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Background Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in Africa and in areas below the 50th parallel of north (latitude 50°0' N) in Asia and Europe, but the epidemiology of CCHF needs to be better characterized in most regions. Methods We comprehensively searched scientific databases for studies on CCHF epidemiology in these regions. We used a One Health approach to describe disease burden through human cases, animal and human serology studies, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) isolation from ticks. In addition, we leveraged a classification scheme tosort countries into five categories based on the level of evidence and the maturity of their CCHF surveillance systems. Results We identified 2,253 CCHF cases that occurred in the region during the period 1944–2021. Central Asian countries reported the majority of cases (1,966). China is the only country in Eastern and South-eastern Asia that reported CCHF cases (287). Six countries (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) were assigned to level 1 or level 2, based on the maturity of their surveillance systems. Two countries (Mongolia and Myanmar) were assigned to level 3, due to conclusive evidence of CCHFV circulation in the absence of reported CCHF cases. Subsequently, 13 countries in Eastern and South-eastern Asia were categorized in levels 4 and 5, based on CCHFV vector prevalence. Conclusion This paper describes past and present status of the CCHF reporting systems to inform international and local public-health agencies to strengthen or establish CCHF surveillance systems and address shortcomings in the region. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

ObjectivePatients with malignancy suffer from a compromised immune system due to either the effects of malignancies or treatments. Cancer patients are at higher risk of different infections particularly SARS-CoV2 and usually produce weaker response to vaccines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Sinopharm, BBIBP-CorV) in patients with malignancy.Material and MethodIn total 364 patients with cancer (median age: 54 years old, F/M ratio: 217/147) who received two doses of Sinopharm vaccine were enrolled in this study. Vaccine related side effects was assessed by a questionnaire and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 anti-Spike protein (S) IgG and neutralizing antibody two months following vaccination were measured by immunological methods.ResultsInjection site pain and fever were the most common local and systemic side effects in vaccine receivers. Two months after the first dose, anti-S IgG and neutralizing antibody were detectable in 77.1% and 80.7% of all participants, respectively with an overall response to either or both measured in 86.9% of patients The rate of seroconversion was lower in older age, those with hematological malignancies and chemotherapy receivers.ConclusionThe result of study confirmed the safety and short-term efficacy of Sinopharm inactivated vaccine (BBIBP-CorV) in patients with different type of malignancies.

BACKGROUND: The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring and spreading the COVID-19 infection; using personal protective equipment (PPE) reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection in HCWs. OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of COVID-19 IgG, IgM antibodies among HCWs as well as identifying the factors associated with this seroprevalence. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed from July to August 2020 on healthcare workers at two COVID-19 referral hospitals of Birjand University of Medical Sciences. The level of COVID-19 IgG and IgM antibodies in sera was measured by commercial qualitative ELISA kits. RESULTS: In total, 192 individuals participated in the study: physicians (31.25%), nurses (30.2%). 84.2% of participants had contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases and among them 42.9 % of had close contact with COVID-19 patients for more than 3 months, and 31% reported close contact with more than 50 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Mask and gloves were the most frequently used personal protective equipment (PPE) with 92.4% and 77.2% of usage. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study showed high level of adherence to the use of PPE among HCWs as well as very low prevalence of seropositivity for of COVID-19 antibodies, hence confirming the effectiveness of PPE in protecting HCWs among COVVID-19 and possibly any other similar infections.

Background Allergic disorders are common health problems worldwide with significant socio-economic impacts. The best diagnostic method using allergenic extract is the skin prick test. Regarding the effects of geo-climatic factors and allergenic extract source material quality, the aim of study was to determine the safety and efficacy of some in-house-developed allergenic extracts. Methods Forty-five different allergenic extracts, including common regional pollen, foods, and dog and cat hair, as well as positive and negative extracts, were prepared from domestic sources using optimum extraction methods. All extracts passed stability and sterility testing, and sterile final products containing 50% glycerin in 10 and 20 w/v concentrations were used. Skin prick testing was performed on volunteers and immediate or late side effects were recorded. Results In total, 56 students (mean age: 21.2±2.3y, M/F ratio: 1.07) participated in this study. For inhalant allergens, all extracts except dog hair extract caused positive responses. Salsola kali (Russian thistle) and Fraxinus velutina (ash tree) were the most common grass and tree pollen extracts, respectively. Of 18 different food extracts, five, including egg white, tomato, fig, melon, and green pepper caused skin reactivity in only one person. No participant reported any immediate or late side effects, including large local reaction or systemic response. Conclusion The result of the current study confirmed the safety of all our in-house-developed allergenic extracts. Regarding efficacy, almost all inhalant and five food allergens caused positive skin responses.

Background Allergic disorders may have a bidirectional causal relationship with mental disorders. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the associations between cognitive abilities and emotional function tests and quality of life with the presence of allergic disease in young women. Methods A diagnosis of allergic disorders, comprising allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD), was confirmed by a specialist in allergy. The presence and severity of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia and sleepiness were evaluated using validated questionnaires. Cognitive abilities and quality of life were assessed using standard instruments. Results Among 181 female young participants, the prevalence of AR, asthma and AD were 26.5%, 2.8%, and 14.9% respectively. The AR group had higher scores than the non-AR group for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and lower scores for physical and mental health-related quality of life. Moreover, the AD cases had higher scores on the depression and stress scale compared to those without it (p Conclusion There was a high prevalence of psychological/psychiatric disorders that included: anxiety, and sleep problems among allergic women, and a reduced quality of life that may be associated with it.

