Archives of Clinical Infectious Diseases
Volume:15 Issue: 4, Aug 2020

Blastocystis hominis is recognized as a common intestinal parasite. Some studies have reported the effect of phenotypic, serologic, and biochemical indices on the parasites’ pathogenic characteristics.

This study aimed to introduce B. hominis as a pathogen, trying to change views about this parasite and introduce it as a parasite important in medical sciences.

An open-ended, language-restricted (English) search was conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases (from 1990 to 2018) using specific search criteria to identify Blastocystis spp.

The search of the literature retrieved 158 published articles on Blastocystis spp. Among these articles, the ones related to the pathogenicity of B. hominis were selected for further investigations. Results obtained in this study showed that the number of articles within five-year periods had an increasing trend. Also, studies of B. hominis have mainly investigated its pathogenic characteristics, accounting for 37.34% of the studies.

This study showed comprehensive reasons for proving the pathogenesis of the parasite. It is hoped that further studies would fill the existing gaps regarding this parasite and identify its true identity as a medically important parasite.

Using smart mobile devices, called mobile health (mHealth), facilitates providing health services, speeds up the process, and reduces the costs and complications of direct services. Also, mHealth has many capabilities and applications in epidemic and pandemic outbreaks. This study aimed to identify mHealth applications in epidemic/pandemic outbreaks and provide some suggestions for tackling COVID-19.

To find the relevant studies, searches were done in PubMed and Scopus by related keywords during 2014 - 2020 (March 10). After selecting the studies based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, data were collected by a data-gathering form.

Of the 727 retrieved studies, 17 studies were included. All studies emphasized the positive effect of mHealth for use in epidemic/pandemic outbreaks. The main applications of mHealth for epidemic/pandemic outbreaks included public health aspects, data management, educational programs, diagnosis, and treatment.

mHealth is an appropriate method for encountering epidemic/pandemic outbreaks due to its extensive applications. In the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19, mHealth is one of the best choices to use in the patient-physician relationship as tele-visits, using in fever coach, providing real-time information for healthcare providers, population monitoring, and detecting the disease based on obtained data from different locations.

No specific study has investigated the effect of non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and especially the effects of Ibuprofen on COVID-19, so far.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Ibuprofen on the severity of COVID-19 and mortality caused by the disease.

This study was conducted on 158 patients with COVID-19 who had consumed Ibuprofen, Gelofen, and Novafen for at least one week in the last three months. Patients were divided into three groups (mild, moderate and sever). The relationship among the severity of the disease and the history of ibuprofen consumption, diabetes, history of cardiovascular problems, hypertension, and GFR was investigated. Also, the association between the history of ibuprofen consumption, GFR ≤ 60 mL/min, hypertension, LDH ≥ 500 U/L, lymphocyte count ≤ 1500, and mortality was examined.

Our findings showed a significant relationship between the history of Ibuprofen before COVID-19 and the severity of COVID19, as well as the mortality rate (P value < 0.001, adjusted odd ratio: 2, respectively). This study also showed a significant relationship among the severity of the disease and the history of smoking, diabetes, hypertension, history of cardiovascular diseases, and GFR. In addition, a significant relationship was found among GFR ≤ 60 mL/min mortality, diabetes, LDH ≥ 500 U/L, and lymphocyte count ≤ 1500.

Our study showed a significant relationship between the history of the consumption of ibuprofen and its compounds before COVID-19 and the severity of COVID-19, as well as themortality rate of the patients with this disease, and accordingly, this result can suggest health policies during the epidemic of COVID-19.

Malignancies, in part, are responsible for high HIV-related morbidity and mortality. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) substantially decreases the risk of developing AIDS-defining cancers, HIV-infected individuals remain at high risk for nonAIDS-defining cancers.

In Iran, the epidemiology of AIDS and non-AIDS-defining cancers in the HIV-infected population has not been studied; therefore, this study investigated the prevalence of cancers among HIV-infected patients in Iran.

In this cross-sectional study, using convenient sampling, hospital records of 1243 HIV-infected patients from 2004 to 2017 were collected at the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran. The only inclusion criterion was a positive HIV result of ELISA and Western blot tests. The records were investigated for the occurrence of HIV- and non-HIV-defining cancers. To examine the association between relevant factors and cancer, we used a multivariate logistic regression model to calculate the adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR).

Thirty-nine out of 1243 HIV-infected patients, including 16males (41%) and 23 females (59%), were diagnosed with concurrent cancer (3.1%). Twenty-five individuals had AIDS-defining cancers (2%), and 14 had non-AIDS-defining cancers (1.1%). Cervical cancer was detected in 14 patients (1.1%), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 7 patients (0.6%), and Kaposi’s sarcoma in 4 patients (0.3%). There was a significant association between age group (30-40 years old) and the type of cancer (P = 0.048). Age group (adjusted odds ratio 3.33 for age group≥ 50 yrs, 95% CI: 0.42-26.60) and gender (adjusted odds ratio 0.36 for men, 95% CI: 0.18–0.70) remained independently associated with cancer (P < 0.05).

