Background: Besides charging the patients with outstanding costs, tuberculosis (TB) causes high mortality and morbidity in a country. We studied the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values as well as the efficiency of buffy coat smear test in patients who were pulmonary TB suspects. This research was conducted at Massih Daneshvari Hospital, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD).Materials & Methods: According to clinical and radiographic records of 50 pulmonary TB suspects, five ml of blood along with smear and culture of sputum were collected. The research method was a clinical trial (Diagnostic test type), and the technique was of observational-interview type. Six buffy coat smears were obtained by Ficoll-Hypaque sedimentation method while the samples were stained by Ziehl-Neelsen stain.Results: On sputum examination, 32 patients (64%) were B.K positive while 22 (44%) had positive sputum culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Buffy coat was positive in 4 patients (8%). In comparison with sputum smear and culture, buffy coat had sensitivity of 12.5% and 13.6%, specificity of 100% and 96.4%, positive predictive value of 100% and 75%, negative predictive value of 39.4% and 58.7%, efficiency of 44% and 60% respectively.Conclusion: In regard to the high specificity of buffy coat as compared to sputum smear (100%) and sputum culture (96.4%), it is possible to consider buffy coat as a method for screening tuberculosis patients that cannot expectorate sputum. Since buffy coat method has a high positive predictive value as compared to sputum smear (100%), it could replace other unavailable accurate methods like sputum culture and PCR and be used as a substitution for sputum smear.

Background: Different methods, with varying degrees of specificity and/or sensitivity, are used for diagnosis of sepsis. The present study was designed to determine and compare the sensitivity and specificity of blood culture with Acridine Orange (A.O.) stained smear of buffy coat in patients with sepsis.Material and methods: This research was conducted on 101 hospitalized patients with clinical signs and symptoms compatible with sepsis. Blood cultures were taken and A.O. staining was done on blood samples of all patients.Results: Blood cultures were positive in 20 (19.8%) patients. Sensitivity and specificity of blood cultures were 26% and 92% respectively. A.O. stained smears of buffy coats were positive in 54 (54.5%) patients. Sensitivity and specificity of A.O. Stained smears of buffy coats were 83% and 100% respectively.Conclusion: A.O. stained smear of buffy coat, as a diagnostic test of sepsis is more sensitive than blood culture. In addition, it takes less than one hour to be performed, as compared to blood cultures that give results in 2-3 days.

Many molecular methods have been used for diagnose is of canine leishmaniasis. These methods mainly rely on tissue specimens provided by invasive approaches for molecular detection of leishmaniasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate two noninvasive sampling methods detection of Leishmaniasis using PCR method. For this purpose, a total of 60 dogs were selected and equally divided into three groups: pet dogs with cutaneous lesions (Group 1); pet dogs without cutaneous lesions (Group 2) and stray dogs (Group 3). After physical examination of dogs, eye swab and buffy coat samples were collected from each dog, also, tissue smears were prepared from the lesions of dogs in group 1. DNA of eye swab and buffy coat samples were extracted and used to detection of Leishmania species using PCR and semi-nested PCR tests. Blood smears were stained by Giemsa method for microscopic evaluation. Out of 60 dog, the DNA of four swab samples related to the dogs of Group3 and one swab and DNA of buffy coat sample in a dog in group 1 was infected with Leishmania infantum. Leishman bodies was only observed in tissue smear of one dog in group 1. Three positive samples were sequenced for confirmation of results. Based on the results of this study, Leishmania infantum infection is common among dogs in Mashhad area and it seems that ocular swab specimens can be used as a noninvasive method for molecular detection of leishmania infection in dogs.

Background and Objectives: The process of platelet concentrate production by plasma rich (PRP) method could activate the platelet and granules secretion of beta thromboglobulin, LDH and CD62P. Platelets activated during the preparation process do not have sufficient efficiency for hemostasis in vivo. It seems that platelet preparation by buffy coat method has ability less than PRP to activate the platelet. Measuring platelet activation indices, such as CD62P expression and beta thromboglobulin, is a useful means to evaluate the percentage of activated platelet concentrates and compare the two methods of buffy coat and PRP.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 15 concentrates were prepared via PRP method and 15 via BC method; 15 intact blood units were also considered as control group. The percentages of CD62P expression, soluble CD62P concentrates, IL-8 level, and CD14 positive cells were evaluated. Special monoclonal antibodies that conjugated with flourecence dye in flocytometric method were used for CD62P and CD14. ELISA method was used for evaluation of soluble CD62P and IL-8.Results: The average platelet count in both methods showed no significant difference, but WBC contamination rate in PRP-PCs was more than BC-PCs. In PRP-PCs, we found a little decrease in CD62P expression and increase in soluble form and IL-8 level during reservation time. The level of CD14 showed no significant difference in these components. In BC method during the three day reservation, expression of CD62P, its soluble form, and IL-8 concentrates increased and the level of monocyte surface CD14 showed slight decrease ranging from 0.4 to 0.1. Conclusions: It is concluded that there is a close relationship between IL-8 and WBC count in platelet concentrates. In PRP method in contrary to BC method, high speed centrifuge causes adhesion, aggregation and platelet activation.