Background Vaccine efficiency has a significant role in the public perception of vaccination. The current study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines (AZD-1222, Sputnik-V, Sinopharm, and Covaxin) and the effect of age and gender on vaccine efficacy. We evaluated the efficacy of these vaccine between 214 health care employees in Iran. Blood samples were taken from all participants at day 0 and 14 days after the second dose. Humoral responses were evaluated by SARS-CoV 2 Neutralization Ab Detection kit. Results The frequency of immunized individuals in the Sputnik V and AZD-1222 groups was 95% and 93%, respectively. This rate was 73% and 70% for Sinopharm and Covaxin vaccines. Comparison of the results obtained from the effectiveness of the vaccines between female and male groups did not demonstration a significant difference. Moreover, comparison of the results obtained from the effectiveness of vaccines between age groups showed that the rate of immunization in participants

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disorder accompanied by activation of auto-reactive B cells, autoantibody production, and consequently insulin-producing beta cell destruction. Some evidences support the value of autoantibodies such as anti-islet cell antigen (IA-2) auto-antibody in T1DM diagnosis and prognosis. The present study investigated the presence of IA-2 antibody in T1DM patients and their first-degree relatives as well as T2DM patients and healthy people to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of anti-IA-2 in T1DM. In total 264 cases including 38 T1DM patients, 36 first-degree relatives, 88 T2DM patients, and 102 age-/sex-matched healthy controls participated in this study. After venous blood collection, sera were isolated and the level of IA-2 antibody was measured by ELISA method. Routine hematologic and biochemical tests including complete blood count (CBC), fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), urea, creatinine, as well as lipid profile and liver function tests were analyzed. Upregulated level of IA-2 antibody was observed in 47.4 and 5.6% of T1DM and their relatives, respectively; however, the level was significantly higher in T1DM compared to T1DM first-degree relatives (p

While activation of immune system may lead to a lower risk of some diseases, it has been shown that a history of atopic allergic disorders such as asthma, hay fever, eczema, and food allergies could be related to several types of cancer. However, the evidence is not entirely conclusive. Two proposals suggest a possible mechanism for the association between allergic disorders and cancers: immune surveillance and the antigenic stimulation. The association of allergy and cancer may vary by cancer site and the type of exposure. The aim of current review was to summarize the current knowledge of the association between allergic diseases and the risk of cancers with particular emphasis on case–controls and cohort studies to estimate the cancer risk associated with allergy.

