Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease

339-340

Authors: SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Behnam Farhoudi, Saeed Ghodrati, Mostafa Hosseini, Minoo Mohraz, Ramin Alasvand

Objective: To investigate the frequencies and types of HIV-related risk behavior among inmates of Tehran, Iran. Methods: We used active case finding to assess the prevalence of HIV high risk behaviors. The research was conducted on male prisoners in the Great Tehran Prison from October 2013 to May 2014. Results: Two thousand and fifty (19.5%) from 10 492 prisoners who were admitted to “quarantine” of the prison participated in HIV testing and counseling. Of 2050 inmates, our results showed that sexual encounters were the most prevalent risky behavior (89.6%) reported by the prisoners, followed by tattooing (34.7%) and injection drug use (24.2%). Conclusions: Although the previous studies reported that the main leading cause of acquiring HIV infection in Iranian prisons was injecting drug use, the prevalence of injecting drug use was less than the prevalence of unsafe sexual relationships and tattooing in the present research among the inmates of Tehran.

347-349

Authors: Babak Rezavand, Abbas Mahmoodzadeh Poornaki, Khojasteh Rahim Mokhtari, Alireza Mohammad, Ammar Andalibian, Jahangir Abdi

Objective: To detect Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 180 blood samples. In compliance with all ethical principles, 90 blood samples were taken from hemodialysis patients with ESRD and 90 samples from healthy volunteers. T. gondii screening was done using ELISA to search for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and by PCR for amplification of the T. gondii genome using specific primers. Results: The results were analyzed using SPSS software. Out of 90 patients on hemodialysis, 54 (60.0%) were positive for anti-toxoplasma IgG antibody, 3 (3.3%) for anti-toxoplasma IgM antibody and 5 patients (6%) were positive by PCR. From 90 healthy volunteers, 34 (37.8%) were positive for anti-toxoplasma IgG antibody. All the healthy volunteers were negative for anti-toxoplasma IgM antibody and in PCR. Compared with the gold standard method of ELISA, PCR had 100% sensitivity and 98.9% specificity in detection of T. gondii. Conclusions: PCR alongside serologic methods can be valuable for T. gondii screening. Given the high prevalence of T. gondii among hemodialysis patients with ESRD, T. gondii screening together with sanitary control of biological agents was recommended in dialysis units.

354-357

Authors: Farhad Shahsavar, Gholamreza Shahsavari, Alireza Azargoon

Objective: To investigate whether 677 C/T toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) (Arg677Trp), 753 G/A TLR2 (Arg753Gln), 299 A/G TLR4 (Asp299Gly) and 399 C/T TLR4 (Thr399Ile) polymorphisms are associated with the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in the Lur population of Iran. Methods: The genotyping of TLR2 and TLR4 polymorphisms accomplished by using PCRrestriction fragment length polymorphism in 100 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 100 healthy control individuals of Lur population of Iran. Results: GG genotype frequency of the 753 G/A TLR2 (Arg753Gln) polymorphism decreased significantly in the patient group as compared with the control group (65% in the patient group vs. 85% in the control group, P = 0.001 9, odds ratio = 0.328, condidence interval = 0.263–0.412). G allele frequency of the 753 G/A TLR2 (Arg753Gln) polymorphism decreased significantly in the patient group as compared with the control group (70% in the patient group vs. 90% in the control group, P = 0.000 8, odds ratio = 0.259, condidence interval = 0.189– 0.323). Conclusions: Our results suggest that 753 G/A TLR2 (Arg753Gln) polymorphism may play a role in the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in the Lur population of Iran.

361-365

Authors: Jazem Abdullah Mahyoub, Alaa Sulaiman Alsobhi, Khalid Al-Ghamdi, Najat Ali Khatter, Al Thabiani Aziz, Salman Abdo Al-Shami, Chellasamy Panneerselvam, Kadarkarai Murugan, Marcello Nicoletti, Angelo Canale, Giovanni Benelli

Objective: To explore the effects of different chemical larvicides, bioinsecticides and insect growth regulators against the West Nile vector Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) (Cx. pipiens) in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We tested seven commercial mosquito larvicides, including classic cyfluthrin, diazinon and propoxur, bioinsecticides Bactilarvae and Tracer 24%, and insect growth regulators Baycidal and Sumilarv. LC50 and LC90 values were calculated in laboratory conditions using probit analysis. Results: Concerning chemical insecticides, the highest larval mortality was observed for diazinon, with LC50 = 0.352 3 mg/L, followed by propoxur and cyfluthrin. The bacterial insecticide Tracer was more effective than Bactilarvae (LC50 = 0.0087 mg/L and 0.0117 mg/L, respectively) by 1.37 folds. Furthermore, Cx. pipiens larvae were more susceptible to insect growth regulators Baycidal (IC50 = 0.0004 mg/L) if compared to Sumilarv (IC50 = 0.0029 mg/L) by 7.25 folds. Conclusions: Overall, this research added basic knowledge about the effectiveness of seven mosquito larvicides with different mechanisms of action as potential candidates for the control programs of Cx. pipiens mosquito populations in Saudi Arabia.

