Background: Toxocariasis is a worldwide zoonotic parasitic disease caused by species ofToxocaraandToxascaris, common in dogs and cats. Herein, a meta-analysis was contrived to assess the prevalence ofToxocara/Toxascarisin carnivore and human hosts in different regions of Iran from April 1969 to June 2019.Methods: The available online articles of English (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Ovid) and Persian (SID, Iran Medex, Magiran, and Iran Doc) databases and also the articles that presented in held parasitology congresses of Iran were involved.Results: The weighted prevalence ofToxocara/Toxascarisin dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) was 24.2% (95% CI: 18.0–31.0%) and 32.6% (95% CI: 22.6–43.4%), respectively. Also, pooled prevalence in jackal (Canis aureus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was 23.3% (95% CI: 7.7–43.2%) and 69.4% (95% CI: 60.3–77.8%), correspondingly. Weighted mean prevalence of human cases with overall 28 records was 9.3% (95% CI: 6.3–13.1%). The weighted prevalence ofToxocara canis,Toxocara cati, andToxascaris leoninawas represented as 13.8% (95% CI: 9.8–18.3%), 28.5% (95% CI: 20–37.7%) and 14.3% (95% CI: 8.1–22.0%), respectively.Conclusion: Our meta-analysis results illustrate a considerable prevalence rate ofToxocara/Toxascaris, particularly in cats and dogs of northern parts of Iran. The presence of suitable animal hosts, optimum climate and close contact of humans and animals would have been the reason for higher seroprevalence rates of human cases in our region. Given the significance clinical outcomes of humanToxocara/Toxascaris, necessary measures should be taken.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a common cause of ascending urinary tract infections including cystitis and pyelonephritis. The purpose of this study was to investigate virulence genes among Escherichia coli isolated from patients with cystitis and pyelonephritis. Between December 2012 and June 2013, 150 E. coli isolates from hospitalized patients with pyelonephritis (n = 72) and cystitis (n=78) were collected at Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan. A PCR assay was used to evaluate the presence of virulence genes including pap, hly, aer, sfa, cnf, afa, traT, and pathogenicity island (PAI) markers in isolates. Of the total 150 UPEC isolates, 130 (86.7%) were found to carry the virulence genes studied. Nineteen different virulence patterns were identified. The most prevalent virulence pattern was UPEC including traT-PAI operons. The pap, traT, aer, hly, and PAI operons were more prevalent among patients with pyelonephritis than cystitis, and the sfa, afa, and cnf genes were not detected in any of the isolates. Higher virulence gene diversity was found among pyelonephritis UPEC isolates in comparison to cystitis UPEC isolates, showing that UPEC strains that cause pyelonephritis need more virulence factors.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of biofilm formation and spa and ica genes among clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Result: This cross-sectional study was performed on 146 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from hospitalized patients in Isfahan Province Hospitals. MRSA isolates were confirmed using disk diffusion test with oxacillin disk and amplification of mecA gene by PCR assays. Ability of biofilm production was evaluated targeting the icaA and icaD genes. Of 146 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 24 (16.4%) carried mecA genes and identified as MRSA strains. Strong ability of biofilm production was seen among 76.02% (111/146) S. aureus isolates and 87.5% (21/24) MRSA strains, respectively. Also, 75.0% (18/24) MRSA isolates carried icaA and icaD was not detected in these strains. Analysis of spa gene showed 70.83% (17/24) MRSA strains were spa positive. From which 14 and 3 strains identified with one band (150, 270, 300, 360, 400 bp) and two bands (150–300 bp), respectively. According to data obtained, the prevalence of MRSA isolates from Isfahan Province Hospitals is relatively high and a remarkable percentage of them show strong power in biofilm production. Also analysis of spa gene showed a fairly large diversity among MRSA strains.

