Isolation of fecal Escherichia coli from fresh strawberries (fragaria ananassa) in Iran

Background and Objectives: Microbial safety of the fresh fruits is a global concern. The production of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) in Iran has grown 4.5%from 2016 to 2019. Little information is available about the microbiological quality of strawberry produced in Iran. The objective of this investigation was toassess the fecal Escherichia coli (FEC) contamination of fresh strawberries of south of Kerman province where is the centers of production and supply ofstrawberries to other parts of Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, the FEC of a total number of 109 strawberry samples, which were collected from green-houses of strawberry of Kerman province during three months, were enumerated using the most probable number (MPN) as described by Iranian NationalStandards Organization, protocol No.2946, and interpreted using the latest statute released by Iran Veterinary Organization, Executive order number 2946, released in 2011. Results: MPN of FEC counted in strawberries ranged between <0.3 (n=37) and >110 (n=19) per gram (g) having a mean, mode, and median value of 250.3, <0.3, and 9.4 MPN/g, respectively. More than one-fourth of the samples (28.44%) were polluted with FEC at a level of >100 MPN/g. Conclusion: Our findings may be resulted from the sanitary quality of the farm and strawberries of the study area, which indicated that the microbial safety of the strawberries in this survey was not satisfactory, alarming public health.  

Determination of frequency, multiple antibiotic resistance index and resistotype of Salmonella spp. in chicken meat collected from southeast of Iran

BACKGROUND

Zoonotic food-borne pathogens such as Salmonella spp., which can be hosted by some raw foods, play a crucial role in ranking the public health of a country OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to assess the frequency, antibiotic resistance pattern and index of multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) of Salmonella spp. in chicken meat METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2017 to March 2018. One-hundred and fifty chicken meat samples were collected from meat stores in Zahedan, southeast of Iran and screened for contamination with Salmonella spp. using the polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the inv-A gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed against 11 commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents in the veterinary treatment to calculate the MAR index RESULTS: The contamination rate was 2.7% (4/150). The antimicrobial resistance rate was 100% (n = 4) against penicillin, tylosin, tetracycline, erythromycin and tiamulin, 50% (n = 2) against trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, difloxacin and lincomycin/spectinomycin and 25% (n = 1) against flumequine and florfenicol. All isolates were sensitive to fosfomycin. Interestingly, all isolates (n = 4) exhibited different MAR patterns. Furthermore, the MAR index ranged from 0.45 to 0.81 CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the MAR index, which indicated that the isolate originated from a source where antibiotics were used to a great degree and/or in large amounts, the results showed that the chicken meat hosted resistant strains of Salmonella spp. in the study area. Overall, the findings indicated an important public health problem. To reduce this alarming signal, the poultry industry should implement control measures in the study area.

Frequency of k99, stx1, and stx2 Virulence Factors in Escherichia coli isolated from Diarrheic and Clinically Healthy Suckling Calves in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Iran

It is necessary to understand the frequency of virulence factor-encoding genes in the assessment of the carriage proportion. Moreover, it is required in the characterization of major unique antigens that are useful in the development of effective immunological-based preventive measures. The current study aimed to evaluate the frequency of three encoding-virulence genes associated with Enterotoxigenic (ET) and Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli/EC) pathotypes (k99, stx1, and stx2) in North of Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Iran. The frequency of k99, stx1, and stx2 was determined via polymerase chain reaction among E. coli isolates collected from the feces of the clinically healthy suckling (n=50) and diarrheic calves (n=50). The k99 gene was absent in all isolates, and the frequencies of the E. coli containing stx1 and stx2 or both stx1 and stx2 were estimated at 8%, 14%, and 4%, respectively, in the clinically healthy suckling calves (P&amp;gt;0.05), compared to 24%, 16%, and 6% in diarrheic animals (p &amp;lt;0.05). Among the three studied genes, there was a statistically significant difference between clinically healthy suckling and diarrheic calves in terms of the frequency of E. coli isolatescontaining stx1. On the other hand, the results of this study indicated that k99 was not a major fimbrial antigen-encoding gene in the ETECpopulation in the region. It is assumed that in any health measure intended to control the pathogen, other genes involved with encoding fimbriae should also be considered. The noticeable high frequency of E. coli isolates bearing stx1 and/or stx2 virulence elementsboth in clinically healthy and diarrheic suckling calves in this study isa concern for public health. Accordingly, it is recommended that further epidemiological studies be conducted on the role of the stx1 gene in the diarrhea of suckling calves in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Iran.

