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Purpose: Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) have always been suggested as one of the main causes of gastroenteritis in children. However, no comprehensive report on the global epidemiology of these viruses in pediatric gastroenteritis is available. Methods: A systematic search was conducted to obtain published papers from 2003 to 2023 in three main databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: The estimated global pooled prevalence of HAdV infection in children with gastroenteritis was 10% (95% CI: 9-11%), with a growing trend after 2010. The highest prevalence was observed in Africa (20%, 95% CI: 14–26%). The prevalence was higher in inpatients (11%; 95% CI: 8-13%) and patients aged 5 years old and younger (9%; 95% CI: 7-10%). However, no significant difference was observed between male and female patients (P = 0.63). The most prevalent species was found to be the species F (57%; 95% CI: 41-72%). The most common HAdVs observed in children with gastroenteritis were types 40/41, 38, and 2. Analysis of case-control studies showed an association between HAdV and gastroenteritis in children (OR: 2.28, 95% CI; 1.51–3.44). Conclusion: This study provided valuable insights into the importance of HAdVs in children with gastroenteritis, especially in hospitalized and younger children. The results can be used in future preventive measurements and the development of effective vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) ranks as one of the most substantial risk factors associated with Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). At the core of this intricate relationship lies the EBV nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) protein, a central figure with a remarkable ability to regulate the expression of both cellular and viral genes. This research delves into the impact of EBNA1 on the expression patterns of four cellular genes - MDMX, MDM2, MYC, and BIRC5 in the U87MG cell line. Materials and Methods: We divided U87MG cells into two distinct groups. The first group involved cells that were transfected with a plasmid containing the EBNA1 gene, while the second group consisted of cells that were transfected with a control plasmid. To evaluate the transcriptional activity of MDMX, MDM2, MYC, and BIRC5 genes in both sets of cells, we employed a real-time PCR technique. Any observed differences were considered statistically significant if the associated Pvalues were less than 0.05. Results: Our findings demonstrated a substantial three-fold increase in the expression of the MDMX gene when U87MG cells were transfected with EBNA1 plasmid (P=0.02). Although the cells transfected with EBNA1 plasmid displayed great elevations in the expression levels of MDM2, MYC, and BIRC5 genes, these alterations were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The outcomes of this investigation have unveiled that EBNA1 has the ability to trigger the expression of four crucial cellular genes, which wield substantial influence in the genesis of GBM within glioblastoma astrocytoma cells. This underscores the potential impact of EBNA1 on the evolution of GBM, particularly in individuals harboring EBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The potency of Adenovector expressing Mda7-tLyp1 (Ad-Mda7-tLyp1) for death induction was evaluated on the breast (MCF7), liver (HepG2), and gastric (MKN45) cancer cell lines. Background: Mda-7 could be a possible complementary to traditional cancer therapy, and tethering to tumor-homing peptides (THPs) might improve its therapeutic efficacy. Methods: After the preparation of recombinant Ad-Mda7-tLyp1 and Ad-Mda7, the expression of recombinant proteins was analyzed by ELISA. Adenovectors were transduced (MOI=2-5) into Hep-G2, MCF7, MKN45, and normal skin fibroblast, then tumor-killing effect was measured by cytopathic effect (CPE) monitoring, MTT viability test, BAX gene expression analysis, and Caspase3/7 assay. Results: ELISA assay revealed a sustained level of recombinant protein secretion following Adenovector transduction. In CPE microscopy, all cancer cell lines showed a significant reduction (≥50%) in their normal phenotype after receiving Ad-Mda7-tLyp1 and Ad-Mda7. The viability was significantly lower compared to the control, indicating an anti-proliferating effect. In parallel, the viability test showed that Ad-Mda7 and Ad-Mda7-tLyp1 have a significant killing effect (≥50%) on MCF-7, Hep-G2, and MKN45 compared to normal fibroblast (P≤0.05). BAX gene expression analysis showed that both Ad-Mda7-tLyp1 and Ad-Mda7 vectors induced >2-fold increase of apoptosis (P<0.05), particularly in MCF7. Similarly, caspase3/7 activity showed a significant increase (P<0.05) following Ad-Mda7, and Ad-Mda7-tLyp1 transduction into cancer cell lines, but not in normal fibroblasts. Conclusion: The newly constructed Ad-Mda-tlyp1 showed a suitable tumor cell killing activity and enough specificity on studied cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hepatitis