Journal of School of Public Health and

Background and Aim: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite infecting humans and warm-blooded animals. Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy could cause neurologic disorders in the fetus. In immunocompromised hosts, the infection can be reactivated with life-threatening consequences. Detection of the parasite or its components would constitute a better definition of acute infection.

Material and Methods: To detect T. gondii antigen and DNA, twenty serum samples in the acute phase of infection were tested. Polyclonal antibodies were isolated from immunized rabbits and SDS-page and immunoblotting were performed. Also, PCR was done with amplification of the B₁ gene with two primers.

Results: In one patient T. gondii antigen band with a molecular weight of 30 kDa was detected. Parasitemia was detected in the same patient and the 570 bp amplified DNA fragment was isolated. Others had negative results in both immunoblotting and PCR. The patient with positive results had been infected accidentally with a rather virulent C56 strain in the laboratory.

Conclusion: The results indicate that antigen and DNA of T. gondii can be detected during the short acute phase of infection.

Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus is a widespread disease. Diabetes patients should be fully familiar with the different dimensions of this chronic disease and possess the skills required for self-management and self-care. They should realize that each patient is a different case. It is to be noted that promoting self-management behavior is an essential component of case management in type-2 diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study was to assess self-management behavior of type-2 diabetes patients in Isfahan, Iran and determine factors influencing it.  

Materials and Methods: This was a 6-month cross-sectional study conducted in 2011. The study population was type-2 diabetes patients consulting an outpatient diabetes center in Isfahan, Iran. The sample included a group of 350 patients selected by the continuous sampling method. The self-management behavior of the patients was assessed using a diabetes self-management instrument (DSMI), containing questions on 5 domains. The responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale and SPSS software, version 11.5 was used for analyzing the collected data.

Results: The response rate was 88%. The majority of the patients were 50-60 years (55.52 ± 8.42) old and 54.3% of them demonstrated borderline metabolic control according to the World Health Organization criteria. Mean scores of self-integration, self-regulation, interaction with health professionals and other influential persons, self-monitoring blood glucose, and adherence to recommended regime were 33.67±6.36, 29.09±5.9, 27.08±4.81, 11.71±3.91 and 11.46±2.9, respectively. On the whole, the global diabetes self-management behavior seemed to be not quite desirable (the score was at an intermediate level). Further analysis of the data revealed that self-management behaviors (at 3 levels, namely, desirable, intermediate, and undesirable) had significant associations (p<0.001) with demographic (age, gender, marital status, education level) and health-related (duration of diabetes, diabetes-related diseases, diabetes complications, general health, type of treatment, family income, and serum HbA₁C level) variables. Self-management behavior had no association with disease history 

Conclusion: Empowerment of patients afflicted with diabetes and, more generally, non-communicable diseases, which are quite prevalent and on the increase, in the area of self-management at the individual and community level will be a vital step towards promotion of health of the population.