Frequency of iss and irp2 genes by PCR method in Escherichia coli isolated from poultry with colibacillosis in comparison with healthy chicken in poultry farms of Zabol, South East of Iran

There is no special trait for differentiation of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli from Avian Fecal Escherichia coli. This investigation is aimed, as a case control study, to evaluate and compare the frequency of iss and irp2 in 43 AFEC strains and also 40 and 56 E. coli strains isolated from the liver and kidney of chickens with colibacillosis, respectively, farmed in Zabol, as a border region of Iran, by PCR. 86.9% and 37.2% of isolates collected from chickens with colibacillosis and feces samples obtained from healthy chickens were positive for iss gene, respectively (P<0.05). On average, 59.3% of E. coli strains isolated from colibacillosis have irp2 gene while 27.9% of isolates from the feces of healthy birds were positive (P<0.05). 52.15% of isolates from colibacillosis and 19.62% of isolates from healthy chicken feces were positive for both genes, with statistical significant difference (p<0.05). This marked difference in the distribution of iss and irp2 genes makes these two genes good markers to differentiate AFEC and APEC strains especially in Sistan region to improve colibacillosis control measurements.

Mutation Screening of Exons 7 and 13 of the TMC1 Gene in Autosomal Recessive Non-syndromic Hearing Loss (ARNSHL) in Iran

Background:

Non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) is the most common birth defect and occurs in approximately 1/1,000 newborns. NSHL is a heterogeneous trait and can arise due to both genetic and environmental factors. Mutations of the transmembrane channel-like 1 (TMC1) gene cause non-syndromic deafness in humans and mice.

Objectives:

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of TMC1 gene mutations of the locus DFNB7/11 in exons 7 and 13 in a cohort of 100 patients with hearing loss in Iran using polymerase chain reaction–single-stranded conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP), heteroduplex analysis (HA), and DNA sequencing.

Patients and Methods:

In this experimental study, the blood samples of 100 NSHL patients were collected from 10 provinces in Iran. These patients had a mean age of 16.5 ± 2.01 years and 74.15% of their parents had consanguinity. DNA was extracted from specimens and mutations of exons 7 and 13 of the TMC1 gene were investigated using PCR-SSCP. All samples were checked via HA reaction and suspected specimens with shift bands were subjected to DNA sequencing for investigation of any gene variation.

Results:

In this study, no mutation was found in the two exons of TMC1 gene. It was concluded from these results that mutations of the TMC1 gene’s special exons 7 and 13 have a low contribution in patients and are not great of clinical importance in these Iranian provinces.

Conclusions:

More studies are needed to investigate the relationship between other parts of this gene with hearing loss in different populations through the country. More research could clarify the role of this gene and its relation with deafness and provide essential information for the prevention and management of auditory disorders caused by genetic factors in the Iranian population.

Association of the Interleukin-27 Gene Expression and Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Liver Transplanted Patients

OBJECTIVES

Hepatitis B viral infection is among the most common causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and a frequent viral indication for liver transplant. Cytokine-mediated immunity plays a critical role in introducing and promoting hepatitis B virus outcomes and in graft microenvironment. Interleukin 27 is a heterodimeric cytokine and a member of interleukin-6/interleukin-12 family. Interleukin-27 shows a broad range of pro- and antiinflammatory properties and plays a determining role during immune responses in combating hepatitis B virus. Therefore, in this study, the possible association between expressions of interleukin-27 gene with hepatitis B virus infection was evaluated in liver transplant patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a cross-sectional study from liver transplant patients with the risk of hepatitis B virus infection who admitted to Namazi Hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, 50 patients were selected and subgrouped to 25 hepatitis B virus-infected and 25 noninfected ones between years 2011 and 2013. The 25 healthy controls also were enrolled in this study. The presence of hepatitis B virus infection was assessed using polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay protocols in liver transplant patients. In addition, the interleukin-27 gene expression level was analyzed using an in-house-SYBER Green real time polymerase chain reaction method. The rate of interleukin-27 gene expression level was statistically analyzed in studied patient groups and controls using the Livak (2-▵▵CT) method.

RESULTS

The expression level of interleukin-27 gene was increased 10.27- and 2.36-fold in hepatitis B virus-infected and uninfected liver transplanted patients compared with healthy controls.

CONCLUSION

Hepatitis B virus infection can lead to overexpression of interleukin-27 gene in liver transplant patients compared with uninfected ones and controls. However, further studies are needed to characterize the effective antihepatitis B virus effects of interleukin-27 in liver transplant patients.

Detection of pap, sfa, afa, foc, and fim Adhesin-Encoding Operons in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolates Collected From Patients With Urinary Tract Infection

Background:

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) with its virulence factors is the most prevalent cause of urinary tract infection (UTI).

Objectives;

This study aimed to determine the occurrence of fim, pap, sfa, and afa genes among 100 UPEC isolates collected from patients diagnosed with UTI.

