Pathobiology Research
Year:2005 | Volume:8 | Issue:1|Papers Count:10

Purpose: The present study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of human hydatidosis in Ilam Province using Dot- ELISA techniques. Materials & Methods: Three thousands sera, collected from different cities of Ilam Province in the west of Iran were examined. The serum dilution of 1:400 was selected as the cut off and the results were confirmed by the ELISA technique. Results: Results indicated that, totally 37 individuals (1.2%) show positive sera. There were significant differences among various age groups of infected individuals. The most percentage of infection was found to be in the 20-30 age group. Among the sera tested, 0.56%, 1.57%, 10.77% were found to be positive in individuals living in cities, villages and migratory tribes respectively. Twenty two individuals of the infected people (1.47%) were female and 15 individuals (1%) were male. Most infected individuals were found to be in Mehran city (3.11%) and less infected individuals were found to be in Ilam city (0.79%). Conclusion: Most of the people living in migratory tribes were sheep keepers and were actually involved in animal production, wich can be regarded as a risk  factor for their higher infection rate.

Purpose: Scorpions in the Middle Eastern countries are known as the most widely spread poisonous creatures that cause casualties and death to human being and domestic animals. These creatures are distributed and well established in subtropical regions.Among sixteen Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, Kish Island is the focus of important internal and foreign industrial and commercial activities, attracting, thousands of tourists willing to visit its natural beauties and site seeing places every year. The present study was carried out during 1998-99 throughout Kish Island in order to learn about the species, abundance and foci of distribution of scorpions. This was done to establish a control strategy, reduce scorpion stings, and safeguard visitors, as well as, local population.  Materials and methods: Collections were made using the night search using the direct smapling method with a UV light. Result: A total of 371 scorpions were captured. These were identified as Buthotus jayakari 365 specimens (%98.38) and Buthacus leptochelys with only 6 specimens (%1.68) belonging to the Buthidae family. B. jayakari was collected in most parts of the island and was considered to be the dominant species. The sex ratio was 1:1.53 in favor of females. Whereas B. leptochelys was a rare species having a restricted distribution.    Discussion: Considering the high population of B. jayakari and its wide spread distribution, it can be regarded to be responsible for the majority of scorpion-stings in Kish Island.

Purpose: In the present work, clinical symptoms, serum immunoglobulin alteration and eosinophil count were investigated in the patients infected with Giardia lamblia. Materials and Methods: In this regard, 50 persons infected with Giardia and 50 healthy individuals were selected as the study and control groups respectively in Tehran. Sera of the groups were tested for IgG, IgE, IgA levels and their blood for the percentage of eosinophil. To measure IgA and IgG levels the SRID technique and to measure IgE level the ELISA technique were applied. Results: Results indicated that, 78%, 74%, 60%, 58% and 12% of the patients showed diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, flatulence and visual disorder respectively, while no aforementioned symptoms were observed in non-infected individuals. In addition, the mean of eosinophil percentage as well as IgA, IgG and IgE levels in the infected group were found to be higher than that of the non infected group significantly (P<0.05). Meanwhile, no elevation was observed in the eosinophil percentage or immunoglobulin levels of the control group. Conclusion: In conclusion, Giardia lamblia can induce eosinophila and increase the level of IgE in the infected patients significantly.

Purpose: In this study the inhibitory effect of Eucalyptus extracts as a natural and herbal antibacterial substance was evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (8821M and ATCC27853). Material and Methods: The MIC (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration) of alcoholic and aquatic extracts of Eucalyptus was determined using the tube and agar dilution methods. The growth rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in sub-MIC concentration of extracts was compared with the controls. Phenol coefficients of extracts were determined by the Ridal- Walker method. Result and Discussion: The MIC was 1:8(3.2 mg/ml) fold of the alcoholic extracts and 1:4(17.5 mg/ml) fold of the aquatic extracts. In the sub-MIC concentration of extracts, by increasing the Eucalyptus extract concentration, the growth rate was decreased. Phenol coefficients of the alcoholic and aquatic extracts were evaluated to be 0.0381 and 0.019, respectively. Conclusion: Results of this study indicated that crude aquatic and alcoholic extracts of Eucalyptus have inhibitory effects on the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and in the sub- MIC concentration of extracts this value decreases. Overall, the plants indicated a wide range of antimicrobial activities which can lead to the detection of new antibiotics against resistant bacteria.

Purpose: In this study the effect of iron supplmentation on hemoglobin and hematocrit in pregnant women with Hb>13.2 g/dl was investigated. Material and Methods: In this experimental clincal study, the effect of iron supplementation on hemoglobin and hematocrit in pregnant women with Hb>13.2 g/dl and Ferritin> 14.3 mg/l during the 13th- 18th pregnancy week was studied. Eighty seven women having the above conditions were selected in this study. Fourthy two women received one ferrous sulfate pill (50 mg Elemental iron) daily (study group) and 45 women received one placebo ferrous sulfate daily (control group) from the 20th pregnancy week. The amount of Hb and Hct during the 24-28 preganancy week and over the 32nd – 36th pregnancy week were measured. Results: This study showed that in the second trimester the level of hemoglobin in the study group (13.41±0.63) was significantly (P=0.000) different from that of the control group (12.59±0.79). In addition, the level of hemoglobin in the third trimester in the study group (14.02±0.63) was significantly (P=0.000) different from that of the control group (13.36±0.57). The level of hematocrit in the second trimester in the study group (40.31±01.81) was significantly (P=0.000) different from that of the control group (38.96±2.5). Furthermore, the level of hematocrit in the third trimester in the study group (41.74±2.2) was significantly (P=0.000) different from that of the control group (40.73±2.19). There was not any significant clinical decrease in the level of hemoglobin and hematicrit during the pregnancy. Conclusion: Using iron supplementation in women with a high hemoglobin level can inhibit the beneficial decrease of the level of hemoglobin and hematocrit in the second and third trimester and the routin administration of iron supplementation is doubtful.