To investigate the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Iranians vaccinated with either AZD1222 Vaxzevria, CovIran® vaccine, SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated (lnCoV) or Sputnik V.We enrolled individuals 18 years or older receiving their first COVID-19 vaccine dose between April 2021 and January 2022 in seven Iranian cities. Participants completed weekly follow-up surveys for 17 weeks (25 weeks for AZD1222) to report their COVID-19 status and hospitalization. We used Cox regression models to assess risk factors for contracting COVID-19, hospitalization and death.Of 89 783 participants enrolled, incidence rates per 1 000 000 person-days were: 528.2 (95% confidence interval, CI: 514.0-542.7) for contracting COVID-19; 55.8 (95% CI: 51.4-60.5) for hospitalization; and 4.1 (95% CI: 3.0-5.5) for death. Compared with SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), hazard ratios (HR) for contracting COVID-19 were: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.61-0.80) with AZD1222; 0.73 (95% CI: 0.62-0.86) with Sputnik V; and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.63-0.86) with CovIran®. For hospitalization and death, all vaccines provided similar protection 14 days after the second dose. History of COVID-19 protected against contracting COVID-19 again (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69-0.84). Diabetes and respiratory, cardiac and renal disease were associated with higher risks of contracting COVID-19 after vaccination.The rates of contracting COVID-19 after vaccination were relatively high. SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell) provided lower protection against COVID-19 than other vaccines. People with comorbidities had higher risks of contracting COVID-19 and hospitalization and should be prioritized for preventive interventions.Analyser l'incidence des cas, hospitalisations et décès liés à la maladie à coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) chez les Iraniens vaccinés avec Vaxzevria AZD1222, CovIran®, le vaccin contre le SARS-CoV-2 (cellule Vero), le vaccin inactivé (lnCoV) ou Spoutnik V.Nous avons recruté des individus de minimum 18 ans ayant reçu leur première dose de vaccin contre la COVID-19 entre avril 2021 et janvier 2022 dans sept villes iraniennes. Les participants ont rempli des enquêtes de suivi hebdomadaires pendant 17 semaines (25 semaines pour AZD1222) afin de communiquer sur leur statut COVID-19 et leur hospitalisation. Nous avons utilisé des modèles de régression de Cox pour évaluer les facteurs augmentant les risques de contracter la COVID-19, d'être hospitalisé et de mourir.Sur 89 783 participants recrutés, le taux d'incidence pour 1 000 000 jours-personnes était de 528,2 (intervalle de confiance de 95%, IC: 514,0–542,7) en termes d'infection à la COVID-19; de 55,8 (IC de 95%: 51,4–60,5) en termes d'hospitalisation; et de 4,1 (IC de 95%: 3,0–5,5) en termes de décès. Comparé au vaccin contre le SARS-CoV-2 (cellule Vero), le rapport de risque (RR) de contracter la COVID-19 s'élevait à 0,70 (IC de 95%: 0,61−0,80) avec AZD1222; à 0,73 (IC de 95%: 0,62–0,86) avec Spoutnik V; et à 0,73 (IC de 95%: 0,63–0,86) avec CovIran®. Concernant l'hospitalisation et le décès, tous les vaccins offraient un niveau de protection similaire 14 jours après la seconde dose. Avoir contracté la COVID-19 par le passé prémunissait contre une réinfection (RR: 0,76; IC de 95%: 0,69–0,84). Le diabète et les maladies respiratoires, cardiaques et rénales entraînaient un risque accru de contracter la COVID-19 après la vaccination.Le taux d'infection à la COVID-19 après la vaccination était relativement élevé. D'autre part, le vaccin contre le SARS-CoV-2 (cellule Vero) s'est révélé moins efficace que les autres vaccins. Enfin, les personnes souffrant de comorbidités avaient plus de risques de contracter la COVID-19 et d'être hospitalisées; elles devraient donc être prioritaires lors des interventions préventives.Analizar la incidencia de los casos, hospitalizaciones y muertes a causa de la enfermedad por coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-19) en los iraníes vacunados con Vaxzevria AZD1222, la vacuna CovIran®, la vacuna contra el SARS-CoV-2 (célula Vero), la vacuna inactivada (lnCoV) o la Sputnik V.Se inscribieron personas de 18 años o más que recibieron su primera dosis de la vacuna contra la COVID-19 entre abril de 2021 y enero de 2022 en siete ciudades iraníes. Los participantes completaron encuestas de seguimiento semanales durante 17 semanas (25 semanas para AZD1222) para informar sobre su estado de la COVID-19 y la hospitalización. Se utilizaron modelos de regresión de Cox para valorar los factores de riesgo de contraer la COVID-19, de ser hospitalizado y de morir.De los 89 783 participantes inscritos, las tasas de incidencia por 1 000 000 de días-persona fueron 528,2 (intervalo de confianza del 95 %, IC: 514,0-542,7) en el caso de contraer la COVID-19; 55,8 (IC del 95 %: 51,4-60,5) en el caso de hospitalización; y 4,1 (IC del 95 %: 3,0-5,5) en el caso de muerte. En comparación con la vacuna contra el SARS-CoV-2 (célula Vero), los cocientes de riesgos instantáneos (CRI) de contraer la COVID-19 fueron 0,70 (IC 95 %: 0,61-0,80) con AZD1222; 0,73 (IC 95 %: 0,62-0,86) con Sputnik V; y 0,73 (IC 95 %: 0,63-0,86) con CovIran®. En cuanto a la hospitalización y la muerte, todas las vacunas proporcionaron una protección similar 14 días después de la segunda dosis. Los antecedentes de la COVID-19 protegieron contra la contracción de la COVID-19 de nuevo (CRI: 0,76; IC 95 %: 0,69-0,84). La diabetes y las enfermedades respiratorias, cardíacas y renales se asociaron a un mayor riesgo de contraer la COVID-19 después de la vacunación.Las tasas de contraer la COVID-19 después de la vacunación fueron relativamente altas. La vacuna contra el SARS-CoV-2 (célula Vero) proporcionó una menor protección contra la COVID-19 que otras vacunas. Las personas con comorbilidades tenían un mayor riesgo de contraer la COVID-19 y de ser hospitalizadas, por lo que deberían ser prioritarias para las intervenciones preventivas.