Background: It was shown that two parasites of Entamoeba gingivalis (E. gingivalis) and Trichomonas tenax (T. tenax) may be responsible for oral parasitic infection. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of these parasites in oral cavity of patients with periodontal disease and in healthy population in Shiraz, Southern Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 patients with periodontal disease (case group) and 50 subjects with healthy gingiva (control group) entered in the present study. A questionnaire recorded general health, smoking habits, and any history of antibiotic consumption during the last six months for each patient. In the case group, saliva was collected by sterile swab and the gingival crevicular fluid by the paper point. The plaque and calculi were collected by sterile curette and scaler. In the control group, saliva and gingival crevicular fluid were collected and sent to laboratory for further studies. Results: In the case group, nine patients were infected, six with E. gingivalis and three with T. tenax. Seven patients had mobility of the teeth, one patient was smoker and five had previous history of antibiotic consumption. In the control group, only one subject was infected with E. gingivalis without any history of smoking and antibiotic consumption. Conclusion: Parasitic infections are relatively common in patients with periodontal disease. It seems that follow-up of instructions are essential in control of parasitic infection in Southern Iran.

The aim of this study was to characterize class 1,2 and 3 integrons in clinical MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Kashan, Iran. One hundred-eighty one Klebsiella pneumoniae were recovered from clinical specimens during November 2013 to October 2014. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were determined by disk diffusion method according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines for detection of MDR strains. Of the 181 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 146 (80.7%) of isolates were isolated from nosocomial infected patients and 150 (82.9%) identified as MDR isolates. The PCR amplification was used to show presence of class 1, 2 and 3 integrons among MDR strains. The PCR method and sequencing were used for evaluation of cassette content of integrons. Of the MDR K. pneumoniae isolates, 150 (100%) and 55 (36.7%) carried intI1 and intI2 genes, respectively. None of the MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates carried class 3 integrons. Amplification of conserved segment (CS) of class 1 and class 2 integrons revealed 10 different arrays including: No. cassette; dfrA5, dfrA30; aadA2; aadA2, dfrA12; dfrA17, aadA5, aadA4; dfrA5, dfrA30, aadA2; dfrA5, dfrA30, aadA2, dfrA12, dfrA5, dfrA30, dfrA17, aadA5, aadA4; aadA2, aadA2, dfrA12; dfrA5, dfrA30, aadA2, aadA2, dfrA12 and 4 arrays including: No. cassette; aadA1; dfrA1-sat1; aadA1, dfrA1-sat1, respectively. The finding of present study revealed a high prevalence of integrons especially class 1 among MDR K. pneumoniae isolates from nosocomial infections in Kashan, which led to rapid extension of MDR strains.

Background: Productions of metallo-β-lactamases enzymes are the most common mechanism of antibiotic resistance to all beta-lactam classes (except monobactams) in Acinetobacter baumannii. MBLs are usually associated with gene cassettes of integrons and spread easily among bacteria. The current study was performed to detect the genes encoding MBLs and integron structures in A. baumannii isolates from burn patients. Methods: This study was performed on 106 non-duplicate A. baumannii isolates from burn patients referred to Shahid Motahari Hospital in Tehran. Antibiotic susceptibility of A. baumannii isolates was performed using disk diffusion and broth microdilution method in accordance with the CLSI guidelines. The presence of class 1 integron and associated gene cassettes as well as MBLs-encoding genes including bla_VIM, and bla_IMP were investigated using PCR and sequencing techniques. Results: In this cross-sectional study all (100%) of the A. baumannii isolates examined were multidrug resistant. All isolates were sensitive to colistin and simultaneously all were resistant to imipenem. PCR assays showed the presence of bla_VIM and bla_IMP genes in 102 (96.2%) and 62 (58.5%) isolates of A. baumannii respectively. In addition, 62 (58.5%) of the A. baumannii isolates carried integron class 1, of which 49 (79.0%) were identified with at least one gene cassette. Three types of integron class 1 gene cassettes were identified including: arr2, cmlA5, qacE1 (2300 bp); arr-2, ereC, aadA1, cmlA7, qacE1 (4800 bp); and aac(3)-Ic, cmlA5 (2250 bp). Conclusion: A high prevalence of MBLs genes, especially bla_VIM, was identified in the studied MDR A. baumannii isolates. In addition, most of the strains carried class 1 integrons. Furthermore, the gene cassettes arrays of integrons including cmlA5 and cmlA7 were detected, for the first time, in A. baumannii strains in Iran.