Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives:

handling of food and money contributes to the incidence of food-related public health incidents.

The objective of this study was to determine the total bacterial count and the presence of food borne

bacterial pathogens on Iranian currency notes, collected from food-related shops.

Materials and Methods: A total of 120 Iranian currency notes, comprising notes in four  denomination (2000, 5000, 10000 and 20000 R) were collected from various food-related shops including, butchery, bakery, confectionary, fast food, ice cream and poultry meat shop. The currency notes were categorized into three groups according to their physical conditions. All currency notes were examined for total bacterial count, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella and Listeria according to the standard techniques.
Results: The average number of total bacterial count in four denomination of currency notes (2000,  5000, 10000 and 20000 R) were 118.49, 106.32, 69.44 and 220.81 CFU/cm2, respectively. The association between total bacterial count and denomination of the currency was not statistically significant. Of the 120 currency notes on which bacteriological analysis was conducted 13.3 %, 32.5% and 10.8 % were contaminated with E. coli, S. aureus and B. cereus, respectively. Salmonella and Listeria were not isolated from samples. Currency notes collected from butchery, bakery, confectionary, fast food, ice cream and poultry meat shop were contaminated with E. coli at the rate of 60, 0, 5, 5, 0 and 10 % with S. aureus at the rate of 55, 30, 10, 25, 40 and 35 % with B. cereus at the rate of 0, 10, 20, 5, 20 and 10 %, respectively. There was not a statistically significant association between physical condition and bacterial contamination of the currency notes. The effect of presence or absence of cashier in food-related shops on bacterial contamination of the currency notes was also evaluated.
Conclusion: Money has got the potential to change through many different hands and could be  exposed to many different environments at a relatively high frequency. Since there is very little information regarding the hygienic history of any forms of currency, great care should be taken when the same person facilitates the handling of money and the preparation and handling of food to avoid cross contamination.

Backgrounds and Objectives: Swimming pools water if not disinfected properly can be one of the infection sources of different microorganisms such as staphylococcus. This study is to aware the authorities and users about the conditions existed in sheltered swimming pools in Sari and to believe the contamination of the water there, related to the existence of staphylococcus aureus.

Materials and Method: In this descriptive study 32 specimens collected randomly from 15 swimming pools in action during three months from 60 cm deep under specific conditions in sterile containers and taken to the laboratory of health college in 2 hrs and were analyzed for the contamination from staphylococcus aureus and some other parameters like temperature, pH, chlorine residual and opacity on the basis of microbiological and standard methods.

Result: Results showed an average temperature of 27.08 degree Celsius, PH=7.6, average chlorine residual 1 mil/l and opacity average was 77 NTU % and the highest contamination from staphylococcus aureus (29.3 %) in C and the lowest (10.19 %) was observed in D swimming pool. Furthermore this analysis showed that in 90% of specimens there was a direct relationship between the ratio of chlorine residual, times of swimming, water temperature and the number of staphylococcus.

Conclusion: Swimming pools water if not disinfected properly can be one of the infection sources of different microorganisms such as staphylococcus. Some suggestions inorder to optimization of the swimming pools condition presented in this paper.

BackgroundsAandObjectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are important pathogens that producewidespread infections. Purpose of this studywas to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of ultrasonic irradiation (US) alone and in combination with antibiotic on antibiotic resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.
Materials and Methods: In this study ultrasonic irradiation (US) in a laboratory-scale batch sonoreactor with low frequency (42 kHz) plate type transducer at 170W of acoustic power was used. The Water samples, were taken from different wards of the 3 teaching hospitals which were affiliated to the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences to isolate Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and also to determine their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern.
Results:Our results showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were affected by the ultrasound and the bactericidal effect increased with time.
Conclusion: It was found that P. aeruginosa was more susceptible to the ultrasonic treatment than S. aureus. The combination of US with an antibiotic (amoxicillin) enhanced killing of both bacteria over the use of US alone. There were no differences in resistance to ultrasound between isolated strains and standard strains from persian type culture collection.

Background and Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the toxicity of Titanium Oxide (TiO2) and Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles as two of most widely used nanoparticles. The result of this study can help to designing environmental standard and legislations for nanoparticles.
Materials and Methods: Different concentrations of nano ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles were added to nutrient Agar culture media. Then, definite numbers of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria were added to culture media and inhibition of these bacteria growth was measured in comparison to controls. Obtained data were analyzed to determine nanoparticles' EC50 and NOEC (No Observed Effect Concentration) using SPSS ver.16 and Probit standard test.
Results: 24-hours EC50 of nano ZnO using E. coli and S. aureus determined to be 5.47 mg/L and 2.38 mg/L respectively. In addition, 24-hours EC50 of nano TiO2 using E. coli and S. aureus determined to be 5366 mg/L and 3471 mg/L respectively. In the case of ZnO nanoparticles, no observed effect concentration determined to be 1.15 and 3.28 mg/L for E. coli and S. aureus respectively and in the case of TiO2 nanoparticles no observed effect level determined to be 1937 and 1184 mg/L for E. coli and S. aureus respectively.
Conclusion: This study showed that acute toxicity of nano ZnO is by far more than that of nano TiO2. Regarding the EPA acute toxicity criteria, nano ZnO is categorized as moderately toxic and nano TiO2 is categorized as practically non toxic. Hence, regarding the acute toxicity, in recommending exposure criteria and environmental disposal standards, compared to nano TiO2, nano ZnO requires more attention.

Background and Objectives: Doogh is considered as one of the traditional drink in Iran and other nations like Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia. In the past the “doogh” was applied to a product which remained after dilution of full fat yoghurt with water and fat separation using the musk. Nowadays Doogh has have physical, chemical, physico-chemical, microbial and sensory characteristics and standards. In this study the microbial quality of four famous brands produced in Iran was assessed. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Totally, 126 samples were selected from the foodstuff suppliers using random sampling .In order to determine Staphylococcus aureus, Baird Parker Agar (recognition test) and coagulase test (confirmation test) were used. Results: The results were analyzed using SPSS, and T-Test and one way ANOVA were performed. The results showed that in view of contamination there is Significant differences between the months, the brands and the types of doogh (p<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results and due to probable presence of Entrotoxin, the analyzed brands can be potent risk to consumer’s health.

Background and Objectives: Milk is a full meal that can provide an appropriate growing environment for different bacteria. Hence, it can be hazardous to human health in unpasteurized conditions. The present study was conducted in order to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus in raw and pasteurized milks of Sari City in the summer of 2014.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the summer of 2014 in the city of Sari. Totally, 160 samples- each 200 mL of raw milk were collected from collection and distribution centers (80 samples) of raw milk, and pasteurized milk from food stores (80 samples). Under aseptic conditions, confirmatory tests were carried out in Chapman and Blood agar media. Antibiogram test was performed for positive samples. Results were analyzed using SPSS (Ver. 19) software through the t-test descriptive statistical analysis.

Results: The results showed that 38.75% of 80 samples of raw milk collected were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, while no contamination was observed in pasteurized milk samples. The average number of colony formation of raw milk was estimated to be within 3×10⁴ to 7×10⁴ Cfu/mL. Maximum sensitivity was found against vancomycin, gentamicin, and Co-trimoxazole antibiotics and the maximum resistance was observed  against ampicillin, methicillin and cephalotin antibiotics with of 87.5, 25, and 12.5%, respectively.

Conclusion: The raw milk showed the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, compliance with and control of sanitation at different steps of preparation, supplying and consumption of milk can prevent the human infection with this type of contamination.