The prevalence of AIDS-defining cancers was higher than non-AIDS-defining cancers. These results highlighted the importance of promoting cancer screening and early ART initiation among HIV-infected patients.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa andAcinetobacter baumanniiis a profound therapeutic concern requiring innovative antimicrobials. Nanotechnology has unlocked new promises, and nanoparticles (NPs) have been used either alone or in combinations against MDR bacteria to overcome antibacterial resistance.

We aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of silver and chitosan nanoparticles alone and in combination with either ciprofloxacin or gentamicin against A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa strains.

The antibacterial activities of synthesized materials were evaluated using microdilution broth, disc diffusion, and drop diffusion methods and the expression of target genes by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

The result of disc diffusion and drop diffusion methods for chitosan when assessed against MDR or wild type P. aeruginosa and MDR A. baumannii at different concentrations ranged from 8 - 35 mm and 6 - 15 mm respectively, while the range was lower in the nanoparticle form of chitosan. The results also showed that the expression of efflux pump adeB in A. baumannii and mexB in P. aeruginosa decreased after treatment with chitosan, chitosan nanoparticles, and silver nanoparticles; thus, they may be good candidates as efflux pump inhibitors.

The present study showed the superiority of antibacterial and anti-efflux pump activity of chitosan over silver nanoparticles against MDR P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii

Infection with the novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), producing a clinical syndrome known as COVID-19, is a budding infectious disease that first manifested in December 2019 in China and subsequently spread worldwide.

We performed an analysis of cardiac injurymarkers to determine their usefulness as predictors of severity andmortality

In a retrospective study, we enrolled 73 patients with confirmed diagnoses of COVID-19, from March 21, 2020, to April 24, 2020. Serial tests of cardiac injury markers, including cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), were considered for the analysis of potential cardiac damage.

Among 149 patients with confirmed COVID-19, data from 73 patients were studied. Of them, 58 (79.46%) patients were discharged, and 15 (20.54 %) patients died. The mean age was 58.50 (14.66) years. Patients were classified into mild (39 cases), severe (17 cases), and critical (17 cases) groups. The peak cardiac troponin I level (0.11 ng/mL [IQR: 0.33–0.20]), peak NT-pro BNP level (5840.35 pg/mL [IQR: 1609.39 – 10071.32]), and peak LDH level (578.65 UI/l[IQR: 313.40 – 843.90]) were significantly higher in the critical group, and the three cardiac injury parameters were significantly higher in the death group, suggesting that they are significantly associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality.

The understanding of cardiovascular system injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 and its underlying mechanisms is of great importance for the early clinical management of these patients and mortality reduction.

Human parvovirus B19 is a single-stranded DNA and non-enveloped virus which belongs to the Parvoviridae family. The virus spreads through respiratory secretions and perinatal blood. B19 may cause serious complications in patients with cellular immunodeficiency that have no detectable antibodies to B19, such as aplastic crises in solid organs.

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of parvovirus B19 and to evaluate the presence of B19 DNA among blood donors in Golestan Province.

Sera of 400 blood donors in Golestan Province who were negative for HIV, HbsAg, and HCV were tested for both IgG and IgM anti-B19 virus antibodies using the ELISA method, following which all sera were tested for the presence of B19 DNA by semi-nested PCR.

242 (out of 400) subjects (60.5%; 95% CI) were positive for anti-B19 IgG, and 158 were negative for IgG antibody (39.5%; 95% CI). Moreover, all asymptomatic blood donors were negative for anti-B19 IgM. No viral genome was found in serum samples of donors.

Since no viral genome was found in the donors’ serum samples and the relatively high prevalence of anti HPV- B19 IgG in blood donors, it can be concluded that the possibility of B19 transmission through blood transfusion is low. However, special caution should be taken when transfusing blood to the high-risk groups such as pregnant women, immune-deficient patients, and those with hematological problems, particularly regarding IgG anti- HPV- B19 antibodies (HPV- B19-safe).

The outbreak of (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan, China, and pneumonia induced by this virus is named coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). By March 29, 2020, 737000 people were infected and 35000 died worldwide. To date, no effective medication is recommended to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the drugs introduced are still in the clinical trial phase. Tocilizumab and Remdisivir are possible drugs to treat and improve the symptoms of the patients. We prescribed a combination of Remdisivir and Tocilizumab to treat three critical patients with Covid-19, and presented the results in this article. After the duration of treatment with this combination, one case was improved and discharged, but, unfortunately, two cases expired.

The new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, can potentially involve in the central nervous system. The most important neurological manifestations include dizziness, headache, hypogeusia, hyposmia, ataxia, seizure, ischemic stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, encephalopathy, encephalitis, meningitis, seizure, cerebral vein thrombosis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

In this case series, we reported five patients with consciousness alteration and focal neurological deficit and neuroimaging that is consistent with intracerebral hemorrhage. In all patients, there was an association with COVID-19 infection.

While the neurological manifestation of COVID-19 has not been appropriately defined, it is possible that a number of patients, particularly those who suffer from a severe illness, had central nervous system involvement. Thus, the neurologists should be aware of the likelihood of any neurological symptoms of COVID-19 infection.