التحقيق في حالات الإصابة بمرض فيروس كورونا 2019 (كوفيد 19)، وحالات الاستشفاء والوفيات بين الإيرانيين الذين تم تطعيمهم إما باستخدام لقاح AZD1222 Vaxzevria، أو لقاح CovIran®‎، أو لقاح SARS-CoV-2 )Vero Cell)، أو لقاحي (lnCoV) أو Sputnik V غير النشطين.قمنا بتسجيل الأفراد الذين تبلغ أعمارهم 18 عامًا أو أكثر، والذين تلقوا أول جرعة لقاح لكوفيد 19 بين أبريل/نيسان 2021 ويناير/كانون الثاني 2022، في سبع مدن إيرانية. أكمل المشاركون استطلاعات المتابعة الأسبوعية لمدة 17 أسبوعًا (25 أسبوعًا بالنسبة للقاح AZD1222) للإبلاغ عن تطور حالة كوفيد 19 والاستشفاء. استخدمنا نماذج التحوف كوكس (Cox) لتقييم عوامل الخطر للإصابة بكوفيد 19، والاستشفاء والوفاة.من إجمالي 89783 مشاركًا تم تسجيلهم، فإن معدلات حدوث الإصابة لكل 1000000 شخص-يوم، كانت: 528.2 (بفاصل ثقة مقداره %95: 514.0 إلى 542.7) للإصابة بكوفيد 19؛ و55.8 (بفاصل ثقة مقداره %95: 51.4 إلى 60.5) لحالات الاستشفاء؛ و4.1 (بفاصل ثقة مقداره %95: 3.0 إلى 5.5) للوفيات. بالمقارنة مع لقاح SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine )Vero Cell)، كانت نسب المخاطرة (HR) للإصابة بكوفيد 19: 0.70 (بفاصل ثقة مقداره %95: 0.61 إلى 0.80) مع AZD1222؛ و0.73 (بفاصل ثقة مقداره%95: 0.62 إلى 0.86) مع Sputnik V؛ و0.73 (بفاصل ثقة مقداره %95: 0.63 إلى 0.86) مع CovIran®‎. بالنسبة لحالات الاستشفاء والوفيات، فقد قدمت جميع اللقاحات حماية مماثلة بعد 14 يومًا من الجرعة الثانية. تاريخ الحماية من كوفيد 19 في مقابل الإصابة بكوفيد 19 مرة أخرى (نسب المخاطرة: 0.76؛ ‏بفاصل ثقة مقداره %95: 0.69 إلى 0.84). ارتبط مرض السكري، وأمراض الجهاز التنفسي، والقلب، والكلى بمخاطر أعلى للإصابة بكوفيد 19 بعد التطعيم.كانت معدلات الإصابة بكوفيد 19 بعد التطعيم مرتفعة نسبيًا. وفّر لقاح SARS-CoV-2 )Vero Cell) حماية أقل ضد الإصابة بكوفيد 19 مقارنةً بالتطعيمات الأخرى. عاني الأشخاص المصابون بأمراض مشتركة من مخاطر أعلى للإصابة بكوفيد 19 والاستشفاء، ويجب أن يحصلوا على الأولوية في التدخلات الوقائية.调查接种 AZD1222 Vaxzevria、CovIran® 疫苗、SARS-CoV-2 疫苗（Vero Cell）、灭活疫苗（lnCoV）或 Sputnik V 疫苗的伊朗人感染新型冠状病毒肺炎 (COVID-19) 的情况及其住院率和死亡率。.我们在七个伊朗城市招募了 2021 年 4 月至 2022 年 1 月之间接种第一剂新冠疫苗的 18 岁或以上的人员。参与者完成了为期 17 周（AZD1222 为 25 周）的每周跟进调查，报告他们的新冠肺炎状况和住院情况。我们使用 Cox 回归模型来评估感染新冠肺炎、住院和死亡的风险因子。.在招募的 89,783 名参与者中，每百万人每天感染新冠肺炎的比例为：528.2（95％ 置信区间，CI: 514.0-542.7)；住院比例为 55.8 (95% CI：51.4-60.5）；死亡比例为 4.1 (95% CI: 3.0–5.5)。与 SARS-CoV-2 疫苗（Vero Cell）相比，接种 AZD1222 疫苗后感染新冠肺炎的风险比（HR）为：0.70 (95% CI：0.61-0.80)；接种 Sputnik V 疫苗后感染的风险比为 0.73 (95% CI：0.62-0.86）；接种 CovIran® 疫苗后感染的风险比为 0.73 (95% CI: 0.63–0.86)。对于住院和死亡病例，所有疫苗在接种第二剂后的 14 天内均提供相同程度的保护力。感染过新冠肺炎可以避免再次感染（HR：0.76；95% CI：0.69-0.84)。患有糖尿病、呼吸系统、心脏和肾脏疾病的人群在接种疫苗后感染新冠肺炎的风险更高。.接种疫苗后感染新冠肺炎的比例较高。与其他疫苗相比，SARS-CoV-2 疫苗（Vero Cell）防止感染新冠肺炎的效果较低。并存其它疾病的患者感染新冠肺炎和住院的风险较高，应优先采取预防性干预措施。.Изучить уровень заболеваемости коронавирусной инфекцией 2019 года (COVID-19), случаи госпитализации и смерти среди иранцев, вакцинированных вакциной AZD1222 Vaxzevria, CovIran®, SARS-CoV-2 (Vero Cell), инактивированной вакциной (lnCoV) или вакциной Sputnik V.Авторы включили в исследование участников в возрасте от 18 лет, получивших первую дозу вакцины против COVID-19 в период с апреля 2021 г. по январь 2022 г. в семи иранских городах. Участники проходили еженедельные последующие обследования в течение 17 недель (25 недель для AZD1222) и сообщали о своем состоянии COVID-19 и госпитализации. Авторы использовали модели регрессии Кокса для оценки факторов риска заражения COVID-19, госпитализации и смерти.Из 89 783 включенных участников показатели заболеваемости на 1 000 000 человеко-дней составили: 528,2 (95%-й ДИ: 514,0–542,7) для случаев заражения COVID-19; 55,8 (95%-й ДИ: 51,4–60,5) для случаев госпитализации; 4,1 (95%-й ДИ: 3,0–5,5) для случаев смерти. По сравнению с вакциной SARS-CoV-2 (Vero Cell) коэффициенты риска (HR) для заражения COVID-19 были следующими: 0,70 (95%-й ДИ: 0,61–0,80) для AZD1222; 0,73 (95%-й ДИ: 0,62–0,86) для Sputnik V; 0,73 (95%-й ДИ: 0,63–0,86) для CovIran®. В отношении случаев госпитализации и смертей все вакцины обеспечивали одинаковую защиту через 14 дней после введения второй дозы. Наличие вакцины против COVID-19 защищает от повторного заражения COVID-19 (HR: 0,76; 95%-й ДИ: 0,69–0,84). Диабет, а также респираторные, сердечные и почечные заболевания были связаны с более высоким риском заражения COVID-19 после вакцинации.Уровень заражения COVID-19 после вакцинации был относительно высоким. Вакцина против SARS-CoV-2 (Vero Cell) обеспечивает более низкую защиту от COVID-19, чем другие вакцины. Люди с сопутствующими заболеваниями имели более высокий риск заражения COVID-19 и госпитализации, поэтому профилактические вмешательства для них следует осуществлять в приоритетном порядке.

