Hamideh Sadat Atyabi, Sima Rasti, Maryam Niyyati, Zahra Eslamirad, Mahdi Delavari, Gholam Abbass Moosavi,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (Aug & Sep 2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Vermamoeba vermiformis is an opportunistic free living amoeba(FLA) that is ubiquitous in different environmental sources. This Amoeba can cause Amoebic Keratitis(AK) and Granulomatous Amoebic Encephlitis (GAE) in immunocompromised patients. This study was conducted to determine the rate of Vermamoeba vermiformis in stagnant water and soil in Arak.
Materials and Methods: In this Cross-Sectional study, stagnant water(60) and soil samples(36) were collected from Arak parks. The samples were filtered in 0.45µm nitrocellulose paper and cultured on to 1.5% NNA for the presence of free living amoeba(FLA). After DNA extraction, Vermamoeba vermiformis was identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) using primers NA1 and NA2. Eight isolates of Vermamoeba vermiformis were sequenced blasted and after confirmation, recorded in the Gene Bank. The data were recorded in SPSS.16 and analyzed using X2 and Fischer Exact test.
Results: Out of 96 environmental sources, 29.2% were positive for free living amoeba. The rate of FLA pollution in stagnant water and soil were 28.3 and 30.6% respectively(P<0.001). The contamination rate of stagnant water and soil with Vermamoeba vermiformis were 10% and 16.7%, respectively(P<0.001).
Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed ,that stagnant water and soil resources were contaminated to FLA and Vermamoeba. Due to the Pathogenic ability of this amoeba and the possibility of endosymbian pathogens in it, health education is recommended for controlling and preventing the disease, especially in susceptible patients, including those who use contact lenses.
Erfan Amiri, Hossein Hooshyar, Hossein Nazemorraaya, Mohammadreza Shiee, Sima Rasti, Gholam Abbass Moosavi,
Volume 17, Issue 5 (12-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Toxoplasma gondii is one of the important food-borne parasitic pathogens that infect humans and a wide range of warm-blooded animals. Consumption of poultry meat, especially chicken, is a potential risk of transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection in industrial broilers referred to the Kashan poultry abattoir, Iran, in 2023.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 114 brain and heart samples of industrial broilers were randomly collected from Kashan poultry abattoir. Two prepared direct smears from each sample were stained with Giemsa stain and examined microscopically for the presence of tissue cysts of T. gondii. The genomic DNA was extracted using a commercial kit. PCR method was used for detection of the B1 genome of T. gondii using specific primers. The PCR product was evaluated by electrophoresis on a 1.5% agarose gel. The results were analyzed with descriptive statistics using SPSS software.
Results: Of 114 chicken samples, 65 (57%) and 49 (43%), were male and female respectively. Totally, 12 samples (10.5%) were positive for T. gondii infection. T. gondii DNA fragments were detected in 8 (7.06%) of the samples. Microscopy examination revealed T.gondii in 6 (5.26%) samples. All infections were related to brain samples, and no infection was detected in heart muscle samples.
Conclusion: Infection with T. gondii is considerable in broilers in the Kashan region. Therefore, preventive measures such as training people to properly cook meat before consumption and avoiding eating raw or under‑cooked poultry meat products are recommended to prevent human infection to T. gondii. In order to stop life cycle of this parasite, avoiding using raw bird meat for feeding pets such as cats is recommended.