Materials and Methods

A total of 100 UPEC isolates were obtained from urine samples of patients with UTI. The prevalence of 5 virulence genes encoding type 1 fimbriae (fimH), pili associated with pyelonephritis (pap), S and F1C fimbriae (sfa and foc) and afimbrial adhesins (afa) were determined through PCR method. We also investigated the phylogenetic background of all isolates. In addition, the distribution of adhesin-encoding operons between the phylogroups was assessed.

Results:

The prevalence of genes encoding for fimbrial adhesive systems was 95% for fim, 57% for pap, 16% for foc, and 81% for sfa. The operons encoding for afa afimbrial adhesins were identified in 12% of isolates. The various combinations of detected genes were designated as virulence patterns. The fim gene, which occurred in strains from all phylogenetic groups (A, B1, B2, and D) was evaluated and no significant differences were found among these groups. Conversely, significant differences were observed in relation to pap, afa, foc, and sfa operons.

Conclusions:

These results indicate that the PCR method is a powerful genotypic assay for the detection of adhesin-encoding operons. Thus, this assay can be recommended for clinical use to detect virulent urinary E. coli strains, as well as epidemiological studies.

Microbial Susceptibility and Plasmid Profiles of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Susceptible S. aureus

BACKGROUND

Today, significant increase in the prevalence and emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious public health concern and is likely to have a dramatic negative impact on many current medical practices. Therefore, identification of MRSA strains is important for both clinical and epidemiological implications.

OBJECTIVES

The present study was carried out to determine the frequency of methicillin resistant; antibiotic susceptibility and plasmid profiles of S. aureus recovered from different types of clinical samples of patients in Zabol, Iran.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Clinical samples from 500 outpatient and hospitalized patients were tested for S. aureus. The susceptibility of 106 S. aureus to 11 antibiotics was evaluated by the disk diffusion method and Etest oxacillin strips. The presence of mecA gene was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The plasmid profile patterns of all isolates were determined by a modified alkaline lysis method.

RESULTS

A total of 67 (63.20%) strains were found to be MRSA isolates. Most of MRSA isolates showed high level of resistance to ampicillin, erythromycin, nalidixic acid, penicillin, and tetracycline. Twenty-six percent of MRSA isolates showed high level of resistance to oxacillin (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] ≥ 256 μg/mL). mecA gene was detected among 62 MRSA isolates. Totally, 75 isolates of both strains harbored plasmid.

CONCLUSIONS

Resistance to oxacillin and other antibiotics was high, and most of the isolates were found to be multi-drug resistance (MDR). Plasmid analysis of representative S. aureus isolates also demonstrates the presence of a wide range of plasmid sizes, with no consistent relationship between plasmid profiles and resistance phenotypes. Regular surveillance of hospital infections and monitoring of their antibiotic sensitivity patterns are required to reduce MRSA prevalence. High prevalence and multi-drug resistance of MRSA isolates in southeast of Iran could be considered as an urgent warning for public health.

Epidermal growth factor receptor gene expression evaluation in colorectal cancer patients

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of death in the world and third and fourth most common cancer among men and women in Iran respectively. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a tyrosine kinase receptor that shows over expression in epithelial tumors and regulates important processes in tumorigenesis. Incidence and characteristics of colorectal cancer are based on the geographic region and race. Aim: In this research work, the over expression of EGFR in formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) colorectal cancer tumor tissue of patients was studied. Materials and Methods: Fifteen FFPE colorectal cancer tumor tissues (10 women and 5 men; 25-65 years old and stage IV) and 15 non-patients (nine women and six men; 25-65 years old) that were collected during 2006-2012. EGFR gene expression level was analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All PCR reactions were performed in triplicate for both target gene and internal control (18s ribosomal ribonucleic acid) with the 2-ΔΔCT method. Gene expression differences in patients and controls were evaluated with t-test. Results: The results were showed EGFR gene over expression in 12 (80%) of 15 patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of EGFR expression between patients and control (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our results demonstrated EGFR gene over expression in colorectal cancer tumor tissue compared with controls.

Dryness of ephemeral lakes and consequences for dust activity: the case of the Hamoun drainage basin, southeastern Iran

This study examines the influence of changes in the water coverage in the Hamoun dry-bed lakes on visibility, dust outbreaks, aerosol loading and land-atmospheric fluxes over the region covering the period 1985-2005. The Hamoun basin, located on the southeastern Iran and western Afghanistan borders, has been recognized as one of the major dust source regions in south Asia and is covered by shallow, marshy lakes that are fed by the Helmand and Farahrood rivers. When the water in watersheds that support the lakes is drawn down for natural or human-induced reasons, the end result is a decrease in the water coverage in the basin, or even complete dryness as occurred in 2001. Then, strong seasonal winds, mainly in summer, blow fine sand and silt off the exposed lakebed, enhancing dust activity and aerosol loading over the region. Satellite (Landsat) and meteorological observations reveal that the water levels in the Hamoun lakes exhibit considerable inter-annual variability during the period 1985-2005 strongly related to anomalies in precipitation. This is the trigger for concurrent changes in the frequency of the dusty days, aerosol loading and deterioration of visibility over the region, as satellite (TOMS, MODIS, MISR) observations reveal. On the other hand, soil moisture and latent heat, obtained via model (GLDAS_noah-10) simulations are directly linked with water levels and precipitation over the region. The desiccation of the Hamoun lakes in certain years and the consequent increase in frequency and intensity of dust storms are serious concerns for the regional climate, ecosystems and human health.

