IRANIAN SOUTH MEDICAL JOURNAL (ISMJ)
Year:2021 | Volume:23 | Issue:6|Papers Count:6

Background: By acquiring resistance and through new mechanisms, Acinetobacter baumannii has turned into a global problem in nosocomial infections. The present study was conducted to determine the frequency of resistant strains and resistance genes and also molecular typing of hospital strains in the city of Zanjan. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 clinical samples isolated from hospitalized patients in ICUs of Zanjan hospitals were cultured, and identified by the biochemical and blaOXA-51 gene tracking methods. The antibiotic susceptibility test was also run. The presence of integrons 1, 2 and 3, as well as oxacillinase genes was verified by PCR technique, and typing was carried out by the PFGE. The relationship of resistance genes with the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and clusters was determined. Results: Of the 250 samples, 68 isolates were identified as Acinetobacter, of which, 48 were Acinetobacter baumannii. 94% of the samples were identified as MDR strains, 46% as XDR strains, and 12% as PDR. The highest resistance of the 48 isolates of A. baumannii was attributed to ceftazidime, cefotaxime, and cotrimoxazole, and the highest susceptibility to Colistin (60%). The frequencies of resistance genes of integrons 1, 2, and 3 were 60%, 28%, and 0% respectively. The frequencies of carbapenem resistance genes for blaOXA-23, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-51, and blaOXA-58 were 74%, 24%, 100%, and 4%, respectively. The above samples were grouped into 26 palsutypes. Conclusion: In the study setting, resistance to Colistin showed an ascending trend, and high genetic diversity suggested diversity of A. baumannii strains.

Background: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) with cardiopulmonary bypass pump may cause systemic inflammatory reactions by releasing cytokines which leads to multiple organ failure. Vitamin C has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The study aimed to determine the effect of vitamin C on inflammatory markers and atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing CABG. Materials and Methods: In the present single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, 80 patients were divided to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received vitamin C 2 g IV, and the control group received the same amount (equivalent to 4×5 cc shots) of normal saline IV 10 minutes after induction of anesthesia. Arterial blood samples were taken at specified intervals to assess IL-6 and hsCRP levels. The data were analyzed in SPSS-24. Results: The changes in IL-6 values at the specific intervals were not statistically significant (P> 0. 05). Significant differences were observed in hsCRP levels only 24 hours after CABG. The incidence of atrial fibrillation was not significantly different between the two groups after the intervention. Conclusion: This study showed that ascorbic acid has no effect on reducing IL6 and hsCRP levels in patients undergoing CABG, and similarly, does not cause a reduction in post-CABG atrial fibrillation.

Background: Despite its beneficial effects on human life, the nuclear industry has its own risks. Strontium 90 (90Sr) is one of the most dangerous radionuclides produced by the uranium 235 fission, and replaces the bone calcium in the human body, which causes cancer. Ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities to protect employees, people and the environment is among the main goals of nuclear safety. Given close proximity of the Bushehr nuclear power plant to the Persian Gulf and the likelihood of 90Sr leaking into the marine ecosystem, this study aimed to measure this radionuclide in a sample of the bar-tail flathead fish (Platycephalus indicus) found in the Persian Gulf coastline, as people’ s main source of food in the region. Materials and Methods: Samples were taken from 10 points around the Persian Gulf coastline. The samples were analyzed using chromatographic extraction by Sr-resin and counted by the Liquid Scintillation Counter. Results: The concentration of strontium 90 measured in the fish samples was 0. 252-0. 955 Bq. kg-1. The mean chemical efficiency in this method was 97. 34 ± 0. 97 percent. Conclusion: The amount of strontium 90 found in these samples was negligible and within the least detectable range. Despite the 10-year activity of Bushehr nuclear power plant, no evidence of contamination with strontium 90 was found. These results will be very useful in assessing the underlying contamination in environmental monitoring programs.

Background: High risk behaviors and adolescents’ tendency toward them are one of the main factors that jeopardize community health. The present study was conducted to determine the status of adolescents’ tendency to high-risk behaviors and related factors in the city of Bushehr, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, 716 secondary school students in Bushehr city were selected by cluster sampling method in 2019. The data collection tools included a demographic data form and Iranian adolescent risk-taking scale comprising smoking, violence, and high-risk driving subscales. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’ s and Spearman’ s correlation tests, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and linear regression analysis. Significance level was considered P<0. 05 for all tests. Results: The participants’ mean age was 17. 03± 0. 83 years. High risk driving had the highest mean score (14. 5± 88. 67). There was a direct and significant relationship among all three high-risk behaviors. The presence of smoker friends had direct and significant relationships with all three high-risk behaviors, and the amount of pocket money had a direct and significant relationship with the tendency to high-risk driving (P=0. 016). Conclusion: The results showed that high-risk behaviors were correlated with one another, therefore, adolescents with one high-risk behavior should also be controlled for other high-risk behaviors. Given the significant tendency of adolescents to high-risk driving and its positive relationship with pocket money, it is necessary for parents to have greater control over adolescents’ pocket money.

Background: Ethnopharmacology, as a multidisciplinary approach for novel drug discovery, provides valuable data about medicinal plants in different cultures. The aim of this ethnopharmacological study was to identify medicinal plants in the south of Dashtestan area in the north of the Persian Gulf. Materials and Methods: The medical uses of medicinal plants were gathered from 20 local nformants by face-to-face interviews. The relative frequency of citation (FRC) and cultural importance (CI) indices were calculated. Results: A total of 97 medicinal plants belonging to 51 families were identified. Zataria multiflora, Achillea eriophora DC, Matricario chamomilla, Nigella sativa, Foeniculum vulgare, Echium amoenum, Boswellia sp., Trachyspermum copticum, Astragulus fasciculifolius, and Zingiber officinale had the highest CI and FRC indices. The highest medical uses were for gastrointestinal discomforts, metabolic disorders, obstetrics and gynecology, and respiratory diseases. Conclusion: There is a vast variety of medicinal plants in the south of Dashtestan area. Although most of the therapeutic applications of these plants in this area are the same as Iran’ s traditional medicine, the people in the south of Dashtestan area use some of these plants for some diseases which are unique for this region. Thus, investigation about these plants should be initiated to discover novel drugs for clinical applications.

Tetanus is a life-threatening neurologic disease caused by an infectious agent, Clostridium Tetani, and is one of the infectious diseases that is preventable by vaccination. Tetanus is characterized by painful muscle spasm and increased muscle tone, that is caused by tetanospasmin, a powerful toxin elaborated by Clostridium tetani. Due to worldwide regular vaccination, this disease rarely seen recently. The case we present here is a patient admitted in Shohadaye khalije Fars hospital with severe generalized tetanus due to incomplete vaccination.