B is a major global health problem. More than 90% of hepatitis B-vaccinated immunocompetent adults become fully immune. The main purpose of vaccination is immunization. Whether non-responders have a lower percentage of total or antigen-specific memory B cells in comparison with responders is still controversial. We aimed to assess and compare the frequency of various B cell subpopulations in non-responders and responders. Methods Fourteen responders and 14 non-responders of hospital healthcare workers were enrolled in this study. We used flow cytometry to evaluate various CD19+ B cell subpopulations using fluorescent-labeled antibodies against CD19, CD10, CD21, CD27 and IgM and ELISA to evaluate total anti-HBs antibodies. Results We found no significant differences in the frequency of various B cell subpopulations between the non-responder and responder groups. Furthermore, the frequency of the isotype-switched memory B cell population was significantly higher in the atypical memory B cell subset compared with the classical memory B cell subset in the responder and total groups (p=0.010 and 0.003, respectively). Conclusions Responders and non-responders to HBsAg vaccine had comparable memory B cell populations. Whether anti-HBs Ab production has a correlation with the level of class switching in B lymphocytes in healthy vaccinated individuals needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the frequency of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) serological markers among waste collectors in the municipality of Shiraz city, southwest of Iran, 2018. Settings and Design: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 385 waste collectors from all 10 districts of Shiraz city, southwest of Iran were enrolled. A questionnaire was used to gather occupational and demographic information as well as awareness about viral hepatitis. Methods and Material: Their blood samples were collected, and the sera were investigated for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HBs antibody, and anti-HCV antibody using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: All the participants were men with a mean age of 41 ± 8 years. Out of 385 participants, 6 (1.5%) subjects were positive for HBsAg, indicative of HBV infection. Moreover, 38 (9.9%) had a protective level of anti-HBs antibodies, while more than 90% had a low level of anti-HBs antibodies. All participants were negative for HCV antibodies. Conclusion: According to these findings, evaluation of HBsAg and anti-HBs levels is recommended in the healthy program of waste collector workers (WCWs). However, this occupation might not be a risk factor for the acquisition of HBV and especially HCV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2, epigenetic changes within the promoter region of the immune system genes would possibly occur and have an effect on the immune system response as well as disease outcome. We aimed to evaluate and compare the methylation level of the IFITM1 gene promoter in different stages of COVID-19 disease with a healthy control group. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 75 COVID-19 patients (25 mild, 25 severe, and 25 critical in addition to 25 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers) have been included. DNA was extracted from the peripheral white blood cells using a commercial DNA extraction kit. PCR was performed using two types of primers designed for the methylated and un-methylated forms of the IFITM1 gene promoter. Results: The mean age of the patient and healthy volunteer groups was 52.733 ± 13.780 and 49.120 ± 12.490, respectively. Out of a hundred participants, 52 were male. The results demonstrated that severe (p = 0.03, OR 6.729) and critical (p = 0.001, OR 11.156) patients were much more likely to show methylation of the IFITM1 gene in contrast with mild patients. Moreover, IFITM1 methylation was significantly higher in COVID-19 patients in comparison with the healthy volunteer group (p = 0.004, OR 3.17). Furthermore, IFITM1 methylation in male patients with critical status, (p = 0.01) was significantly higher than in male patients with mild status. In addition, IFITM1 methylation of male (p = 0.03) and female (p = 0.01) critical patients was considerably higher compared to males and females of volunteer group. Conclusions: Increased methylation of the IFITM1 gene in the severe and critical stage of COVID-19 diseases may indicate the role of SARS-CoV-2 infection in increasing methylation of this antiviral gene. This might be involved in suppressing the immune system, promoting SARS-CoV-2 replication and disease outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Determination of HPV genotypes in cervical lesions is essential in screening programs and the impact of current HPV vaccines. Therefore, we investigated the frequency of various HPV genotypes among different grades of cervical lesions. Materials and Methods: In total, 101 biopsy samples of different grades of cervical lesions were