Purpose: This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the potency of Metarhizium anisoplea as a biological alternative to the biological control of German cockroaches. Materials & Methods: The fungal spores were applied against the male and female German cockroach, using two bioassay methods, viz the submerge application and the injection. The data was analysed and the mean mortality was calculated in both of the treatment and control groups. The values of LC50 for the submerge application and LD50 for the injection bioassays were calculated using the probit analysis. The regression lines of mortality responses were also compared using the R square tests. Results & Discussion: In the submerge bioassay, the data showed that M.anisopliae with LC50=5/65×106 spore/ml for the male and  LC50=7/65×106 spore/ml for the female cockroaches was the effective pathogen. In the injection bioassay the fungus M.anisopliae with LD50=2/5×106 spore/insect for the male and LD50=7/65×106 spore/insect for the female cockroaches was the most effective mycopathogen. However, the comparison of pathogenic perfomence of the fungus using LC50 and LD50 values from both of the submerge and injection bioassays showed that the fungus excerts different pathogenic activity before and after breaching the cuticular barrier. Conclusion: It seems, that the use of the fungus in cockroach habitats can contribute to the reduction of ecological competency of the German cockroaches in their regions.

Purpose: In order to express human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) under heat shock. Materials and Methods: Two expression plasmids were constructed based on pBC(SK) plasmid. The expression cassettes in the two plasmids are equipped with a 75 base pair fragment, derived from the PL promoter of the bacteriophage lambda (l). The plasmids also contain a temperature mutant of repressor coding gene (CI857) to regulate the promoter activity. The two plasmids differ from each other in having a transcription termination signal or not, down stream to the recombinant gene in the expression cassette. A pelB signal sequence was also used in order to have the recombinant protein in the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli. The efficiency of the constructed plasmids was demonstrated by heat-regulated expression of hGM-CSF. Results and Discussion: The protein analysis of the recombinant bacteria, containing either of the two plasmids, indicates a successful expression and complete processing of the hGM-CSF precursor, following the heat shock activation of the lPL promoter. In order to enhance the applicability of the terminator containing plasmid, for the expression of other proteins of interest by heat regulation, a multiple cloning site including eleven unique restriction sites was inserted in the plasmids. The heat-regulated plasmids, designed in this work, have provided suitable tools to study the expression of recombinant proteins under temperature up-shift in Escherichia coli, when the use of chemical inducers are not desirable. 

Purpose: Since there have been some debates about using Supa brand silk, this study was designed to elucidate the possible differences between Supa and Ethicon silk in suturing rat skin. Materials & Methods: This study was carried out on 60 female Spragne-Dawly albino rats. The animals were randomly assigned to two equal groups. In group one, 3/0 silk, Supa product, and in group two, 3/0 silk Ethicon product were used. Following general anesthesia and surgical preparation, a 5 cm midline abdominal skin incision was made and sutured by a simple interrupted pattern. Fifteen animlas of each group were sacrificed on day 6 for the histopathologic examination and the rest of the animals, on day 13 for histopathologic  and biomechanical examinations. Histopathologic sections were stained by H&E and examined under the light microscope for the re-epithelialization, acanthosis, age of granulation tissue, dermatitis, hyperemia, and presence of giant cells. Results: There was no significant differences between the two groups on day 6 and 13 (P>0.05). In the biomechanical study, the following parameters were measured from load-elongation curves: the ultimate strength, ultimate strain, yield strain, stiffness, and maximum stored energy. Regarding these factors, there was no significant differences between the groups either (P>0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of this study and considering the price and availability, using Supa silk can be recommended with confidence and reliability.

Purpose: Evaluation of humoral and cellular immune responses of naturally infected dogs against type I (rCPB)1, and II (rCPA)2 recombinant cysteine proteinases and C-terminal extension (CTE) of Leishmania infantum (L. infantum). Materials and Methods: In this study, fourteen infected dogs (7 with symptoms, 7 asymptomatics) from an endemic area and three uninfected dogs from a nonendemic region were selected and their humoral and cellular responses against type I and II recombinant cysteine proteinases, C-terminal extension (CTE) and F/T of Leishmania infantum were evaluated using the ELISA and lymphocyte proliferation assay, respectively. The level of specific IgG isotypes (IgG1 and IgG2) and lymphocyte proliferative response against rCPA, rCPB, CTE and Freezed/Thawed lysate (F/T) of L. infantum were examined. Results and Discussion: The results showed that in both of the symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs there is a high lymphoproliferative response to F/T antigens and moderate responses were observed when rCPs3 (rCPA and rCPB) and CTE were used. The level of antibody (total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2) recognition toward rCPA was low in the both groups of the dogs. In contrast, the CTE stimulates similarly as the CPB both of the humoral and cellular responses of all the infected animals and the level of total IgG and IgG2 isotypes against these antigens compared to the IgG1 was higher in the asymptomatic dogs. Since, the CTE is the terminal fragment of the CPB, it seems that the immunogenicity of the CPB is dependent on the CTE. Conclusion: The results of our investigation indicate that the CPB and CTE stimulate both humoral and cellular immune responses of L. infantum infected dogs, wherase the CPA is a weaker immunogen.