Background Both home and school are important places where children are exposed to various indoor allergens. This study aimed to identify the profile of indoor allergens in schools and its impact on asthma development. Methods A total of 104 classrooms from 52 schools were selected for dust collection during the fall of 2017. The levels of indoor allergens including dust mite (Der f1, Der p1), cat (Fel d1), cockroach (Bla g1) and mouse (Mus m1) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The diagnosis of asthma was made in all students of the selected classes by the allergist. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Results Out of 2816 students in the selected classes, 180 students were involved with asthma. Students were mostly exposed to Bla g1 (83.1%), followed by Der f1 (51.5%), Mus m 1 (45.5%), Der p1 (8.9%) and Fel d1 (7.9%) in the dust collected from 101 classrooms. Although levels of all studied allergens in the settled dust of the classrooms were low, there was a relationship between Fel d1 in the classroom dust and development of asthma. Conclusion This study showed considerable levels of cockroach allergens in schools. Exposure to cat allergen in our schools played an important role in asthma development; further school-based investigations require evaluating the role of classroom allergen on asthma development.

Background: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a universal health challenge all around the world. Several factors like viral load, genetic characteristics, age, sex, and immune status contribute to variable clinical outcomes of HBV infection. The sequels of HBV infection vary remarkably among persons ranging from the spontaneous deletion of infection to persistent infection. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms IL10-1082 with HBV clearance. Methods: Sixty subjects with Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) infection and 60 subjects who spontaneously recovered HBV were enrolled in the study. The IL-10-1082 polymorphisms were determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction with Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR–RFLP). Results: The clearance of HBV infection demonstrated a significant association with IL-10-1082 polymorphisms in the GG genotype (P = 0.03), while there was no association with other genotypes. Reduced risk of chronic hepatitis B infection was associated with IL-10-1082 GG (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.07 - 5.09). Besides, IL-10-1082 A/G alleles did not differ clearly between the two study groups (P = 0.07) Conclusions: The IL-10-1082 polymorphisms may be associated with a reduced risk of CHB infection and recovery after HBV infection.

Background The prevalence of vaccine side effects plays an important role in public perception about vaccination programs. This study was designed to investigate the side effects of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine; Sputnik-V, AZD-1222, and Covaxin. Methods A study was performed to evaluate the side effects of these vaccine among 503 health care workers in Birjand (Iran). Our study used the questionnaire consisted of 4 main categories including demographic data, previous COVID-19 infection, vaccine information, and local and systemic side effects of vaccines. Results 81.9%, 88.8%, and 92.9% of people who have been vaccinated with Sputnik-V, AZD1222, and Covaxin vaccines, respectively, have reported at least one side effect. The prevalence of systemic side effects in AZD-1222 vaccine was higher than Sputnik V and Covaxin vaccines. Injection site pain (62.1%), fatigue (43.9%), muscle pain (42.5%), and fever (40.6%) were the most common side effects in all three vaccines. Side effect frequency was higher in the female group (90.6%) than the male group (79.5%). The prevalence of side effects with Sputnik V and Covaxin vaccines was reduced in the elderly. Moreover, the prevalence of side effects was higher in the case of convalescent patients (92.4 %) than in the group with no history of infection. The prevalence of side effects was higher in person with a BMI above 25 in the AZD-1222 and Covaxin vaccines. Conclusions The most common side effects of the Sputnik-V, AZD-1222, and Covaxin vaccine among Birjand (Iran) healthcare workers were injection site pain, muscle pain, fatigue, fever, and headache. Age and gender were the most important variables in the prevalence of vaccine side effects.

