Iranian Journal of Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Moleculartyping and antibiotic resistance pattern of <i>Aeromonas hydrophila</i> isolated from children with diarrhea in Qom, Iran.","authors":"Pegah Shakib, Mohammad Reza Zolfaghari, Mina Hosseini, Fatemeh Mosaei, Seyed Soheil Aghaei","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21655","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21655","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Today there are reports of the spread of multiple antibiotic resistance in <i>Aeromonas</i> spp., which can be opportunistic pathogens and can cause infection in the host. This study aimed to investigate ERIC-PCR and BOX-PCR typing, drug resistance pattern, and tetracycline, sulfonamide, and fluoroquinolone resistance genes in <i>Aeromonas hydrophila</i> collected from diarrhea samples of children in Qom City, Iran.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In our cross-sectional descriptive study, isolates of <i>A. hydrophila</i> isolated from children's diarrhea samples at Hazrat Masoumeh Hospital in Qom were evaluated between 2018 and 2020. Once isolates confirmed, the level of antimicrobial resistance of the strains was determined by the disk diffusion assay following the recommendations of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The genes of <i>tetA</i>, <i>tetB</i>, <i>tetC</i>, <i>tetD</i>, <i>tetE</i>, <i>sul1</i>, <i>sul2</i>, <i>Edq1qc</i>, <i>qnrA</i>, <i>qnrB</i>, <i>qnrS</i> were studied using the PCR method. Then the genetic diversity of the isolates was investigated by ERIC-PCR and box-PCR. Finally, data analysis was done with SPSS version 16.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 100 <i>A. hydrophila</i> strains, the highest resistance, and sensitivity were related to ampicillin (92%) and azithromycin (96%), respectively. The frequency of <i>tetA</i>, <i>tetB</i>, <i>tetC</i>, <i>tetD</i>, <i>tetE</i>, <i>sul1</i>, <i>sul2</i>, <i>Edq1qc</i>, <i>qnrA</i>, <i>qnrB</i>, <i>qnrS</i> genes was 23, 24, 27, 23, 21, 26, 10, 22, 8, 11, 15%, respectively. With ERIC-PCR and BOX-PCR techniques, all isolates could be typed, so that 8 genetic patterns were determined in ERIC-PCR and 10 genetic patterns were determined in BOX-PCR. A significant relationship was found between cefotaxime and tetA (p = 0.012), ciprofloxacin and tetC (p = 0.018), cefotaxime and qnrA (p = 0.04), and also between tetracycline resistance genes and both sulfonamide genes (p > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>For the first time this study revealed resistance genes for tetracycline, sulfonamide, and fluoroquinolones in <i>A. hydrophila</i> isolated from childeren's diarrhea samples in Qom. Even though these antimicrobial resistance genes are present in our study and bacteria are resistant to different types of antimicrobials, it can be predicted that the abundance of these genes will increase in the future. We also observed that <i>A. hydrophila</i> isolates had high genetic diversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"322-331"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13266077/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mating type and genotyping of <i>Candida albicans</i> isolated from different samples.","authors":"Abed Karimpour, Maral Gharaghani, Amir Kamal Hardani, Hadis Jafarian, Ali Zarei Mahmoudabadi","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21669","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21669","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong><i>Candida albicans</i> is a common opportunistic pathogen. Genotyping based on the 25S rDNA and mating type locus (MTL) allows for epidemiological and genetic profiling. This study aimed to characterize the genotypes and mating types of <i>C. albicans</i> isolates from various clinical sources in Iran.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Ninety-four isolates from clinical samples (saliva, urine, vaginal swabs, and skin scrapings) were cultured on CHROMagar Candida and identified by standard phenotypic methods. Genotyping was performed using CAINT primers, and mating type analysis was conducted using MTLa1 and MTLα1 primers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, 94 isolates of <i>C. albicans</i> from various sources were analyzed. Genotype A was the most frequent (65%), followed by genotypes C (24.5%), B (9.6%), and D (1.1%). Most isolates (97.9%) were heterozygous at the MTL locus, only two isolates homozygous (α/α).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Genotype A and MTL-heterozygous strains were predominant among <i>C. albicans</i> isolates, suggesting a consistent molecular pattern across different clinical sources and regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"422-427"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265929/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High prevalence of seronegative occult hepatitis C in high-risk individuals.","authors":"Azadeh Haghi Navand, Azarakhsh Azaran, Mina Bavi, Farid Yousefi, Maryam Dastorpour, Manoochehr Makvandi","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21665","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21665","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Routine screening for occult hepatitis C virus (OHCV) is not a standard procedure in medical laboratories, which has resulted in an increased incidence of OHCV among high-risk groups and the general population. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of (OHCV) in Iranian injecting drug users (IDUs).