Sona Rostampour Yasouri, Masoud Ghane, Monir Doudi, Abolhasan Rezaee, Nafiseh Sadat Naghavi,
Volume 14, Issue 6 (11-2020)
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a high incidence rate in many parts of the world due to the presence of various hosts for the pathogenic Leptospira. Tropical, subtropical and humid regions are suitable for long-term survival of the bacterium. Because of the temperate and humid climate, northern areas of Iran are suitable for pathogenic Leptospira and outbreak of the disease. Therefore, identification of infected areas is important from a public health and economic point of view. Previous studies show that the incidence rate of leptospirosis is increasing every year. Therefore, accurate diagnosis, control and prevention of this disease seem necessary through vaccination and raising public awareness, especially among high-risk groups. Today, diagnostic methods including immunofluorescence assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are used to diagnose the leptospirosis. MAT is the gold standard test for the diagnosis of leptospirosis with extensive applications in Iran. Due to the importance of this disease and its high prevalence in recent years, the present study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and diagnosis of leptospirosis in Iran.
Masoomeh Rezanezhadi, Fahimeh Azadi, Shayan Marhamati, Hamid Reza Joshaghani,
Volume 17, Issue 6 (11-2023)
Abstract
Background: Herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) are a common cause of dermal, oral, and genital infections worldwide. Rapid diagnosis of infected patients will prevent transmission to uninfected individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to detect HSV-1 and HSV-2 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in patients from Golestan, Iran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 645 suspected HSV patients hospitalized in the health centers of Golestan Province were selected between 2015 and 2020. Demographic data were collected, and DNA was extracted from the samples. Detection of HSV-1 and HSV-2 was performed by RT-PCR.
Results: Of the 645 samples tested by RT-PCR, 9 samples (1.39 %) were found to be positive for HSV-1/HSV-2, and the rest of the samples (98.6%) were negative. Of the 9 positive samples, 8 cases (88.8%) were HSV-1, of which 7 cases (77.7%) were from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and 1 case (12.5%) from the vagina. HSV-2 was seen only in 1 vaginal specimen (11.1%).
Conclusion: Early diagnosis of these viral infections is very important as it can lead to early treatment and avoid further symptoms and even death. Thus, molecular approaches can provide an option for quicker diagnosis.