Background: There has been an increasing prevalence of allergic disorders globally, and it may be useful to characterize the predisposing and protective factors for the development of allergy. Diet has been identified as one possible environmental factor implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. The goal of this study was to evaluate the associations between dietary patterns with the presence of allergies in a group of young women in East of Iran Methods: In total 181 female students enrolled in this study. Presence of allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma and eczema was confirmed by an expert allergist. Information about dietary intake was collected by using a 65-item validated food frequency questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the relationships among food/nutrition variables. Result: Multivariate odds ratio of having AR was 2.5 (95% CI:1.1-5.1) for the highest compared to lowest tertile of the Western dietary pattern score. But, no significant relationship was found between the traditional dietary pattern and AR, asthma or eczema. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a potential role of Western dietary pattern, characterized by being rich in dairy products, snack, nuts and sugar in the development of AR. Since diet is a modifiable impetus, the relationship between AR and Western dietary pattern may has a clinical application, particularly in those who has risk factors for developing AR.

BackgroundNatural killer (NK) cells differentiated from umbilical cord blood (UCB) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) may be more suitable for cell-based immunotherapy compared to NK cells from adult donors. This is due to opportunity to choose alloreactive donors and potentially more robust in vivo expansion. However, the cytotoxicity of UCB-HSC derived NK cells against cancer cells might be suboptimal. To overcome this obstacle, we attempted to generate NK cells with potent antitumor activity by targeting RAS/MAPK, IGF-1R and TGF-β signaling pathways.MethodsThe CD34+ cells isolated from human UCB mononuclear cells through MACS with purity of (≥90%) were used to be differentiated into NK cells. After 21 days of induction with SFTG36, IS721 and IL-15/Hsp70 media, NK cells phenotype was studied and their cytotoxicity against K562 human erythroleukemia cell and SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells was analyzed.ResultsThe induced NK cells treated with SFTG36/I721 and SFTG36/IS721 growth factor cocktail expressed a phenotype with CD56+16+CD3- and NKG2D+ with mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of 92.7%±1.45-168.00±19.20 and 93.23%±0.75-168.66±20.00 respectively. These NK cells once activated by IL-15, demonstrated a higher cytotoxicity against K562 (≥90%) (P ≤ 0.001) and SKOV3 tumor cells (≥65%) (P ≤ 0.001) compared to IL-15/Hsp70 activated NK cells.Conclusion The differentiation of ex vivo-expanded CD34+ cells through manipulation of RAS/MAPK, IGF-1R and TGF-β signaling pathways is an efficient approach for generating functional NK cells that can be used for cancer immunotherapy.

Background: Viral infections are a public health problem. Objectives: We would like to evaluate the seroprevalence of hepatitis B, C, and human immunodeficiency virus infections (HIV) in a large sample of the Afghanistan population in Kabul. Methods: In total, 196516 Afghani citizens went to Fateme-al-Zahra clinic to perform obligatory checkup for traveling to Iran. The serum samples were primarily checked by rapid tests for HBV, HCV, and HIV, and in case of positive results, a commercial ELISA kit used as the confirmatory test. Results: Out of 196516 participants, 153763(78%) were men and 42753 (22%) were women. The seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV infections was 1.23% (2430), 0.13% (265) and 0.018% (16), respectively. The prevalence of HCV and HIV was significantly higher in males than females (m/f: 0.097%/0.037% vs. m/f: 0.008%/0%, respectively; P < 0.05). The simultaneous co-infection of HBV-HCV and HBV-HIV was 0.004% and 0.0005 %, respectively. Conclusions: This study showed a low prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV among the study group. Considering the selection bias, sensitivity, and specificity of rapid tests, the real prevalence expected to be quite higher. Proper strategies to improve the social awareness and implement preventive vaccination for HBV can decrease the incidence of these infections.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is an ongoing global health emergence, but the pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis to comprehensively characterize transcriptional changes in bronchial epithelium cells (NHBE and A549 cells) during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our analysis identified a network highly correlated to COVID-19 pathogenicity based on MX1, IFIT1, ISG15, IFI6, DDX60, IRF9, PARP9, PGLYRP4, IL36G, SAA2 and IL-8 hub genes. The results also indicated a unique transcriptional signatures of infected cells including IFI6 and IRF9 as novel gene candidates and suggested their prospective mechanism in COVID-19 pathogenesis. The result of hub genes enrichment showed that the most correlation topic in biological process and KEGG were type I interferon signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, cytokine mediated signaling pathway, and defense response to virus categories which all play significant roles in restricting viral infection. Also according to the drug-target network, we recognized 54 FDA-approved drug candidates for other indications could potentially use for the treatment of COVID-19 patients through regulation of six hub genes of the co-expression network. Our findings also showed that the 19 experimentally validated miRNAs regulated the co-expression network through 5 hub genes (SLC19A3, FAM13A, PLA2G16, and HRASLS5). In conclusion, these hub genes had potential roles in the translational medicine and might become promising therapeutic targets further in vitro and in vivo experimental studies are needed to evaluate the role of above mentioned genes in COVID-19.