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>To determine chronic hepatitis C virus(HCV) and OHCV, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) were collected from 103 (96 (93.2%) males, 7 (6.79%) females) IDUs. Their plasma was tested for Anti-HCV (ELISA). Following RNA extraction from plasma and PBMCs, RT-nested PCR was employed to amplify the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) and core regions of the HCV genome in plasma and PBMCs from IDUs. Sequencing of the 5'UTR and core regions, along with phylogenetic tree construction, was used to determine HCV genotypes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 103 individuals, 12/96 males (12.5%) were positive for both anti-HCV and HCV RNA in plasma, indicating chronic HCV infection. In addition, 18/96 males (18.75%) and 1/7 females (14.28%) were positive for anti-HCV but negative for HCV RNA, indicating evidence of past HCV infection (p = 0.1). Furthermore, 5 individuals, including 4/94 males (4.1%) and 1/7 females (14.28%), were found to be seropositive for HCV (p = 0.77). Meanwhile, 23/103 individuals (22.33%), including 20/96 males (20.8%) and 3/7 females (42.85%), were seronegative for HCV (p = 0.37). HCV genotype 1a was the dominant genotype among IDUs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In conclusion, a high prevalence of HCV infection was observed among IDUs, underscoring the pressing necessity for the implementation of an efficacious strategy to eradicate HCV transmission in this high-risk population.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"382-392"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265971/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> infection and the hypothalamic-pituitary axis: association with cortisol and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels in adults.","authors":"Nedaa Husein, Muna M Abbas, Dania Basha, Dima Tareq Owais, Nameer Amer Hanineh-Halasa","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21653","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21653","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong><i>Helicobacter pylori</i> is a common chronic bacterial infection primarily associated with gastrointestinal disease. Increasing evidence suggests that <i>H. pylori</i> may also exert systemic effects beyond the stomach, including possible modulation of neuroendocrine pathways. This study aimed to investigate the association between <i>H. pylori</i> infection and alterations in serum cortisol and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels as indicators of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis activity.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In this case-control study, 850 adults were enrolled, including 425 <i>H. pylori</i>-positive cases and 425 <i>H. pylori</i>-negative controls. Active <i>H. pylori</i> infection was determined using a monoclonal stool antigen test (HpSA). Fasting venous blood samples were collected between 08:00 and 10:00 AM under standardized conditions. Serum cortisol and TSH levels were measured using validated immunoassays. Group comparisons, correlation analysis, sex-stratified subgroup analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong><i>H. pylori</i>-positive participants had significantly higher serum cortisol levels and lower TSH levels compared with controls (both p < 0.001). A significant inverse correlation between cortisol and TSH was observed only in infected participants (r = -0.41, p < 0.001). These hormonal alterations were evident in both sexes. ROC analysis showed moderate discriminatory performance for cortisol (AUC = 0.71) and fair-to-moderate performance for TSH (AUC = 0.67).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong><i>H. pylori</i> infection was significantly associated with elevated cortisol levels, reduced TSH levels, and an inverse relationship between both hormones in adults. These findings suggest that chronic <i>H. pylori</i> infection may influence both HPA and HPT axis regulation and support further investigation into its systemic neuroendocrine effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"306-311"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265850/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro antifungal resistance and molecular analysis of the SQLE gene in dermatophytosis: a laboratory-based study.","authors":"Jegan Charlies, Latha Ragunathan, Kavitha Kanniyan, Jeyakumari Duraipandian","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21667","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21667","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Dermatophytosis is a common superficial fungal infection that affects the keratinised tissues. This study examines the antifungal resistance mechanisms and molecular detection of squalene epoxidase gene alterations in clinical isolates from patients.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study conducted from January 2019 to December 2020 included 110 clinically suspected dermatophytosis specimens. Microscopy, culture, CLSI M38-A2 broth microdilution testing, and PCR-based ITS and SQLE (520 bp) amplification were performed. MIC50, MIC90, geometric mean, and ranges were analysed using SPSS version 19 with P < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 110 suspected cases were evaluated, with 78 (70.9%) males. KOH positivity reached 100%, while culture positivity was 47.3% (52/110). <i>Trichophyton rubrum</i> accounted for 38.5% isolates. Fluconazole MICs were ≥64 μg/mL. 39/52 isolates showed terbinafine resistance, with 23 expressing the 520 bp SQLE gene.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Terbinafine and caspofungin showed consistent in vitro activity, while fluconazole showed limited activity. Routine susceptibility testing guides drug selection, improves treatment outcomes, and supports rational management of resistant dermatophytosis cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"403-412"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265854/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of green synthesis CuO nanoparticles using <i>Salvia officinalis</i> hydroalcoholic extract.","authors":"Abdolrazagh Marzban, Pegah Shakib, Seyedeh Zahra Mirzaei, Gholamreza Goudarzi, Fatemeh Jahani","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21660","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21660","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Following the emergence of microbial resistance to chemical antimicrobial agents, researchers have recently focused on the effects of nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activity. This research aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) produced using the hydroalcoholic extract of <i>Salvia officinalis</i> (<i>S. officinalis</i>).