A young male, plantation worker from Southeast Asia, presented with a non-productive cough, intermittent high-grade fever with chills, and significant weight loss over two months. Prior investigations were non-contributory, despite various antibiotics, his symptoms persisted. Physical examination and routine investigations, including an extensive microbiological workup for fever were non-contributory. A positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scan performed for pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) revealed pulmonary consolidation, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and splenic microabscesses. Material aspirated via endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) from the left interlobar lymph node was positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei on conventional nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), confirming a diagnosis of melioidosis. Following appropriate antibiotic therapy, there was a complete resolution of symptoms. This case underscores the diagnostic challenges and the need for advanced techniques in identifying melioidosis, which can mimic tuberculosis.

The objective of this study was to investigate the presence and genetic attributes of Borrelia spp. in cats and dogs from the West Azerbaijan Province, located in the northwest of Iran. A total of 250 blood samples from cats and 300 blood samples from dogs were collected, and information regarding their age, sex, breed, ownership status, sampling time and region was recorded. The identification of positive samples was accomplished through nested-PCR and sequencing, with subsequent analysis of the gene sequences conducted using BioEdit software. The gene sequences for Borrelia spp. in this study showed 100% similarity to reference sequences in the GenBank® database. Phylogenetic trees were built using MEGA11. The outcomes indicated that among 250 blood samples from cats, 48 (19.2%) tested positive for Borrelia spp. gene, with a CI from 14.8 to 24.53% for cats. Similarly, out of 300 blood samples from dogs, 45 (15%) tested positive for the Borrelia spp. gene, with a CI from 11.4 to 19.48% for dogs.

UNASSIGNED: Infectious bronchitis (IB) is an economically important disease in poultry with worldwide distribution. The occurrence of IB has been reported both in commercial and backyard poultry in Ethiopia, although comprehensive information lacks available prevalence of the disease and the circulating serotypes.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to June 2022 in seven commercial farms found in East Shewa, Central Ethiopia. Serological assay using indirect ELISA, virus isolation techniques in embryonated eggs, and molecular techniques such as one-step reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting a 466 bp S1 gene were employed.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 196 blood samples, 7 pools (35) of swab samples, and 5 pools of tracheal samples were investigated. The results of serological analysis revealed that 97.96% (192/196; 95% CI: 94.86-99.44) of the sera samples were found to be positive for antibodies against IBV. Out of the 7 pools of swab and 5 pools of tracheal tissue samples analyzed using RT-PCR 33.3% (4/12) of them gave positive results all from swab samples. The RT-PCR-positive samples were subjected to a nested PCR yielding 295bp and 154bp indicating the circulation of Mass and 793/B (4/91) strains of IBV, respectively. The 12 pools of samples inoculated into embryonated egg showed cytopathic changes such as congestion, bleeding, and deformation only after three passages.
UNASSIGNED: Two serotypes of IBV are circulating in Ethiopian chickens, and molecular identification of the Massachusetts serotype is the first report in Ethiopia. Further epidemiological investigation is needed in order to devise effective control measures.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection can make a significant influence to the prevention of the dangerous consequences of toxoplasmosis, particularly in immunocompromised people.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to assess the frequency and genotyping of T. gondii in blood samples of patients with hemodialysis.
METHODS: In the current investigation, a total of 379 blood samples were taken from subjects with hemodialysis who were referred to teaching hospital of Ahvaz in the southwest of Iran. The samples were evaluated using the Nested PCR by targeting the B1 gene, and then, sequencing and phylogenetic tree were constructed.
RESULTS: T. gondii DNA was found in 112 (29.55%) of the blood samples by Nested PCR. Amplicons from T. gondii revealed high identity with GenBank sequences. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all sequences were closely related to Type I of T. gondii.
CONCLUSIONS: Because of the high incidence of toxoplasmosis with type I prevalent in hemodialysis patients, we recommend a systematic screening for toxoplasmosis to carry out for monitoring the possible dissemination of toxoplasmosis during hemodialysis.

暂无摘要。

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and genetic characteristics of Bartonella quintana in pet cats from Urmia City, located in the northwest of Iran. Blood samples were collected from 200 cats, and their age, gender, and breed were noted. Nested-PCR and sequencing were used to identify B. quintana in positive samples, and the ftsZ gene sequences were analyzed using BioEdit software. The gene sequence obtained in this study exhibited 100.00 % similarity to reference sequences in the GenBank® database, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA11. The results revealed that 15 % of the cats (30 out of 200 blood samples) tested positive for the B. quintana gene, with a 95 % confidence interval of 10.71 % to 20.61 %.

