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Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common diseases as sexually transferred in world. According to the World Health Organization statistics, approximately 92 million new Chlamydia trachomatis infection occur in the world. Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the cause of tubal obstruction, ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women. The aim of this study is prevalence evaluation of Chlamydia Trachomatis by PCR in female infertile referred to Montasarieh study center of infertility in Mashhad. Materials and Methods: The cervical swab specimens were collected from 100 infertile (as case) and 30 fertile (as control group) women attending to the infertility center of Mash-had Medical University. DNA extraction was performed from clinical specimens using DNA extraction kit. In this study, in addition to PCR reaction by commercial kit, PCR test was performed using specific primers and probe for CTCP gene. Results: The results of PCR reaction using the kit was match with PCR test and showed that the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis is 21% in infertile women and 3.3% in normal fertile women that was statistically significant (p=0.024). Conclusion: Considering the high sensitivity of PCR method for diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection, this method can be useful for routine screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a serum high-density lipoprotein-bound enzyme with antioxidant function. It hydrolyses lipid peroxides, protecting low-density lipoproteins from oxidative modifications. Patients with psoriasis are at greater risk of oxidative stress, which is associated with abnormal plasma lipid metabolism. Objectives In this study, association of the PON1 55 M allele with serum arylesterase (ARE) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid profiles and psoriasis was investigated. Methods The present case-control study consisted of 100 patients with psoriasis with and without cardiovascular diseases (mean age 35·3 years) and 100 sex- and age-matched unrelated healthy controls (mean age 35·7 years) from the population of western Iran. The PON1 55 Met>Leu polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Serum ARE activity, MDA, and lipid and apolipoprotein levels were determined spectrophotometrically, by high-performance liquid chromatography and by enzyme assay, respectively. Results The presence of the PON1 55 M allele was found to be associated with psoriasis (odds ratio = 1·96, P = 0·017). The patients with psoriasis with the PON1 M (M/L + M/M) allele had higher MDA levels (4·12 ± 0·88 vs. 2·24 ± 0·55 μmol L−1, P < 0·001), apolipoprotein B (APOB)/APOA1 ratio (0·91 ± 0·66 vs. 0·66 ± 0·35, P = 0·004), APOB (111 ± 38·7 vs. 88·3 ± 22·5 mg mL−1, P = 0·001) and lipoprotein(a) [LP(a)] (21·9 ± 18·4 vs. 15·8 ± 16·6 mg mL−1, P = 0·034), but lower ARE activity (39·6 ± 11 vs. 45·9 ± 11·8 U mL−1, P = 0·031) than the control subjects. ARE activity showed a significant positive correlation with APOA1 and a negative correlation with MDA concentration in patients with psoriasis. Conclusions The PON1 55 M allele is a risk factor for psoriasis. Carriers of this allele have high levels of MDA, APOB and LP(a), a high APOB/APOA1 ratio and low ARE activity. These results indicate that oxidative stress, impairment of the antioxidant system and abnormal lipid metabolism may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of psoriasis and its related complications. These data suggest that patients with psoriasis are more susceptible to vascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of HTLV1 virus antibodies was determined in pregnant women and their neonates in Mashhad, northeast of Iran, as shown in this prospective cross-sectional study. 407 women who were hospitalized for delivery participated in this study. Venous blood sampling of pregnant women and umbilical cord of their neonates was done. The first samples of all women were tested for HTLV1 seropositivity by ELISA test and confirmed by PCR method. Then, the presence of HTLV1 in samples of umbilical cords blood in neonates who were delivered to an HTLV1-positive mother was determined by PCR method. All HTLV1-positive infants were called again at the age of 9-12months, and PCR test was done using HTLV1-specific primers for them. Of all the participating women, 6 persons were HTLV1 seropositive by ELIZA test which was confirmed by PCR test. HTLV1 antibodies were found in cord blood samples by PCR test in 6 newborns who were born to HTLV1-seropositive women. All the six infants at the age of 9-12 months showed positive PCR results by HTLV1 LTR-specific primers; however, only one of them was PCR positive using HTLV1 TAX-specific primers. The prevalence of HTLV1 antibodies in pregnant women was 1.5%, and the vertical transmission rate to their neonates was 16.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]