372-375

Authors: Abdulkabir Oladele Oladimeji, Oluwatoyin Babatunde, Rukayat Titilayo Musa, Fausat Adeola M’civer, Abdulazeez Tunbosun Lawal, Isiaka Ajani Ogunwande

Objective: To determine the chemical constituents, cytotoxic activity and possible applications of the essential oils from the leaves of Abrus precatorius L. Gaertn. Methods: Hydro-distillation using Clevenger-type apparatus was employed to obtain the essential oils. Oil analysis was performed using an HP 6890 gas chromatograph coupled with an HP 5973 mass selective detector. The cytotoxicity bioassay was carried out using the brine shrimp lethality test. Results: Forty-five compounds were identified representing 100% of the oil. The principal components were γ-cadinene (19.1%), α-selinene (15.3%), α-cubenene (12.8%), β-caryophyllene (8.2%), germacrene B (7.9%), α-copaene (7.7%) and linalool (6.3%). Others are caryophyllene oxide (5.5%), β-elemene (5.4%) and α-caryophyllene (4.0%). The oil was potent with the LC50 value of 0.45 μg/mL. Conclusions: The essential oil from the leaves of Abrus precatorius L. Gaertn. could hold promise for future applications in the treatment of cancer-related diseases, in addition to flavor and fragrance industry.

380-384

Authors: Moynul Hasan, Jannatul Ferdous, Mahmodul Islam

Objective: To specify the current status of consciousness about flatulence and identify the effect of food and medicine used in gastritis status on it. Methods: It was an in-depth interview based qualitative analysis. A series of questions were asked to 300 individuals from 110 families about their food habit, knowledge about flatulence, possible cause, self-medication and course-completion of drug. Results: About 99.99% of respondents took rice, fish and vegetables as their main course, and 90% had self-medication, but only 2%–3% maintained the proper dose of drug. About 30% took antacid and the rest was the type of proton pump inhibitor, anti-ulcerant drugs. Conclusions: This survey reveals that a significant percentage of people are suffering from flatulence. Proper guidelines for taking medication and the avoidance of oily food and fiber rich diet may reduce its frequencies. Therefore, it is urgent to originate public cognizance and education on the cause and remedied issues through regular crusade.

390-395

Authors: Teerarat Prasertsee, Nattakarn Khantaprab, Panuwat Yamsakul, Pannita Santiyanont, Nipa Chokesajjawatee, Prapas Patchanee

Objective: To investigate the relationship between antimicrobial resistance characteristics and corresponding genes, and to diversify repetitive element sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprinting of three Salmonella serotypes: Rissen, Panama and Stanley, which were isolated from pig farms and slaughterhouses in Chiang Mai and Lumphun Provinces, Thailand. Methods: A total of 90 Salmonella strains were identified using the Kauffman-White scheme. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to investigate resistance phenotypes of 10 antimicrobial agents. Conventional PCR was used to detect 10 antimicrobial resistance genes, additionally, rep-PCR typing method was applied to identify clonality among Salmonella isolates. Results: The antimicrobial susceptibility testing found resistance to ampicillin (80.0%), streptomycin (65.6%), tetracycline (61.1%), sulfamethoxazole (53.3%), chloramphenicol (28.9%), nalidixic acid (6.7%) and cefotaxime (2.2%). All strains were sensitive to amoxicillinclavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. The most common antimicrobial resistance patterns among the isolates were ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, tetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole. The type and frequency of antimicrobial genes detected included blaTEM (100.0%), aadA2 (52.2%), cmlA (45.6%), strA (38.9%), tetA(B) (16.7%), sul1 (15.6%), blaOXA-2 (14.4%), blaPSE1 (6.7%), aphA1-lab (2.2%) and blaCMY-2 (1.1%). Conclusions: Statistical analysis revealed no association between antimicrobial resistance genes and resistance profiles with the exception of cmlA and chloramphenicol, sul1 and sulfamethoxazole, aadA2 and streptomycin, and strA and streptomycin (P < 0.05). Finally, the identical groups of clonal strains were detected by rep-PCR indicating similarity among Salmonella genotypes from farms and from slaughterhouses.

404-405

Authors: Mona Osama El-Shabrawy, Mona Mohamed Marzouk, Salwa Ali Kawashty, Hassnaa Ahmed Hosni, Ibrahim Ahmed El Garf, Nabiel Abdel Megied Saleh

Seven flavonoids were isolated for the first time from the defatted aqueous methanol extract of Dipcadi erythraeum Webb. & Berthel. They were identified as kaempferol (1), quercetin (2), quercetin 3-O-(6΄΄-α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-rhamnopyranoside (3), vitexin (4), isovitexin (5), orientin (6) and isoorientin (7). Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic analysis and also by comparison with authentic samples. The chemosystematic significance of these compounds was also summarized.