collected. Extracted DNA was subjected to PCR amplification of beta-globin to assess sample integrity. Duplex Taq-Man Real-Time PCR was performed to identify HPV types 16 and 18. Nested PCR following sequencing was done on those samples with HPV16/18 negative results. Results: The mean age of participants was 43±1. Of 101 samples, 91 (90%) were infected with HPVs. In the LSIL group, HPV genotypes 16, 18, and 51; in the HSIL group, genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, and 53; in the SCC group, genotypes 6, 16, 18, and 3; and in the AD group, HPV genotypes 16 and 18 were detected. Also, 49 (61%) samples had co-infection with HPV16 and HPV18. Conclusion: Our results showed that HPV 16 and 18 were the most prevalent genotypes among different grades of lesions. The presence of low-risk HPV types, including genotypes 6 and 53, might need more attention in HPV screening and prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systemic and respiratory clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) include fever, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, rhinitis, dyspnea, chest pain, malaise, fatigue, anorexia and headache. Moreover, cutaneous manifestations have been reported in 0.2% to 20.4% of cases. Early diagnosis of COVID‐19 leads to a better prognosis; knowledge of its cutaneous manifestations is one way that may help fulfil this goal. In this review, PubMed and Medline were searched with the terms "dermatology", "skin" and "cutaneous", each in combination with "SARS‐CoV‐2" or "COVID‐19". All articles, including original articles, case reports, case series and review articles published from the emergence of the disease to the time of submission, were included. In this comprehensive narrative review, we tried to provide an analysis of the cutaneous manifestations associated with COVID‐19, including maculopapular rash, urticaria, Chilblain‐like, vesicular lesions, livedo reticularis and petechiae in asymptomatic/symptomatic COVID‐19 patients that might be the first complication of infection after respiratory symptoms. Immune dysregulation, cytokine storms, side effects of antiviral drugs, environmental conditions and high‐dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy might be involved in the pathogenesis of the cutaneous manifestations in COVID‐19 patients. Therefore, knowledge of cutaneous COVID‐19 manifestations might be vital in achieving a quick diagnosis in some COVID‐19 patients, which would help control the pandemic. Further research is very much warranted to clarify this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) is one of the most important proteins of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) that might be mutated in various related cancers. The purpose of this study was to compare EBNA1 mutations in the C-terminal region between patients with cervical and ovarian cancer and healthy individuals. Methods: As test and control groups, 18 EBV-positive paraffin-embedded samples of cervical and ovarian cancer and 10 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers who did not have cancer but were EBV-positive were both used. Utilizing a commercial DNA extraction kit, total DNA was extracted following deparaffinization. The entire C-terminal region of the EBNA1 sequence was amplified using an in-house nested PCR. Phylogenetic analysis and Sanger sequencing were used to analyze the sequences using MEGA 7 software and through NJ method. Results: Sequence analysis revealed that the P-Ala subtype of EBNA1 was present in all samples. In two and one samples, respectively, of cervical cancer patients, the mutations A1887G and G1891A were found. The G1595T mutation was also detected in four sequences taken from ovarian cancer patients. No statistically significant difference could be found between the frequency of mutations in patients and controls (P>0.05). No known amino acid substitutions were found in the USP7-binding region and the DBD/DD domain. Conclusion: The findings showed that P-Ala is the predominant EBV subtype across all samples. Additionally, as the sequence of EBNA1's C-terminal region is so stable, it's possible that it had little impact on the pathogenesis of ovarian and cervical malignancies. It is advised to conduct additional research to verify these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suppression of p53 is an important mechanism in Epstein-Barr virus associate-tumors and described as EBNA1-USP7 which is a key axis in p53 suppression. Thus, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the function of EBNA1 on the expression of p53-inhibiting genes including HDAC-1, MDM2, MDM4, Sirt-3, and PSMD10 and the influence of USP7 inhibition using GNE-6776 on p53 at protein/mRNA level. Methods: The electroporation method was used to transfect the BL28 cell line with EBNA1. Cells with stable EBNA1 expression were selected by Hygromycin B treatment. The expression of seven genes, including PSMD10, HDAC-1, USP7, MDM2, P53, Sirt-3, and MDM4, was evaluated using a