Jundishapur Journal of Health Sciences
Year:2020 | Volume:12 | Issue:4|Papers Count:7

Dear Editor, COVID-19 has further revealed the obvious infrastructural deficit and incompetency in healthcare systems of low-and middle-income countries like Nigeria. Even in developed countries, like the United States of America, healthcare systems are not spared by the overwhelming impacts of COVID-19 cases on their infrastructures. Public health infrastructure includes three keycomponentsrequired to plan, deliver, and evaluate public health services. These components are an adequate qualified work-force, reliable data and information systems, and capable and coordinated agencies (1). Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the health infrastructures and services in Nigeria were poor and inadequate despite the public health challenges in the country, like child and maternal mortality, malnutrition, and deaths from non-communicable diseases, among others. Nigeria, like other developing countries, has continued to suffer from small budgetary allocation for health, mismanagement of funds, and rural-urban disparity in the few existing healthcare infrastructures (2)...

Context: Several studies reported that the prevalence and antibiotic-resistant of Campylobacter coli (C. coli) and Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) are on the rise in Iran. To explain the prevalence and antibiotic-resistant of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni, we reviewed related studies published from 2004 to 2017 in Iran. Methods: We systematically searched biomedical databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, andWeb of sciences) to identify relevant studies from 2004 to 2017, either in English or in Persian. Out of 65 identified articles, 47 were published during 2004-2017. Results: We found an increase in the prevalence of C. coli and C. jejuni in the animals (34. 71%, 68. 73%), food products (42. 18%, 72%), and different clinicalhumansamples (7. 77%, 25. 84%), respectively. This comprehensive reviewshowedthat C. jejuni is the foremost species in Iran. Accordingly, antimicrobial resistance studies performed during 2004-2017 reported a high rate of resistance to several antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, and tetracycline, with the exception of gentamicin, neomycin, and chloramphenicol that had a low resistance rate. Conclusions: According to the results, novel prevention and treatment strategies against C. coli and C. jejuni infections are recommended, and these data may help in revising treatment guidelines in aviculture, stockyard and decreasing the antimicrobial resistance in human society.

Objectives: To review the most recent GHS index annual report to observe the regional and global level of health security against the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as their relationship with the case fatality rate, among 210 countries and territories worldwide. Methods: We analyzed October 2019 GHS index, to assess the capacity of health security-based on the GHS index in the context of six categories. We prioritized not only the capacities of 210 countries and territories around the world using the GHS index but also the existence of functional capabilities to prevent pandemics at the source. Data were collected from global databases, including Worldometer, WHO, and Disease Control and Prevention Center (CDC). Results: This study collected data on 210 countries and territories, of whichupto April 14, 2020, 72 countries (34. 28%) withmorethan 1, 000 total COVID-19 cases were present. In the most prepared group, the number of total COVID-19 diagnostic tests had a significant positive relationship with the GHS index (r = 0. 713; P = 0. 006). Case fatality rate was directly associated with the detection index (r = 0. 304; P = 0. 023) in more prepared group” . In the Lower-middle-income economies group, the case fatality rate was positively related to detection, response, and risk environment indices. Conclusions: With the exception of a very smallnumber, countries that were ranked as most prepared countries weremorelikely to be affected by the COVID-19 outbreak of the virus and its health consequences and needed to seriously reconsider their capabilities and health security in the context of detection, prevention, rapid response, health system facilities, and risk environment against disease outbreak.

Background: Organophosphates (OPPs) are toxic chemicals that can cause serious health problems through poisoning water and food. Objectives: A very simple and fast disperser-less liquid microextraction strategy before chromatographic detection was designed for the analysis of organophosphates in various water solutions. Methods: A 60  L aliquot of chloroform, as extraction solvent (without using disperser), was introduced into the sample solution by rapid injection, and the sedimented organic phase was analyzed to assay some organophosphates. Results: Analytical characteristics, including limits of detection (0. 0003-0. 001 g. L-1), linear dynamic ranges (0. 001-100 g. L-1), relative standard deviations (2. 5-10), enrichment factors (up to 238), and extraction recoveries (84%-108%), indicated the high efficacy of the developed method for analyzing the target analytes. Conclusions: The proposed procedure was effectively used for the analysis of the OPPs in real tap water, river water, and fruit juice samples. In the present study, the examined analytes were in the range of 0. 07-1. 56  g. L-1.