Breast cancer (BC) is among the leading causes of mortality from cancer in women. Many of the available anticancer drugs have various side effects. Therefore, researchers are seeking novel anticancer agents particularly from natural compounds and in this regard, snake venom is still one of the main sources of drug discovery. Previous studies showed potential anticancer effects of Cytotoxin II (CTII) from Naja naja oxiana against the different types of cancers. In this study, a pET-SUMO-CTII vector was transformed into SHuffle® T7 Express, an Escherichia coli strain, for recombinant protein expression (rCTII) and the cytotoxic effects of this protein was assessed in MCF-7 cells. The flow cytometry assay was applied to measure the apoptosis and cell cycle. Also, mRNA levels of the Bax, Bcl2, P53, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-10, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-3, and MMP-9 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR to determine the underlying cellular pathways affected by rCTII. The results of this study showed that treatment with 4 µg mL-1 of rCTII enhanced apoptosis through the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Also, the increase of the cells' proportion in the sub-G1 phase as well as a reduction in S phase was observed. In addition, the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-9 was decreased in the treated group in comparison to the control group that may contribute to the reduced migratory ability of tumor cells. These experimental results indicate that rCTII has anti-proliferative potential, and so this protein could be a potential drug for BC therapy in combination with other drugs.

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment and brought new aspects into tumor immunology. Effective immunotherapy will require using the suitable target antigens, optimizing the interaction between the antigenic peptide, the APC, and the T cell, and the simultaneous inhibitor of the negative regulatory process that inhibits immunotherapeutic effects and develop resistance. Tumor heterogeneity and its microenvironment is the leading cause of resistance in patients. Recently by emerging the single-cell RNA sequencing technology and its combination with immunotherapy, now we can specifically evaluate the mechanism of tumors in the face of immunotherapy agents at the single-cell resolution by detecting the transcriptional activity of immune checkpoints, screening neoantigens with high transcription levels, identifying rare cells, and other important processes. This review focuses on scRNA-seq, particularly on its application in cancer immunotherapy.

Vitiligo is the most common cause of skin, hair, and oral depigmentation which is known as an autoimmune disorder. Genetic and environmental factors have important roles in the progression of the disease. Dysregulation of gene expression, like microRNAs (miRNA), may serve as major relevant factors. Several biological processes are involved in vitiligo disease and developing a comprehensive approach helps us to better understand the molecular mechanisms of disease. In this research, we describe how a weighted gene co-expression network analysis as a systems biology approach assists to define the primary gene modules, hub genes, and messenger RNA (mRNA)-miRNA regulatory network in vitiligo disease as the novel biomarkers. The results demonstrated a module with a high correlation with vitiligo state. Moreover, gene enrichment analysis showed that this module's genes were mostly involved in some biological activities including G protein-coupled receptors signaling pathway, lymphocyte chemotaxis, chemokine activity, neutrophil migration, granulocyte chemotaxis, etc. The co-expression network was constructed using top hub genes of the correlated module which are named as CXCL10, ARL9, AKR1B10, COX7B, RPL26, SPA17, NDUFAF2, RPF2, DAPL1, RPL34, CWC15, NDUFB3, RPL26L1, ACOT13, HSPB11, and NSA2. MicroRNAs prediction tool (miRWalk) revealed top miRNAs correlated with the interested module. Finally, a drug-target network was constructed which indicated interactions of some food and drug administration (FDA) approved drugs with hub genes. Our findings specified one important module and main hub genes which can be considered as novel biomarkers for vitiligo therapeutic purposes.

Breast cancer (BC) is among the leading causes of mortality from cancer in women. Many of the available anticancer drugs have various side effects. Therefore, researchers are seeking novel anticancer agents particularly from natural compounds and in this regard, snake venom is still one of the main sources of drug discovery. Previous studies showed potential anticancer effects of Cytotoxin II (CTII) from Naja naja oxiana against the different types of cancers. In this study, a pET-SUMO-CTII vector was transformed into SHuffle® T7 Express, an Escherichia coli strain, for recombinant protein expression (rCTII) and the cytotoxic effects of this protein was assessed in MCF-7 cells. The flow cytometry assay was applied to measure the apoptosis and cell cycle. Also, mRNA levels of the Bax, Bcl2, P53, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-10, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-3, and MMP-9 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR to determine the underlying cellular pathways affected by rCTII. The results of this study showed that treatment with 4 μg mL−1 of rCTII enhanced apoptosis through the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Also, the increase of the cells' proportion in the sub-G1 phase as well as a reduction in S phase was observed. In addition, the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-9 was decreased in the treated group in comparison to the control group that may contribute to the reduced migratory ability of tumor cells. These experimental results indicate that rCTII has anti-proliferative potential, and so this protein could be a potential drug for BC therapy in combination with other drugs.

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an enormous loss of lives. Various clinical trials of vaccines and drugs are being conducted worldwide; nevertheless, as of today, no effective drug exists for COVID-19. The identification of key genes and pathways in this disease may lead to finding potential drug targets and biomarkers. Here, we applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis and LIME as an explainable artificial intelligence algorithm to comprehensively characterize transcriptional changes in bronchial epithelium cells (primary human lung epithelium (NHBE) and transformed lung alveolar (A549) cells) during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Our study detected a network that significantly correlated to the pathogenicity of COVID-19 infection based on identified hub genes in each cell line separately. The novel hub gene signature that was detected in our study, including PGLYRP4 and HEPHL1, may shed light on the pathogenesis of COVID-19, holding promise for future prognostic and therapeutic approaches. The enrichment analysis of hub genes showed that the most relevant biological process and KEGG pathways were the type I interferon signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, and defense response to virus categories, all of which play significant roles in restricting viral infection. Moreover, according to the drug–target network, we identified 17 novel FDA-approved candidate drugs, which could potentially be used to treat COVID-19 patients through the regulation of four hub genes of the co-expression network. In conclusion, the aforementioned hub genes might play potential roles in translational medicine and might become promising therapeutic targets. Further in vitro and in vivo experimental studies are needed to evaluate the role of these hub genes in COVID-19.