real-time PCR assay. For evaluating the effects of USP7 inhibition, the cells were treated with GNE-6776; after 24 hours and 4 days, the cells were collected and again expression of interest genes was evaluated. Results: MDM2 (P=0.028), MDM4 (P=0.028), USP7 (P=0.028), and HDAC1 (P=0.015) all showed significantly higher expression in EBNA1-harboring cells compared to control plasmid transfected cells, while p53 mRNA expression was only marginally downregulated in EBNA1 harboring cells (P=0.685). Four-day after treatment, none of the studied genes was significantly changed. Also, in the first 24-hour after treatment, mRNA expression of p53 was downregulated (P=0.685), but after 4 days it was upregulated (P=0.7) insignificantly. Conclusions: It seems that EBNA1 could strongly upregulate p53-inhibiting genes including HDAC1, MDM2, MDM4, and USP7. Moreover, it appears that the effects of USP7 suppression on p53 at protein/mRNA level depend on the cell nature; however, further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the exposure rate of Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E viruses in urban solid waste collectors/sweepers in the south of Iran. The 385 samples (serums) were collected from Shiraz Municipality waste sweepers.. A questionnaire was used to gather data on their demographic and occupational characteristics, as well as their awareness of viral hepatitis disease. The viral seroprevalence was determined by commercial IgG ELISA kit. All participants were male, mean age of 41 ± 8 years. ELISA assay showed that all of them were positive for anti-HAV IgG. Also, 62 out of 385 individuals were positive for anti-HEV IgG. The statistical analysis showed that the frequency of HEV IgG antibody among age groups 20–30, 31–40, 41–50 and >50 years old had an increasing trend, 4.5%, 10.1%, 17.4%, and 36.7%, respectively, indicating age factor significance (p =.001). Based on some investigated factors including the duration of work experience, current and previous jobs, habitation, personal hygiene status, and knowledge on viral hepatitis diseasees/their transmission, there was no statistically significant difference between anti-HEV IgG positive versus negative sweepers. The results indicated a slighty higher frequency of anti-HAV and anti-HEV IgG among sweepers compared to other pre-investigated population. It doesn't seem that garbage collecting/sweeping could be a significant risk factor for HAV and HEV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has recently become the number one problem affecting global health. Coronavirus disease 2019 is principally recognized by its respiratory manifestations; however, recent studies have shown an increasing number of patients with gastrointestinal complaints like diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal discomfort. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infects the gastrointestinal tract via the angiotensin-converting enzyme II receptor, expressed on the ileum and colon enterocytes. Usually, gastrointestinal symptoms manifest later than respiratory symptoms. Concern for fecal-oral transmission has been raised following the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in fecal samples for prolonged periods, even after respiratory clearance. In this review, we summarize the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 on the gastrointestinal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the frequency of West Nile virus (WNV) in blood donors of the blood transfusion center of Fars province, Iran. Materials & methods: A total of 337 participants referred for blood donation to Fars blood centers were included. The presence of anti-WNV antibodies was analyzed using the WNV IgG ELISA kit. Results: Out of all participants, 76 (22.6%) were positive for anti-WNV IgG antibodies. Our results also showed that the frequency of WNV was associated with the age, educational level, job and city of residency of participants (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results indicated the high frequency of WNV seropositivity among blood donors in southwest Iran. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to establish an integrated surveillance system for monitoring WNV infection in Iran. Climate change, increased travel and large-scale trade have played a role in the unprecedented spreading of mosquitos and subsequently mosquito-borne infections, such as West Nile virus (WNV), throughout the world. Although the most important route of transmission of WNV is a mosquito bite, there are other ways of transmission, including blood transfusion and mother to child. We evaluated the frequency of WNV history of infection in blood donors of Fars province, Iran. In total, 337 blood donors were included and about 22% of the cases had been exposed to WNV. According to these results, the screening of blood products as well as developed health monitoring systems and ongoing research can provide valuable data for timely prevention of WNV epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the