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In this study, after preparing the hydroalcoholic extract of <i>S. officinalis</i> and synthesizing CuO-NPs using this extract, the synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated. The antimicrobial properties of synthesized CuO-NPs were investigated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the microbroth dilution method. The minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) and antioxidant activity of CuO-NPs and the hydroalcoholic extract of <i>S. officinalis</i> against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (<i>P. aeruginosa</i>) were investigated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CuO-NPs have a size in the range of 40 nm and a monoclinic crystal structure. Antimicrobial activity assessment by well diffusion showed that the synthesized CuO-NP nanoparticles at concentrations below 5 mg/mL had no antimicrobial effect on any of the bacteria studied. The lowest MIC of the synthesized CuO-NPs was observed against <i>Staphylococcus saprophyticus</i> (<i>S. saprophyticus</i>), and the highest against <i>P. aeruginosa</i> and <i>Bacillus cereus</i> (<i>B. cereus</i>). On the other hand, the highest MBC was related to <i>B. cereus</i>. The plant extract exhibited much weaker antimicrobial activity than CuO-NPs. The results obtained showed that the MBIC for CuO-NPs was 312 μg/mL. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) obtained from CuO-NPs and the hydroalcoholic extract of <i>S. officinalis</i> was 2.79 and 1.97mg/ml, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the results of this study, the green synthesis of CuO-NPs using hydroalcoholic extract of <i>S. officinalis</i> is a suitable candidate for the preparation of antimicrobial and antibiofilm compounds that also have antioxidant properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"345-356"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265927/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spectrum of central nervous system mycoses and antifungal susceptibility: a two-year retrospective analysis from a tertiary care hospital in India.","authors":"Sukanya Sudhaharan, Umabala Pamidimukkala, Shivani Bojja, Nikhil Gandi, Vamsi Krishna Yerramneni, Sireesha Yareeda","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21668","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21668","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The frequency of central nervous system (CNS) fungal infections is rising, leading to increased mortality. These infections pose diagnostic challenges, and therapy depends on the specific fungal pathogen identified. Only a few studies from India have examined the spectrum of fungal pathogens causing CNS infections. The objective of this study was to analyze the clinical and microbiological diversity of fungal pathogens responsible for CNS infections.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This was a retrospective study conducted at a tertiary care center in India from January 2023 to December 2024. The study included patients in whom fungi were isolated from cerebrospinal fluid, brain abscess pus, and paraspinal abscesses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine fungal pathogens were identified during the study period. Three isolates were yeasts and six were molds. Brain abscess was the predominant clinical presentation. The yeast isolates included <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> (n = 1) in meningitis and <i>Candida tropicalis</i> (n = 1) and <i>Candida parapsilosis</i> (n = 1) in VP shunt infections. The molds isolated from brain abscesses included <i>Cladophialophora bantiana</i> (n = 1), <i>Rhizopus arrhizus</i> (n = 1), <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> (n = 2), <i>Scedosporium apiospermum</i> (n = 1), and <i>Chaetomium lucknowensis</i> (n = 1). Mortality was observed in 4 of 9 cases (44.4%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In the present study, nine fungal pathogens were isolated over a two-year period from varied clinical presentations. This highlights the rarity of the condition, which should not be overlooked.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"413-421"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simultaneous GCN4 co-expression and promoter optimization enhance glucose oxidase production in <i>Pichia pastoris</i>.","authors":"Nasrin Ghafari, Mohammad Reza Zolfaghari, Jamshid Raheb, Ali Asghar Karkhane, Seyed Soheil Aghaei, Bijan Bambai, Amena Mohaghegh","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21670","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21670","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>This study aimed to enhance glucose oxidase (GOX) production in <i>Pichia pastoris</i> GS115 using a novel dual-promoter system, combining the constitutive <i>glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase</i> promoter (p<i>GAP</i>) in pGAPZαA with the methanol-inducible <i>Alcohol oxidase 1</i> promoter (p<i>AOX1</i>) in PIC9.