There is increasing evidence that maternal diabetes mellitus during the pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of neurodevelopmental and neurofunctional anomalies including motor dysfunctions, learning deficits, and behavioral problems in offspring. The cerebellum is a part of the brain that has long been recognized as a center of movement balance and motor coordination. Moreover, recent studies in humans and animals have also implicated the cerebellum in cognitive processing, sensory discrimination, attention, and learning and memory. Synaptogenesis is one of the most crucial events during the development of the central nervous system. Synaptophysin (SYP) is an integral membrane protein of synaptic vesicles and is considered to be a marker for synaptic density and synaptogenesis. Here, we review the manuscripts focusing on the negative impacts of maternal diabetes in pregnancy on the expression or localization of SYP in the developing cerebellar cortex. We believe that the alteration in synaptogenesis or synapse density may be part of the cascade of events through which diabetes in pregnant women affects the newborn's cerebellum.

Introduction Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in females demonstrating approximately more than 7% of all woman cancer mortality in 2018. HPV infection considered as the pivotal risk factor for cervical cancer induction. Permanent infection with carcinogenic genital HPVs increases the predisposition of cervical cancer. In this study, we investigated the frequency of HPV genotypes in a sample of Iranian population. Methods Therefore, 2135 individuals with genital warts between 2015 and 2018 recruited to the study. After DNA extraction, PCR amplification and genotyping were employed by HPV Direct Flow CHIP Kit and the e-BRID System®, supported by hybriSoft ™. HPV was found in 92% of the samples obtained from the patients. Results In total, 12.6% and 87.4% of warts were positive for any high-risk and low-risk genotypes, respectively. HPV 16 and 6 were the most predominant HR and LR genotypes in all categorized age groups (5.26% and 40.71%, respectively). Moreover, by getting older, the frequency of HPV 6 was decreased (P = 0 .018, r = −0.050) and the frequency of HPV 56 was increased (P =0 .026, r = 0.044). Conclusion Although we noticed lower prevalence of high risk HPV particularly 16 and 18 in genital warts in the East of Iran; however, genotyping of genital warts still recommended.

Background and Objectives: Hepatitis C is a dangerous viral infection, which is the important cause of chronic liver diseases such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has six major genotype of HCV identified for which are different in prevalence, carcinogenicity, persistency, and response to the treatment. Identification of HCV genotype and viral load are main factors for planning of the treat and prediction of response. There has not been any study regarding the viral load and genotype distribution of HCV in our area and this study was done to evaluate risk factors, viral load, and genotype of HCV among prisoners in East Iran. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 2,995 prisoners across the South Khorasan province were screened for the anti-HCV antibody by ELISA method. A total of 38 prisoners with positive results were selected for further evaluation. Demographic data as well as predisposing factors were obtained from the records. A total of 5 ml of venous blood was taken and after RNA extraction, viral load genotype and HCV were identified by using the commercial Real Time PCR and PCR method, respectively. Results: Among 2,995 prisoners, 34 cases (mean age 39 ± 8.8 years, M/F ratio: 13.1) were positive for HCV antibody. A total of 50% were married, 79.4% were urban citizens, and 97.1% of patients infected with HCV had drug addiction. In 28 cases (82.3%), the virus was detected by real time PCR method. Genotype 3a and 1a were the most prevalence genotypes (75% and 8.3%, respectively). The average of viral load was 123,798 IU/mL. There was no significant relation between age or sex with viral load and genotype. Discussion and Conclusions: This study showed that the predominant genotype in prisoners is the genotype 3a, which adds to the evidence of the predominant genotype in Iran. The genotype of injecting drugs prisoners is different to other groups infected with Hepatitis C in Iran.

This study was conducted to examine in vitro antibacterial potential from seed methanol extract of Peganum harmala (L) against some fish pathogenic bacteria including Lactococcus garvieae, Aeromonas hydrophila, Yersinia ruckeri and Pseuodomonas putida isolated from diseased rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The antibacterial activity of extracts was evaluated using disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). MICS were measured by serial dilution and the microplate assays. Results showed that the methanol extract of P. harmala was bactericidal for all test bacteria. The MICs of extract using serial dilution and microplate method were 0.6 mg mL -1 and 0.312 to 0.625 mg mL -1 against P. putida and 0.8 mg mL -1 and 0.625 to 1.25 mg mL -1 against L. garvieae, A. hydrophila, Y. ruckeri, respectively which was confirmed by MBC determination. Thus, the antibacterial activity of seed extract of P. harmala can be comparable as an alternative in the control of infectious by these microorganisms.