study: Precore/core variations and liver disease progression have been suggested. In this study, we aimed to determine the frequency of precore/core mutations in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients at various clinical stages. Material and methods: In total, 73 HBV-infected patients including 26 inactive carriers (IC), 20 chronic active (CA), and 27 patients with liver cirrhosis/hepatocellular carcinoma (C/HCC) were randomly selected. The HBV DNA was extracted from the sera and subjected to nested PCR for amplification of precore/core region. The PCR product was then sequenced by the Sanger method. Results: The stop codon of W28*(G1896A) was determined as the most prevalent mutation (55%) of the precore region. The comparison of groups also demonstrated that core substitutions at residues of S21, E40 and I105 (< 0.05) correlated with the development of the inactive carrier state. Furthermore, the total substitutions in Th epitopes (117-131) were significantly higher in the C/HCC group than the IC and CA groups (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Our results indicated a high frequency of W28* mutation in HBV studied patients. Moreover, variations including S21, E40 and I105 and R151 that were mapped onto cellular epitopes might be related to inactive state development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the fact that viral infections play an important role, either directly or indirectly, in around 20 percent of human cancers, this study aimed at investigating the potential association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in esophageal cancer that is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 200 paraffin-embedded biopsies of cancerous and benign esophageal tissues were gathered from the biopsy bank of Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz, Iran in 2017. All samples were first deparaffinized, and then subjected to commercial DNA extraction. The quality of extracted DNA was evaluated by amplification of the beta globulin gene. Identification of EBV and CMV DNA was performed using primers designed for the EBER region of EBV and the immediate early (IE) region of the CMV genome, respectively. Results: The mean age of the subjects in the test and control groups was 52.2 (17.1) and 59.9 (18.9), respectively. The distribution of gender (male/female) in patient and control groups was 54/46 and 53/47, respectively. Our results showed that the frequency of EBV (P < 0.001) and CMV (P < 0.001) in cancerous samples was statistically higher than control group. Moreover, in the cancerous group the rate of EBV was significantly higher in the esophageal adenocarcinomas (EAC) sample (12 out of 70) than esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) (0 out of 30) (P = 0.016) but, in the ESCC group, 17 out of 30 subjects were positive for CMV which was significantly higher in comparison with EAC patients (1 out of 70) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Findings indicated that EBV and CMV might be contributed to the pathogenesis of EAC and ESCC types of esophageal carcinoma, respectively, although further studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection with parvovirus B19 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) during pregnancy might lead to fetal infection, resulting in congenital abnormalities. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of IgM and IgG antibodies against parvovirus B19 and CMV in female university students in Shiraz, in Fars province, Southern Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 370 female university students were included. Blood samples were collected from each participant and tested for anti-parvovirus B19 and CMV IgG and IgM antibodies, using commercial ELISA kits. The mean age of the participants was 24 (±7)years. Out of 370 participants, 327 (88.4%) and 9 (2.4%) were positive for IgG and IgM antibodies against CMV. Moreover, 211 (57.0%) and 4 (1.1%) of the participants were respectively positive for IgG and IgM antibodies against parvovirus B19. The difference in CMV or parvovirus B19 seropositivity between different age groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The findings of our study showed that more than 50% of the female university students are seropositive to CMV and parvovirus B19 infections. It highlights the importance of health education and also the laboratory screening of females at childbearing age to reduce the risk of congenital infections resulting from these viral infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, high-risk illnesses including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are major health problems causing considerable impact on health systems. Knowledge and awareness are very important factors for controlling these illnesses in society. Regarding the transmission routes of these viruses, young people are at the highest risk of infection. Therefore, our objectives were to determine the college students' awareness