Francisella tularensis, causative agent of tularemia, is a contagious zoonotic ailment. This study was aimed to molecularly detect F. tularensis in tortoise blood (n = 100) and ticks (n = 100) collected in the West Azerbaijan province, Iran suing a 16SrRNA gene of the Francisella genus through employment of the Nested-PCR technique. The identified ticks were s Hyalomma aegyptium by morphological analysis. Seven percent (with a 95% CI: 3.5%-13.75%) of animal blood samples yielded positive results for the presence of the Francisella. Meanwhile, the Francisella was identified in tick samples at a rate of fifteen percent (15%) (with a 95% CI: 9%-23%). The samples containing positive results were specifically classified as F. tularensis subsp. holarctica. The samples were taken from ticks belonging to the H. aegyptium species that were gathered in Oshnavieh, southern part of West Azerbaijan province, Iran. This research was aimed to validate the existence of F. tularensis in ticks found within the West Azerbaijan province. Consequently, it is vital to acknowledge the potential of these ticks to transmit the bacteria to both livestock and humans through tick bites in this specific area.

OBJECTIVE: Prior studies have shown controversial results on the vertical transmission of BK virus (BKV). The present study aimed to assess the possibility of BKV vertical transmission from mother to fetus in the product of conception (embryo, fetuses, and/or placentas) over the three stages of pregnancy.
RESULTS: Of the 26 placental studied tissues, 6 were in the first trimester, and none of which were positive. Only one out of the 13 (7.7%) placental materials in the second trimester was positive. Only one out of 7 (14%) placental materials of the third trimester was positive. There were cases that no virus was detected in their placental but BKV was detected in their other tissues. Among 26 conceptuses, 17 (65%) were negative for BKV and 9 (34.6%) were positive, 7/13 (54%) were positive in the second, and 2/7 (29%) were positive in the third trimester fetuses. BKV was most frequently detected in the liver (eight cases), heart (three cases), and placenta (2 cases). There were cases that no virus was detected in their placental but BKV was detected in their other tissues.

The role of wildlife in the complex balance of tick-borne diseases within ecosystems is crucial, as they serve as hosts for tick carriers and reservoirs for the pathogens carried by these ticks. This study aimed to investigate the presence of zoonotic pathogenic bacteria in wildlife, specifically in hares and long-eared hedgehogs (Hemiechinus megalofis), in the eastern region of Iran. The focus was on the detection of Borrelia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Anaplasma spp., Francisella spp., and Leptospira spp., using the Nested-PCR method. We analyzed a total of 124 blood samples, and 196 ticks collected from hares and long-eared hedgehogs were analyzed. The Nested-PCR method was employed to identify the presence of zoonotic pathogenic bacteria DNA. Our study revealed the presence of these zoonotic pathogenic bacteria in both wildlife species, indicating their potential role as hosts and reservoirs for the ticks carrying these pathogens. The specific presence and prevalence of Borrelia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Anaplasma spp., Francisella spp., and Leptospira spp. were determined through the Nested-PCR method. This study contributes to the limited knowledge about the involvement of wild animals in the transmission of tick-borne diseases. By using the Nested-PCR method, we successfully identified the presence of zoonotic pathogenic bacteria in hares and long-eared hedgehogs. This study emphasizes the need for further research to better understand the ecological process of tick-borne diseases, particularly the role of wildlife in their spread. Such knowledge is crucial for wildlife conservation efforts and the management of tick-borne diseases, ultimately benefiting both animal and human health.

BACKGROUND: The role of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection in malignant and benign lesions such as head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) and oral mucocele lesions has not been established. Herein, we examined, for the first time, the presence of B19V in HNSCCs from Iranian subjects.
METHODS: One hundred and eight HNSCC specimens were analyzed for the presence of B19V using nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) and TaqMan quantitative PCR assays. Immunohistochemistry procedures were performed to evaluate the expression of B19V VP1/VP2 proteins, p16INK4a, and NF-κB in tumor tissues and their adjacent non-tumor tissues. In addition, 40 oral mucocele, 30 oral buccal mucosa swabs, and 30 nasopharyngeal swabs obtained from healthy adults were analyzed as controls.
RESULTS: B19V DNA was detected in 36.1% of HNSCCs. Further, 23.3% of HNSCC specimens showed immunoreactivity against B19V VP1/VP2 proteins. There was a significant difference in the frequency of B19V DNA-positive cases between the patient and control groups (p < 0.0001). Moreover, comparing tumoral tissues and their adjacent non-tumor tissues in terms of immunoreactivity against B19V structural proteins, a significant association was found between tumor tissues and B19V infection (p < 0.0001). Finally, investigating the simultaneous presence of B19V and high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) DNA, we found a significant association between these two viral infections in HNSCCs (p = 0.031).
CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, B19V was frequently present in HNSCC tissues of Iranian patients but mostly absent in the adjacent non-tumor tissues as well as oral mucocele lesions, buccal, and nasopharyngeal swabs of healthy subjects. HPV possibly contributes to B19V persistence in HNSCC tissues. Additional research is required to investigate potential etiological or cofactor roles of B19V in the development of HNSCCs.