses. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between two polymorphisms of the interleukin-16 (IL-16) gene and risk of breast cancer.
Methods: Blood samples were collected from 80 breast cancer patients and 80 healthy individuals. Polymorphisms rs11556218 T/G and rs4072111 C/T were investigated by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR). Then, genotype and allele frequency distributions were evaluated in each group using the SPSS software (version 24).
Results: The frequency of genotype rs11556218 differed significantly between the patients and controls (P=0.007). The TG genotype (odds ratio [OR]= 2.471, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.229-4.965, P= 0.001) and total TG+GG genotypes (OR= 3.095, 95% CI: 1.624-5.899, P= 0.001) had a significant relationship with increased risk for breast cancer. The allele and genotype frequencies of rs4072111 C/T polymorphism did not differ significantly between the patients and controls.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the rs11556218 T/G polymorphism of the IL-16 gene may be associated with susceptibility to breast cancer.
Behnoush Khasheii, Pezhman Mahmoodi, Abdolmajid Mohammadzadeh,
Volume 15, Issue 5 (Sep-Oct 2021)
Abstract
Increasing antibiotic resistance is a global health problem. In recent years, due to the indiscriminate use of antibacterial compounds, many bacterial pathogens, including staphylococci, members of the
Enterobacteriaceae family including
Klebsiella pneumoniae and bacteria such as
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
Acinetobacter baumannii have become multi-drug resistant. Consequently, it is important to explore alternative approaches for eliminating resistant strains. Bacteria synthesize low-weight molecules called siderophores to chelate iron from the environment as a vital element for their growth and survival. One way to deal with resistant bacterial strains is to utilize siderophore-mediated iron uptake pathways as entrance routes for drug delivery. Therefore, the production of drugs with Trojan horse strategy in the form of conjugated siderophore-antibiotic complexes has recently received much attention
for dealing with resistant isolates.
In this review, we discuss the efficacy of siderophore-antibiotic conjugates as a Trojan horse strategy for eliminating drug-resistant pathogens.
Zahra Kiani, Pouria Mohammad Parast Tabas, Khashayar Khalilpour, Mahjoube Goldani Moghadam, Majid Zare_bidaki,
Volume 15, Issue 5 (Sep-Oct 2021)
Abstract
Background and objectives: Medicinal plants have long been considered as one of the most important pillars of traditional medicine. Existing challenges in the treatment of diseases, particularly infectious diseases, are major drivers for herbal medicine studies. Tribulus terrestris has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. This study aimed to investigate in vitro antibacterial effect of the aqueous extract of T. terrestris on several oral bacteria.
Methods: In this experimental study, after preparing the aqueous extract of T. terrestris, minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC) of the extract were determined against standard strains of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes using the broth microdilution method. The experiments were repeated three times and the results were analyzed with SPSS 22 using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and LSD statistical tests with the significance level set at 0.05.
Results: The aqueous extract of T. terrestris had the highest inhibitory effect on S. pyogenes and S. mutans, and the difference between the MIC and MBC values was significant (P <0.05). However, no such effect was observed against S. aureus and K. pneumonia at concentrations below 50 mg/ml when compared to ampicillin and chlorhexidine.
Conclusion: The aqueous extract of T. terrestris has significant antibacterial effects against S. pyogenes and S. mutans. Therefore, it can be incorporated into topical formulations such as toothpaste and mouthwash products after further in vivo and toxicity experiments.
Ifrah Jan, Rafiqa Eachkoti, Iqra Farooq, Sanah Farooq, Sadaf Saleem, Sabhiya Majid ,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (Jan-Feb 2024)
Abstract
Background: The complete blood count (CBC) profile has been found extremely useful in monitoring the growth of SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, predictive CBC parameters that could be used in the management of the disease may vary in different populations.
Methods: This study comparatively analyzed the CBC profile of SARS-CoV-2 patients (N = 75; confirmed positive by real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) and healthy individuals (confirmed negative by real-time PCR) from Kashmir (north India).
