Iranian Journal of Microbiology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An increase in the antibiotic resistance of Shigella isolates has caused major global challenges in antimicrobial therapy. Knowledge of local antibiotic resistance trends is essential for selecting appropriate antibiotic treatment regimens. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of efflux-mediated tetracycline resistance ( tet ) and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance ( qnr ) genes among Shigella isolates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This survey investigated 91 Shigella isolates, obtained from children with acute diarrhea...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Detecting the source of a potential outbreak of multidrug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is necessary to be investigated. This study aimed to detect the possibility of A. baumannii outbreak in a hospital setting using a combination of random amplified polymorphism DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR), antibiograms, and the presence of oxacillinase genes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antibiogram of 31 clinical isolates and six environmental isolates of A...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: With entering the "post-antibiotic era", antibiotic resistance is one of the most important problems in food security, health and medicine. Invention of nanoparticles with intrinsic antimicrobial activity has been provided a new tool to combat the problem, including some metal nanoparticles. But protein nanoparticles have been often used as nano-carrier for antibiotic drugs, not for their own antibiotic activity. In this article we have fabricated a very small BSA-NP without any chemical modification on BSA molecules showing antibacterial activity...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Antibiotic resistance is an indicator of the passively acquired and circulating resistance genes. Salmonella Gallinarum significantly affects the poultry food industry. The present study is the first study of the S. Gallinarum biofilm in Iran, which is focused on the characterization of the S. Gallinarum serovars and their acquired antibiotic resistance genes circulating in poultry fields in central and northwestern Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty isolates of S ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tuberculosis infection is well established. As microRNAs are able to change expression profiles according to different conditions, they can be useful biomarkers. Iranians and Afghans with tuberculosis were studied for three immune-related miRNAs (miR-let-7f, miR-125a, and miR-125b). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 Iranian and Afghan patients with active pulmonary TB were enrolled in the Pulmonary Department of the Pasteur Institute of Iran...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Viral clearance studies are an essential part of a manufacturer's plan to ensure the safety of an injectable biologic product. In this way, viral safety is a critical quality attribute for biologics such as monoclonal antibodies (Mabs). Evaluation of virus purification by downstream processes is a key component of risk mitigation. In this study, the capability of continuous monoclonal antibody purification steps was evaluated in the process of instant monoclonal antibody purification in different stages of purification, and the amount of reduction or inactivation of each step was determined...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Antibiotic resistance is a significant problem that restricts the options for treating bacterial pneumonia. This research aimed to determine the bacterial causes of pneumonia and antibiotic resistance among hospitalized patients in southwest Ethiopia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected and analyzed 150 sputum samples from individuals with community-acquired pneumonia from April 1st to October 30th , 2019. Standard bacteriological procedures were used to identify the bacteria...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: he occurrence and characteristics of Extended Spectrum- and AmpC-β-lactamase producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE and AmpC-PE) in an urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 wastewater samples were collected from all sections of WWTP. Enterobacterales were isolated and identified using standard microbiological tests. The antibiotic resistance profile was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Gardnerella vaginalis is one of the most important causes of prevalent genital infections that pose serious risks. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis and antibiotic resistance pattern of isolates of patients referred to the gynecology clinic of Shahriar Noor Hospital by PCR and culture methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 500 patients who had suffered from a vaginal infection. The demographic data of patients were studied...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The increasing number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus persuade the need for preventive measures. Glucomannan is a polysaccharide choice for developing immunological strategies. This study aimed to investigate changes in gene expression and phagocytic activity of macrophage cells in the presence of glucomannan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of different concentrations of glucomannan (25, 50, and 100 μg/mL) on the phagocytic activity of macrophage cells was measured using the colony count method...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Breast cancer is currently the most commonly diagnosed neoplasm in women worldwide. There is evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection may play a key role in breast cancer aggressiveness, but results are conflicting across studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of the HPV viral genome in benign and malignant breast tissue samples and its clinicopathological characteristics of cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case-control study, 100 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) of breast cancer and 100 blocks of non-cancerous breast tissue were selected as a control group from the pathology department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz from 2020-2022...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the present study, the anti-biofilm activity of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Nisin was investigated on biofilm-forming abilities of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains and the expression of the biofilm-associated genes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the standard strain of L. rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) and Nisin were used to assess their anti-microbial and anti-biofilm effects on S. epidermidis (RP62A). RESULTS: The MIC and MBC analysis showed that Nisin at 256 μg/mL and 512 μg/mL, and L...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop a natural nanoemulsion with antibacterial and anticancer properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical composition of the Origanum majorana essential oil was investigated using GC-MS analysis. Besides, the successful loading of the essential oil in the nanoemulsion was confirmed using ATR-FTIR analysis. Moreover, nanoemulsion's anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities were investigated. RESULTS: Terpinen-4-o1 (46...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The present study was to evaluate the microbial diversity inhabiting biodeteriorated precious manuscripts of the Holy Quran placed in one of the repositories of the Library of Astan Quds Razavi (AQR), and its relation to the air microbial diversity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three non-invasive sampling methods, culture-based techniques, and molecular identification were used to investigate the microorganisms involved in deterioration. To investigate the air microbial quality and its role in the destruction of the repository objects, air samples were taken from six different points inside the repository...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Methicillin resistance is acquired by the bacterium due to mecA gene which codes for penicillin-binding protein (PBP2a) having low affinity for β-lactam antibiotics. mecA gene is located on a mobile genetic element called staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCC mec ). SCC mec genomic island comprises two site-specific recombinase genes namely ccrA and ccrB [cassette chromosome recombinase] accountable for mobility. Currently, SCC mec elements are classified into types I, II, III, IV and V based on the nature of the mec and ccr gene complexes and are further classified into subtypes according to variances in their J region DNA...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Because of the controversial aspects of the CMV virus during pregnancy, it should be considered a serious health threat, especially in developing countries. The present seromolecular study aimed to determine cytomegalovirus prevalence in pregnant women referred to health centers in the north of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-five pregnant women who were referred to health centers in Mazandaran province for regular health checks were randomly selected from Jan 2022 to Oct 2022...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Instead of antibiotics, propolis is a promising alternative for treating bacterial diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of propolis ethanol extract (PEE) on Yersinia ruckeri (Y. ruckeri) , a fish pathogen, by examining its impact on the cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane, and gene expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of propolis on the bacterial cell wall, membrane, and DNA using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was investigated...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is a recently recognized and highly diverse pathotype of E. coli. Its significance as a pathogen has increased due to the emergence of hypervirulent and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. The aim of this study was to characterize ExPEC isolates from humans based on their phylogenetic group, virulence factor profile, and antimicrobial susceptibility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The isolates were collected from patients with extraintestinal infections caused by E...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Plasma radiation is a widely used technique for sterilization or decontamination in various industries, as well as in some healthcare settings such as dentistry. The primary aim of this study was to assess the potential of plasma radiation to create a new population of Staphylococcus aureus cells with distinct characteristics that could lead to novel healthcare challenges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A homemade non-thermal plasma apparatus was applied and the effects of plasma treatment on S...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Biosurfactants are amphiphilic surface-active agents that mainly produced by various microorganisms. In this study, the anti-biofilm and inhibition of bacterial adhesion activities of two bacterial biosurfactants were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After extraction and evaluation of Bacillus cereus and Serratia nematodiphila biosurfctants, inhibition of bacterial adhesion and anti-biofilm effects of them on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined...