Search

Background & Objective: Toxoplasma gondii infection has public health importance and can lead to serious diseases in immunosuppressed patients, such as HIV cases. Appropriate control of T. gondii infection in HIV patients requires information about the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies and DNA in different population. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and DNA in HIV patients in Tehran, Iran. Methods: A total of 149 HIV patients from the Iranian Research Center for HIV/ AIDS, Tehran, Iran were enrolled in the study. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM were detected by ELISA and T. gondii DNA was evaluated by PCR and quantitative realtime PCR. IgG positive samples were also assessed for their avidity. Results: Anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM were positive in 46.3% and 2.7% of cases respectively. 92.7% of our patients showed past infection and 4.3% revealed recently acquired toxoplasmosis based on their IgG avidity test. T. gondii DNA was not detected by PCR but real-time PCR results showed DNA in 4.7% of total patients and 13.1% of the IgG seropositive cases. Conclusion: Our findings indicated that latent toxoplasmosis was relatively prevalent in our study population, but new T. gondii infection had low prevalence. Almost half of our patients were IgG negative and at risk of acquiring toxoplasma infection. Low copy numbers of DNA were detected in 4.7% of the cases without any clinical manifestation. Therefore, detection and monitoring of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies and DNA in HIV patients is substantial to estimate the risk of reactivation and new infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary infection with BK virus (BKV) is occurred during childhood and usually asymptomatic, but after initial infection, BKV may persist lifelong in the kidney and genitourinary tract. Reactivation may occur in individuals with compromised immunity such as renal transplant recipients. Due to the role of BKV in BK virus-associated nephropathy (BKVAN) and potentially renal allograft rejection, the detection of BKV in renal transplant candidates is very important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of BK viremia in end stage renal disease cases who were candidates for renal transplantation. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 50 cases with end stage renal disease who were candidates for renal transplantation were recruited from the main dialysis unit in Tehran, Iran. Presence of BK viremia was determined in plasma samples of cases using real time PCR. Results: A total of 50 renal transplant candidates with mean age 37.8±13 yr were enrolled in the study. Fifty two percent of subjects were male. Forty six (92%) of them were under HD and 4 (8%) were on PD. BK virus was not detected in any plasma samples of renal transplant candidates. Conclusion: This study showed absence of BK viremia in our renal transplant candidates. However, due to the important role of BKV in BKVAN and renal graft failure and rejection, further studies involving larger number of cases are required to elucidate the rate of the BKV in renal transplant candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]