Results: Compared with healthy individuals, most of the CBC parameters (hemoglobin levels [13.43 vs 10.9 g/dL; P = 0.0001], lymphocytes [16.04% vs 30.8%; P = 0.00001], monocytes [5.53% vs 7.53%; P = 0.009], and platelet count [150 vs 186 ×103 µL; P = 0.037]) were significantly low in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, while neutrophilia was more common in infected patients (76.77% vs 59.26%). Among derived parameters, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR; 7.31 vs 2.04; P = 0.001) and derived NLR (d-NLR; 4.43 vs 1.5; P = 0.0002) were significantly high in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Further correlation analysis revealed a significant association of neutrophilia with the severity of the disease in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of derived CBC parameters (NLR, d-NLR, and platelet‐to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR] with disease severity and disease outcome) revealed d-NLR as better predictive marker of disease severity (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.658) and disease outcome (AUC = 0.766) compared to PLR with disease severity (AUC = 0.645) and disease outcome (AUC = 0.693).
Conclusion: We therefore conclude, of the CBC parameters neutrophilia as the marker of disease severity and among derived parameters, d-NLR as an early predictive biomarker of both disease severity and poor disease outcome in SARS-CoV-2 patients.
Syed Majid Ali, Jalila Qayoom, Talat Masoodi, Azhar Shafi, Arshi Syed,
Volume 18, Issue 5 (Sep-Oct 2024)
Abstract
Background: Post-operative wound infection has been a problem since surgery was started as a treatment modality and is the third most common cause of nosocomial infections with a reported incidence rate of 14-16%. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, isolate and identify aerobic pathogenic bacteria from surgical site infections (SSI) and to determine the antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) pattern of pathogenic bacteria.
Methods: This study was conducted at the Department of Microbiology SKIMS-Medical College, Bemina Srinagar, over a period of six months from November 2021 to April 2022. In the study, 210 samples from patients with SSI were included. Isolation, identification, and AST of the isolates were performed by standard microbiological techniques.
Results: Out of 210 SSI samples, 163 bacterial isolates were recovered and infection rate was more in 21-30 years age group (24.2%). Gram-negative bacteria were isolated in 50.4% (82/163) cases and E. coli was the most common organism (59.75%, 49/82). Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to imipenem and none were resistant to polymyxin-B and colistin. E. coli was mostly resistant to cefoperazone, Acinetobacter and Klebsiella species were resistant to ceftazidime, Pseudomonas and Citrobacter were resistant to ceftriaxone. Gram-positive bacteria constituted 49.6% (81/163) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was a frequently isolated species (66.6%, 54/81). MRSA- and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) were mostly sensitive to amikacin, gentamycin, and tetracycline. Moreover, none of the Gram-positive isolates were resistant to linezolid, vancomycin, and teicoplanin. Enterococcus spp was mostly resistant to gentamycin.
Conclusion: This study developed an insight into post-operative wound infections and their incidence, organisms’ prevalence, and their antibiogram. Culture positivity in suspected cases of SSI was high (77.6%). MRSA and E. coli were frequently isolated from Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Shalaleh Ganji, Iraj Mobedi, Azim Rezamand, Farshid Ardabili, Pooya Yari, Majid Khanmohammadi,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (4-2025)
Abstract
Background and objectives: Enterobius vermicularis is the most important intestinal parasite in children worldwide. When this parasite migrates unexpectedly, the larvae move out of the intestine and enter organs such as the appendix and can cause health risks.
Case report: An 8-year-old boy was admitted to the oncology clinic of Tabriz Children’s Hospital complaining of fever of 39-40°C with abdominal pain, cramps, loss of appetite, weakness and fatigue associated with cervical lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, axillary mass, abdominal upper thigh, maculopapular rashes and tiny petechiae on the chest and abdomen.
Results: On CT examination of the chest, moderate mediastinal and mesenteric lymphadenopathy was noted. The patient was hospitalized with a definitive diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). On the seventh day of hospitalization, the patient developed additive colic pain (contraction and cramping) around the umbilicus and concomitantly developed pain downward and rightward into the abdomen. Based on the clinical findings, the patient was thought to have acute appendicitis. Pathological examinations showed that E. vermicularis was the cause of the appendicitis.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that this parasite may be associated with inflammation of the appendix in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A screening program is still required in patients with immunodeficiency or those taking immunosuppressive drugs.