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The <i>GOX</i> gene from <i>Aspergillus niger</i> (ATCC 9029) and a transcription factor, <i>general control nonderepressible 4</i> (<i>GCN4</i>) gene from <i>P. pastoris</i> were co-expressed to mitigate oxidative stress, thereby improving cell viability and enzyme yield. The recombinant construct pGAPZαA-<i>GOX</i>-<i>GCN4</i> was transformed into <i>P. pastoris</i> GS115 and <i>P. pastoris</i> GS115-PIC9 via electroporation. Expression conditions under various temperatures and pH treatments were optimized. We examined glucose oxidase expression by inducing methanol at concentrations of 100% and 5% in BMMY (Buffered Methanol-complex-medium). The highest enzyme levels were observed at pH 6.0, 34°C, and 5% methanol induction. Enzyme validation was performed using SDS and Western blotting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Co-expression of <i>GCN4</i> significantly enhanced GOX production, achieving 16.65 μg/mL (333 U/mL) in <i>P. pastoris</i> GS115-PIC9-pGAPZαA-<i>GOX</i>-<i>GCN4</i>(2), a 377.4-fold increase over the control, and 11.03 μg/mL (220.6 U/mL) in <i>P. pastoris</i> GS115-PIC9-pGAPZαA-<i>GOX</i>-<i>GCN4</i>(3), a 249.65-fold increase.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results demonstrate that <i>GCN4</i>'s stress mitigation amplifies the synergy between constitutive and inducible promoters. The dual-promoter strategy offers a robust platform for recombinant protein production.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"428-438"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13266042/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic variations on influenza virus infection outcomes in Moroccan patients.","authors":"Hassan Ihazmade, Zakia Regragui, Abderrahman Bimouhen, Imane Belbacha, Fatima El Falaki, Bouchra Benfathallah, Elmir Elharti, Soumia Triki, Khalid Sadki, Hicham Oumzil","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21662","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21662","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The influenza infection remains a significant global health challenge, it leads to illnesses that vary from mild to severe, and in certain cases, death. The innate immune response is the first line of defense against pathogen invaders; identification of variants associated with susceptibility or protection could further elucidate immune mechanisms and provide the basis for new therapeutic targets.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We investigated four widely studied SNPs on the immune response to RNA infection in samples collected as part of sentinel influenza surveillance system. Of 1925 nasopharyngeal swabs collected from patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), 115 samples were positive for ILI and 83 were positive for SARI. A third group of healthy individuals was also enrolled as a control. Genetic polymorphisms of the <i>OAS3</i> (<i>rs10735079</i>), <i>TYK2</i> (<i>rs74956615</i>) and <i>APOBEC3G</i> (<i>rs8177832</i> and <i>rs2294367</i>) genes were genotyped using Human TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays (ThermoFisher Scientific©). The association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) with ILI and SARI was investigated using SNPStats software.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The <i>rs2294367</i> in <i>APOBECG3</i> show a strong and significant association with ILI and SARI across all genetic models, with a p-value<0.001 and OR between 2 and 6, while no association was found with <i>rs8177832</i>. The results for <i>TYK2</i> suggest a potential protective effect, while the <i>OAS3</i> SNP shows a strong and significant association with a decreased risk of Influenza infection specially with ILI group (OR<1 and p < 0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results open up a new perspective for new methods and strategies of therapy aimed to enhance the body's natural defenses against influenza virus infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"357-366"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265853/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular detection of <i>Anaplasma</i> spp. in blood and ticks collected from sheep and goat in West Azerbaijan province, Iran.","authors":"Ahmad Enferadi, Amir Tukmechi, Katayoon Nofouzi, Zahraalsadat Tavakolian","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21666","DOIUrl":"10.18502/ijm.v18i3.21666","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Anaplasmosis, an ailment affecting both captive and free-ranging small ruminants, is instigated by <i>Anaplasma</i> spp., a tick-vectored, obligate intracellular rickettsial bacterium. Iran's ovine and caprine populations, numbering roughly 71 million, are vital to its financial structure.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This study investigated the prevalence of <i>Anaplasma</i> species in sheep and goats within West Azerbaijan province. Additionally, nucleic acid specimens were isolated from gathered ticks and examined for <i>Anaplasma</i> spp. Through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) utilizing the major surface protein gene (<i>groEL</i>).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong><i>Anaplasma</i> was detected in 161 (69.0%) of 919 ovine and 82 (71.3%) of 243 caprine blood DNA extracts. Subsequently, genetic material from 426 ticks comprised of <i>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</i> (n=146), <i>Rhipicephalus turanicus</i> (n=63), <i>Hyalomma asiaticum</i> (n=56), <i>Hyalomma anatolicum</i> (n=74), and <i>Hyalomma egebtiom</i> (n=87) was screened for <i>A. ovis</i> utilizing the same methodology.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This research not only confirmed the presence of <i>A. ovis</i> within Iranian sheep and goats but also implicated ticks as a possible vector for its transmission. The findings emphasize the importance of monitoring the health status of Iran's small ruminants to detect clinical manifestations of anaplasmosis and of implementing effective tick control strategies worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"18 3","pages":"393-402"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265973/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}