of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV/AIDS with regard to basic information, transmission, and prevention. A total of 810 students from 7 universities, from September to March 2017, were included in the study. All participants were categorized into three groups (medical, biology, and other fields). The subjects were evaluated by a standardized questionnaire and results analyzed in SPSS software using the χ2 test. In total, 43% of respondents were male and the majority of them were 20 to 25 years old. Our results showed the suitable level of awareness about HBV and remarkable about HIV. In contrast, insufficient level of awareness was indicated about HCV. Given the low levels of awareness or knowledge about HCV, it can be suggested that educational programs for this important disease are necessary especially for university students. On the other hand, high awareness of participants about HBV and HIV/AIDS might be the results of the proper functioning of educational programs for students in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Ovarian cancer is one of the most common cancers amongst women. The association of Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with ovarian cancer is inconclusive; therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the frequency of HPV and EBV in malignant, borderline, benign and normal ovarian tissues. Methods: In this case-control study, 205 Paraffin-embedded ovarian tissue specimens including 68 malignant, 27 borderline, 65 benign, and 45 normal tissues were included from December 2014 to January 2018 and subjected to DNA extraction. The β-globin gene was amplified using PCR to confirm the quality of the extracted DNA. The genomes of HPV (genotypes 16 and 18) and EBV were identified, using specific primers by PCR. Results: The mean age of participants was 43.42 ± 15.4 years. The frequency of HPV was statistically significant between malignant versus benign (P=0.02) and control groups (P=0.002), but not with borderline tumor group (P=0.78). Amongst HPV infected samples, 1 (4.5%) and 14 (63.6%) samples were infected with types 16 and 18, respectively. Also 4 (18.2 %) samples were infected with both genotypes. Eleven samples including 7(10.3%) malignant, 1 (3.7%) borderline, 3 (4.6%) benign and none (0%) of normal control groups were infected with EBV, which was statistically different between malignant and the normal control group (P=0.03). Conclusion: The results of our study showed the possible role of high risk HPVs as well as EBV in pathogenesis of ovarian cancer, and further studies are recommended to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the study: To better understanding the contribution of coagulation factors to the extent of adenovirusmediated innate toxicity on the hepatocyte. Material and methods: Adenovirus-36 (AD) and adenovector type 5-GFP (Ad5-GFP) were propagated and titered; then, they were loaded with coagulation factors VII or X. The complex of adenovirus with coagulation factor VII and X were for size and charge parameters. After adding AD-VII and AD-X complexes, the expression levels of innate inflammatory genes including protein kinase R (PKR), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-8 and IL-18 were measured by Real-time PCR on a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2. Results: The loading of coagulation factors VII and X on Ad5-GFP enhanced the transduction rate up to 50% and 60% (p < 0.05), respectively, compared to the adenovector alone (30%) (p < 0.05). The formation of the coagulation factor-virus complex leads to multimodal size distribution with an increase in average hydrodynamic size and absolute zeta potential. The qPCR results showed that PKR expression increased significantly after treatment with all adenoviruses. These findings also showed that AD had a significant (p = 0.0152) inflammatory impact on Hep-G2. However, AD which was loaded with FX (AD-X) exhibited the most inflammatory effect (p = 0.0164). Significantly, the expression of IL-1ß (p = 0.0041), IL-8 (p = 0.0107) and IL-18 (p = 0.0193) were also enhanced following FX loading. On the other hand, the AD-VII complex showed the least effect of innate immune induction when compared to the negative control (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The loading of coagulation factors, particularly FX, could enhance the transduction efficiency of Ad5-GFP. Furthermore, adenovirus loaded with FX exhibited more innate toxicity on the hepatocytes, while it was not the case for FVII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic variation of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) G gene in children less than 8 years old with acute respiratory tract infections in Iran during 2014–2015. Materials & methods: To this end, 110 nasal swabs were tested for HMPV F gene. All positive samples were tested for the full length of HMPV G gene, then sequenced and analyzed for phylogenetic grouping. Results: Six (5.45%) out of 110 samples were positive