Assessment of chemical and mineralogical characteristics of airborne dust in the Sistan region, Iran

Windblown transport and deposition of dust is widely recognized as an important physical and chemical concern to climate, human health and ecosystems. Sistan is a region located in southeast Iran with extensive wind erosion, severe desertification and intense dust storms, which cause adverse effects in regional air quality and human health. To mitigate the impact of these phenomena, it is vital to ascertain the physical and chemical characteristics of airborne and soil dust. This paper examines for the first time, the mineralogical and chemical properties of dust over Sistan by collecting aerosol samples at two stations established close to a dry-bed lake dust source region, from August 2009 to August 2010. Furthermore, soil samples were collected from topsoil (0-5 cm depth) at several locations in the dry-bed Hamoun lakes and downwind areas. These data were analyzed to investigate the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of dust, relevance of inferred sources and contributions to air pollution. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis of airborne and soil dust samples shows that the dust mineralogy is dominated mainly by quartz (30-40%), calcite (18-23%), muscovite (10-17%), plagioclase (9-12%), chlorite (~6%) and enstatite (~3%), with minor components of dolomite, microcline, halite and gypsum. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyses of all the samples indicate that the most important oxide compositions of the airborne and soil dust are SiO(2), CaO, Al(2)O(3), Na(2)O, MgO and Fe(2)O(3), exhibiting similar percentages for both stations and soil samples. Estimates of Enrichment Factors (EFs) for all studied elements show that all of them have very low EF values, suggesting natural origin from local materials. The results suggest that a common dust source region can be inferred, which is the eroded sedimentary environment in the extensive Hamoun dry lakes lying to the north of Sistan.

Study of VSX1 mutations in patients with keratoconus in southwest Iran using PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism/heteroduplex analysis and sequencing method

OBJECTIVE

Keratoconus (KC) is an eye disorder in which the cornea is swollen, thinned and deformed. Despite extensive studies, the pathophysiological processes and genetic etiology of KC are unknown. The disease incidence is approximately 1 in 2,000, and it is the most common cause of corneal transplantation in the USA. Many genes are involved in the disease, but evidence suggests a major role for VSX1 in the etiology of KC. This study aimed to determine the frequency of mutations in exons 2, 3 and 4 of the VSX1 gene in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province in the southwest of Iran.

STUDY DESIGN

In this experimental study, mutations in 3 exons, namely exons 2, 3 and 4, of VSX1 were investigated in 50 patients with KC and 50 healthy control subjects. DNA was extracted using a standard phenol-chloroform method. PCR-single-strand conformational polymorphism/heteroduplex analysis was performed, followed by DNA sequencing to confirm the identified motility shifts.

RESULTS

H244R mutations were found in 1 patient and also in 1 healthy control subject. Furthermore, 12 polymorphisms were identified in patients with KC and 7 in healthy control subjects [rs6138482 and c.546A>G (rs12480307)].

CONCLUSION

Our investigation showed that KC-related VSX1 mutations were found in a very small proportion of the studied patients from Iran. Further investigations on other genes are needed to clarify their roles in KC pathogenesis.

The role of diclofenac sodium in the dimorphic transition in Candida albicans

Diclofenac sodium is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that inhibits filamentation in Candida albicans. Here we examined the effect of diclofenac sodium on hypha formation in C. albicans. The C. albicans cells were treated with various concentrations of diclofenac sodium (50, 100, 200 and 500microg/ml) and incubated at 37 degrees C for 2h. The characteristics of hypha formation were then assessed microscopically in both liquid and solid media. The results indicated that the effect of diclofenac sodium was dependent on the concentration of this compound, and preincubation with 500microg/ml diclofenac sodium completely inhibited hypha formation in both liquid and solid media. RT-qPCR analysis of RNA extracted from C. albicans indicated that the levels of expression of agglutinin-like sequence 3 (ALS3), RAS1, EFG1 mRNA, which are regulated by the cAMP-EFG1 pathway in C. albicans and three hypha-specific genes (ALS1, ECE1 and HWP1), were decreased in diclofenac sodium treated cells compared to the levels in controls. Our results also demonstrated that diclofenac sodium possesses potent anti yeast-hypha transition activity in vitro and it could be useful in combined therapy with conventional antifungal agents in the management of treatment of Candida albicans infections.