Background: The increasing prevalence of Escherichia coli as a foodborne pathogen in poultry poses a high risk to food safety. The resistant strains of E. coli may contribute resistant genes to human endogenous flora, causing fatal diseases. Moreover, these pathogens are serious threats to poultry farming. Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the effects of seasonal variations on the bacterial load of E. coli and to evaluate its antibiogram profile. Methods: All feed samples were evaluated for the identification of E. coli and its serotypes, using conventional culture methods and biochemical characterization. Positive samples were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The bacterial load of E. coli was estimated by measuring the total viable count, and the antibiogram data were calculated using two methods, that is, disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) measurement. Results: Of 204 feed samples investigated, 38 isolates were positive for E. coli. All positive samples were also confirmed via universal and species-specific PCR assays, and 8/38 were documented as E. coli 0157: H7 strains. The bacterial load of E. coli was also determined by measuring the total viable count, and the results revealed the highest ratio (6. 44 108 CFU/g) from June to August and the lowest ratio (2. 06 108 CFU/g) from December to February. The multidrug resistance of E. coli O157: H7 was validated by antimicrobial susceptibility tests since all isolatesshowed high resistance to chloramphenicol, penicillin derivatives, fluoroquinolones, and oxytetracycline, respectively, and were only susceptible to aminoglycosides. Conclusions: Considering the high bacterial load of E. coli from June to August, the poultry industry needs to establish appropriate and effective hygienic and storage policies, especially during these alarming months. Moreover, surfacing and propagation of resistant strains of these pathogens may obscure future assessments for treatment purposes.

Background: Chloroform, as a hazardous chemical, can contaminate water resources via the reaction of chlorine as an antiseptic chemical with humic acids resulted from agricultural activities. In humans, chloroform may cause dizziness, heart disorders, and disorders of the nervous system. Hence, its removal is of crucial importance. Objectives: The current study aimed to propose cheap and efficient adsorbents to remove chloroform from water. Methods: Four different nanomaterials(ZnO, ZnO/graphene oxide (ZnO/GO), ZnO/GO/Zeolite, andGO/Zeolite nanocomposites)were prepared and characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images. Textural properties of the nano-adsorbents were evaluated using Brunauer Emmet Teller (BET) and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) techniques. Different isotherms and kinetic models were studied. The effect of pH on the removal efficiency of the nano-adsorbents was tested. Regenerability of the nano-adsorbents towards the removal of the chloroform was also evaluated. Results: XRD patterns and FESEM images of the nanocomposites confirmed lattice structures and nanoscale particle size of the prepared nanocomposites. According to the BET and BJH models, all samples had mesoporous structures. The BJH cumulative surface area of pores of ZnO, ZnO/GO, ZnO/GO/Zeolite, and GO/Zeolite nanocomposites were 8. 5, 26. 4, 17. 2, and 20. 8 m2/g, respectively. The best removal speed and efficiency were obtained according to the different isotherm and kinetic models for the removal of chloroform ZnO/GO nanocomposites. All adsorbents revealed characteristic adsorption in the pH range of 7 to 8. Conclusion: The ZnO/GO, a cheap and efficient nanocomposite, showed the best performance to remove chloroform from water samples due to its superior textural property. Hence, it can be used to remove chloroform from water for up to 5 cycles.

Background: Marital life is based on effective reciprocal relations such as quality of communications with the spouse’ s family. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on negative feelings of the women toward their husband’ s family and marital conflicts. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population included all women referring to Rahgosha Consultation Center in the town of Tiran (due to marital conflicts) in 2018. Thirty samples were selected using a convenient sampling technique. Then, the samples were randomly divided into two groups of experimental (15 women) and control (15 women). Women’ s negative feelings toward the husband’ s family and marital conflicts questionnaires were used to collect data. The experimental group received eighth ninety-minute sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy. Finally, a posttest was performed for both groups. Moreover, the follow-up stage was administered a month after the posttest on both groups. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data at descriptive statistics, and MANCOVA was used at the inferential statistics level through SPSS21 software. Results: Cognitive-behavioral group therapy could effectively decrease both the women’ s negative feelings toward their husband’ s family and marital conflicts (P < 0. 05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that cognitive-behavioral group therapy can be applied to decrease negative feelings toward the husband’ s family and to address marital conflicts.