for HMPV gene. Our HMPV sequences clustered into two main clusters: A2b (five isolates) and B1 (one isolate). The dN/dS ratio showed the presence of negative selective pressure. Conclusion: A2b was the predominant genotype during the study period in southwest of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to find out the levels of anti-HBsAb among vaccinated children in a rural community in Fars Province, Southern Iran. Blood samples were taken from 550 children, aged 1–12 years (mean 6.4 ± 3.5), in 2017 from three villages in the area. A structured questionnaire was used to get the sociodemographic data of the subjects along with determinants concerning the Hepatitis B. Sera samples were examined for anti-HBsAb, using an ELISA commercial kit. Anti-HBsAb were detected in 468 (85.1%) of the subjects. Of the seropositive subjects, 37 (45.1%) were female and 45 (54.9%) were male. In the age group of 0–5 years, 88.7% of the subjects were seropositive. This rate was 84.3% and 78.1% in the age group of 6–10 years old and older than 10 years, respectively. There was a significant association (p <.05) between the anti-HBsAb and age. Findings of the current study revealed that children living in a rural community in southern Iran have appropriate protection against HBV even more than 10 years after being vaccinated. The decline in seropositivity rate of anti-HBsAb with age may further point out the need for a booster dose of HBV vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple drug-resistant enterococci are major cause of healthcare-associated infections due to their antibiotic resistance traits. Among them, Enterococcus faecalis is an important opportunistic pathogen causing various hospital-acquired infections. A total of 53 E. faecalis isolates were obtained from various infections. They were identified by phenotypic and genotypic methods. Determination of antimicrobial resistance patterns was done according to CLSI guidelines. The isolates that were non-susceptible to at least one agent in ≥3 antimicrobial categories were defined as multidrug-resistant (MDR). Detection of antimicrobial resistance genes was performed using standard procedures. According to MDR definition, all of the isolates were MDR (100%). High-level gentamicin resistance was observed among 50.9% of them (MIC ≥ 500 μg/ml). The distributions of aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2′′)-Ia and aph(3′)-IIIa genes were 47.2% and 69.8%, respectively. The aph(2′′)-Ib, aph(2′′)-Ic, aph(2′′)-Id , and ant(4′)-Ia genes were not detected. Vancomycin resistance was found in 45.3% of strains. The vanA gene was detected in 37.7% of isolates, whereas vanB and vanC1 genes were not observed in any strain. Erythromycin resistance rate was 79.2% and the frequencies of ermB and ermC genes were 88.6% and 69.8%, respectively. The ermA and msrA genes were not present in any of the isolates. Our data indicate a high rate of MDR E. faecalis strains. All of high-level gentamicin-resistant isolates carried at least one of aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2′′)-Ia or aph(3′)-IIIa genes. Distribution of vanA was notable among the isolates. In addition, ermB and ermC were accountable for resistance to erythromycin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression level of Interferon-stimulated Gene 15 (ISG15), Interleukin28B (IL28B) or IFN-lambda-3 and Ubiquitin specific peptidase 18 (USP18) genes in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) of patients with chronic active and inactive hepatitis B in comparison with healthy individuals. Background: Despite the presence of the vaccine for hepatitis B virus (HBV), it remains a public health challenge. The effort to uncover the immune genes attributed to infection outcome is going through. Methods: This Cross-sectional study was conducted on hepatitis B infected patients that were admitted to the Clinic of Liver diseases, Shiraz, January-November 2016. Patients were divided into two groups including active and inactive chronic regarding relevant World Gastroenterology Organization Global Guideline. They were mono-infected with HBV, and HCV or HIV co-infection was excluded from the study. Gene expression analysis was performed on fresh PBMCs samples with the help of Real-time PCR method. Results: Interleukin 28B gene expression showed no statistically significant difference between the three studied groups (P>0.05). The expression level of ISG15 was significantly higher in the healthy control group compared to active (P= 0.0068) and inactive chronic subjects (P<0.0001). Similarly, USP18 expression level in the control group was also significantly higher compared to the active (P= 0.0228) and inactive chronic patients (P=0. 0226). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the expression level of ISG15 and USP18 but not IL28B were higher in healthy individuals than in those infected with HBV. This difference expression may highlight the role of ISG15 and USP18 in the immune- related mechanism of HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the similar routes of transmission, individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may become infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) simultaneously. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of HCV co‐infection in Iranian individuals with HIV infection, and to genotype HCV in plasma and PBMC specimens of these patients. From September 2015 to October 2016, a total of 140 Iranian individuals with HIV infection were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study. The RNA from plasma and PBMC specimens was extracted, and genomic HCV‐RNA was amplified using RT‐nested PCR with primers that target 5′‐UTR. The HCV genotyping used the RFLP technique. To confirm HCV genotype, 10 randomly selected HCV‐positive samples were also submitted for sequencing. The mean age of patients was 35.7 ± 13.5 years (range: 1‐66). Out of 140 patients, 62 (44.3 %) were positive for anti‐HCV antibodies; among these, viral genomic RNA was detected in 34 (24.3%) and 39 (27.9%) of the plasma and PBMC specimens, respectively. The HCV genotyping showed a similar pattern of subtypes 1a (44% vs 46.2%), 3a (32.4% vs 33.3%), and 1b (17.6% vs 17.9%) in all sera and PBMC samples. It is noteworthy that the HCV genotypes in plasma and PBMC specimens of 6 HCV co‐infected patients were not the same. This study reveals that HIV/HCV co‐infection is high in Iranian patients (44.3%), especially in people who have high‐risk factors (83.9%). Also, HIV/HCV co‐infected individuals may have dissimilar HCV genotypes in their plasma and PBMC specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common viral opportunistic infection causing gastrointestinal diseases such diarrhea and colitis in immunocompromised patients. The development and performance of a robust and sensitive PCR assay are usually evaluated to detect CMV DNA in human fecal specimens. In this study, our aim was to detect CMV DNA in stool samples taken from patients with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and transplant recipient patients with chronic and persistent diarrhea using a non-invasive method. Materials and Methods: A total of 633 immunocompromised patients (451 males and 182 females) suffering from persistent or chronic diarrhea were included in this study. Among them, 392 were HIV/AIDS patients, 151 had cancer and were receiving chemotherapy, and 90 were recipients of a solid organ or bone marrow transplant. CMV genome was extracted from the stool samples using phenol: chloroform: isoamyl alcohol method. CMV DNA was identified by polymerase chain reaction using sequence specific primers on genomic DNA. Results: Looking at the frequency of CMV DNA in 392 HIV/AIDS patients, we found that only 5 patients (1.27%) were positive for CMV genome, while this frequency was 4.63% (7/151) and 5.5% (5/90) in patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy and in those with solid organ or bone marrow transplant, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the cause of chronic or persistent diarrhea in HIV/AIDS, cancer, and graft recipient patients might be related to CMV infection. Accordingly, we recommend a non-invasive method, such as stool sample, as a first line of diagnosis of enteritis when the physician suspects that a patient has CMV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary hepatitis C virus infection might be spontaneously cleared or become chronic. Polymorphisms in immune regulatory genes might influence the outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of genotypes and alleles of PD-1.3 and PD-1.5 gene loci in HCV infected patients and their association with the disease outcome. In this study 167 patients with chronic hepatic C and 42 individuals whose infection was spontaneously cleared, and a healthy control group comprising of 300 participants were included. The presence of chronic or spontaneously cleared infection amongst the participants was determined in advance by serologic and molecular methods. Genomic DNA was extracted using salting out method. PD-1 gene polymorphisms assay was performed using PCR-RFLP method. The frequency of alleles of PD-1.3 gene locus was significantly higher in the spontaneously cleared HCV infected group (P = 0.03) as well as the healthy control group (P = 0.04) in comparison to the chronic infected participants. In the case of PD-1.5 locus, there was no association between the frequency of inherited genotype or alleles and HCV infection outcome amongst the three groups. Haplotype analysis showed no statistically significant differences in the frequencies of different haplotypes between the three studied groups. Our finding collectively inferred that individuals with A allele at PD-1.3 locus might clear HCV infection more frequently than those with T allele. Instead, polymorphisms at PD-1.5 locus as well as haplotypes emerged from PD-1.3 G/A and PD-1.5 C/T might not be significant in the HCV infection outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]