Journal of

Background and Aim: The heterogenous population of memory T lymphocytes is distinguished based on surface markers and effector functions such as cytokine secretion. Recently, two subsets of memory T cells are defined by expression of chemokine receptor CCR7 and CD45RA designating as "central memory" T cells (T_CM) and "effector memory" T cells (T_EM). The objective of this staudy was to evaluate the phenotype and function of these lymphocytes in healed cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Methods: The phenotype of lymphocytes were determined in blood samples of 13 volunteers with history of self healing cutaneous leishmaniasis (HCL) and in 6 healthy controls.
Results: No significant difference was found in memory T cell subsets between HCL volunteers and healthy controls using flow cytometry. However, following sorting of different memory subsets, a significantly higher proliferation was seen in cells of HCL volunteers comparing to the control group. A significantly higher IFN-γ response in T_EM and a significantly higher IL-2 response in T_CM were observed in cell culture of HCL volunteers comparing controls.
Conclusion: The responses were elicited when the cells were stimulate with SLA in vitro, it is concluded Leishmania-specific T_EM and Leishmania-specific T_CM subsets exist in HCL volunteers and since the volunteers with history of CL presumed to be protected against reinfection, it seems that both T_CM and T_EM play role in the protection against Leishmania infection in these individuals.

Background and Aim: Malassezia is a lipophilic and dimorphic fungus which has different species. Some of them can be found as natural flora on skin and in some conditions may cause pityriasis versicolor. The aim of this study was to identify Malassezia species associated with pityriasis versicolor in Iranian patients, using PCR-RFLP.
Methods: In this study out of 65 patients with pityriasis versicolor to have pityriasis versicolor,isolates of 60 patients were positive. Malassezia species. using by PCR-RFLP. The Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region was amplified by PCR employing the ITS3 and ITS4 primers and The restriction endonucleases AluI, BanI and MspAI were selected for producing distinct RFLP patterns.
Results: M. furfur (36.7%), M. globosa (30.0%), M. sympodialis (20.0%), M. slooffiae (8.3%), M. restricta (3.3%) and M. obtusa (1.7%) were the microorganisms responsible for the infection among participants. The M. sympodialis infection was strongly correlated with the female gender (P=0.02).
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that, the most common Malassezia species associated with pityriasis versicolor was M. furfur, followed by M. globosa.

Background and Aim: Malassezia is a lipophilic and dimorphic fungus which has different species. Some of them can be found as natural flora on the skin and in some conditions may cause seborrheic dermatitis. The aim of this study was to identify Malassezia species associated with seborrheic dermatitis in Iranian patients, using PCR-RFLP.
Methods: In this study out of 79 patients with seborrheic dermatitis, isolates of 70 patients were positive for Malassezia species using PCR-RFLP. The Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region was amplified by PCR employing the ITS3 and ITS4 primers and The restriction endonucleases AluI, BanI and MspAI were selected for producing distinct RFLP patterns.
Results: M. globosa (48.6%), M. furfur (40.0%), M. slooffiae (8.6%) and M. sympodialis (2.8%), were the microorganisms responsible for the infection among participants. M. pachydermatis, M. japonica, M. dermatis, M. restricta, M. obtuse, M. nana and M. yamatoensis were not isolated from any samples.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the most common Malassezia species associated with seborrheic dermatitis was M. globosa, followed by M. furfur.