Zahra Babaei
@kmu.ac.ir
Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman,Iran
medical faculty
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, Bioteqnology ,Giardiasis
78
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
- Identification of CβS and ODC antimony resistance markers in anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis field isolates by gene expression profiling
Farzaneh Zarrinkar, Iraj Sharifi, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Ali Afgar, Elaheh Molaakbari, Mehdi Bamorovat, Zahra Babaei, Ebrahim Eskandari, Ehsan Salarkia, and Marzieh Asadi
Elsevier BV - Identification and Characterization of Acanthamoeba from Contact Lens Care Solutions and Hospital Environments in the Ophthalmology Wards and Operating Rooms in Southeastern Iran
Elham Akhlaghi, Shahriar Shafa, Zahra Akbari, Zahra Babaei, Mohammad Ali Mohammadi, Saeedeh Shamsaddini, Ali Sharifi, and Majid Fasihi Harandi
Springer Science and Business Media LLC - In silico and experimental potentials of 6-shogaol and meglumine antimoniate on Leishmania major: multiple synergistic combinations through modulation of biological properties
Saeid Shahsavari, Iraj Sharifi, Ehsan Salarkia, Alireza Keyhani, Fatemeh Sharifi, and Zahra Babaei
Springer Science and Business Media LLC - The effects of L-carnitine supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and clinical outcomes in critically Ill patients with sepsis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial
Mahdi Keshani, Babak Alikiaii, Zahra Babaei, Gholamreza Askari, Zahra Heidari, Manoj Sharma, and Mohammad Bagherniya
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Abstract Background Sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a host’s dysregulated response to infection with an inflammatory process, becomes a real challenge for the healthcare systems. L-carnitine (LC) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as in previous studies. Thus, we aimed to determine the effects of LC on inflammation, oxidative stress, and clinical parameters in critically ill septic patients. Methods A randomized double-blinded controlled trial was conducted. A total of 60 patients were randomized to receive LC (3 g/day, n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 7 days. Inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters (C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), 28-day mortality rate, and some monitoring variables were evaluated. Results There was no statistically significant difference between study arms in baseline characteristics and disease severity scores. CRP (p < 0.001) and ESR (p: 0.004) significantly reduced, and SOD (p < 0.001) and TAC (p < 0.001) significantly improved in the LC group after 7 days. Between-group analysis revealed a significant reduction in CRP (p: 0.001) and serum chloride (p: 0.032), an increase in serum albumin (p: 0.036) and platelet (p: 0.004) significantly, and an increase in SOD marginally (p: 0.073). The 28-day mortality rate was also lower in the LC group compared with placebo (7 persons vs. 15 persons) significantly (odds ratio: 0.233, p: 0.010). Conclusions L-carnitine ameliorated inflammation, enhanced antioxidant defense, reduced mortality, and improved some clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with sepsis. Trial registration IRCT20201129049534N1; May 2021. - Assessment of the antileishmanial activity of diallyl sulfide combined with meglumine antimoniate on Leishmania major: Molecular docking, in vitro, and animal model
Farzaneh Zarrinkar, Iraj Sharifi, Ehsan Salarkia, Alireza Keyhani, Zahra Babaei, Ali Khamesipour, Maryam Hakimi Parizi, Elaheh Molaakbari, Fatemeh Sharifi, Shahriar Dabiri,et al.
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Currently, no safe vaccine against leishmaniasis is available. So far, different control strategies against numerous reservoir hosts and biological vectors have not been environment-friendly and feasible. Hence, employing medicinal components and conventional drugs could be a promising approach to developing novel therapeutic alternatives. This study aimed to explore diallyl sulfide (DAS), a dynamic constituent of garlic, alone and in a mixture with meglumine antimoniate (MAT as standard drug) using in vitro and animal model experiments against Leishmania major stages. The binding affinity of DAS and four major defense elements of the immune system (iNOS, IFN-ɣ, IL-12, and TNF-α) was used to predict the predominant binding mode for molecular docking configurations. Herein, we conducted a broad range of experiments to monitor and assess DAS and MAT potential treatment outcomes. DAS, combined with MAT, displayed no cytotoxicity and employed a powerful anti-leishmanial activity, notably against the clinical stage. The function mechanism involved immunomodulation through the induction of Th1 cytokine phenotypes, triggering a high apoptotic profile, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and antioxidant enzymes. This combination significantly decreased cutaneous lesion diameter and parasite load in BALB/c mice. The histopathological findings performed the infiltration of inflammatory cells associated with T-lymphocytes, particularly CD4+ phenotypes, as determined by biochemical markers in alleviating the amastigote stage and improving the pathological changes in L. major infected BALB/c mice. Therefore, DAS and MAT deserve further advanced therapeutic development and should be considered as possible candidates for treating volunteer cases with cutaneous leishmaniasis in designing an upcoming clinical trial. - Brain –cyst-driven genes expression in Toxoplasma Gondii Tehran strain: a parasitic-immunogenicity assessment by dint of RNA-Seq
Marzieh Asadi, Zahra Babaei, Ali Afgar, Mohammad Hossein Banabazi, Naser ZiaAli, Ahmad Daryani, Ehsan Aghajani, Milad Mahdavi, Mohamadreza Attari, and Farzaneh Zarrinkar
Springer Science and Business Media LLC - Catalytic Differences between Flavohemoglobins of Giardia intestinalis and E. coli
Sarah Hill, Isabelle Decorso, Novin Nezamololama, Zahra Babaei, and Steven Patrick Rafferty
MDPI AG
The sole known heme enzyme of the parasitic protist Giardia intestinalis is a flavohemoglobin (gFlHb) that acts as a nitric oxide dioxygenase (NOD) and protects the organism from the free radical nitric oxide. To learn more about the properties of this enzyme, we measured its nitric oxide dioxygenase, NADH oxidase, and cytochrome c reductase activities and compared these to the activities of the E. coli flavohemoglobin (Hmp). The turnover number for the NOD activity of gFlHb (23 s−1) is about two-thirds of that of Hmp (34 s−1) at pH 6.5 and 37 °C. The two enzymes differ in their sensitivity towards molecules that act as heme ligands. For both gFlHb and Hmp, inhibition with miconazole, a large imidazole ligand, is adequately described by simple competitive inhibition, with KI = 10 μM and 0.27 μM for gFlHb and Hmp, respectively. Inhibition plots with the small ligand imidazole were biphasic, which is consistent with previous experiments with carbon monoxide as a probe that show that the active site of flavohemoglobins exists in two conformations. Interestingly, the largest difference is observed with nitrite, which, like imidazole, also shows a biphasic inhibition plot; however, nitrite inhibits gFlHb at sub-millimolar concentrations while Hmp is not significantly affected. NADH oxidase activity measured under aerobic conditions in the absence of nitric oxide for Hmp was more than twice the activity of gFlHb. The addition of 1 mM hydrogen peroxide in these assays stimulated the NADH oxidase activity of gFlHb but not Hmp. Both enzymes had nearly identical cytochrome c reductase activities but the extent of the contribution of indirect reduction by flavohemoglobin-generated superoxide was much lower with gFlHb (4% SOD-inhibited) than with Hmp (17% SOD-inhibited). Although the active sites of the two enzymes share the same highly conserved residues that are important for catalysis, differences in the distal ligand binding site may account for these differences in activity and sensitivity towards NOD inhibitors. The differences observed in the NADH oxidase and cytochrome c reductase assays suggest that gFlHb may have evolved to protect the protist, which lacks both superoxide dismutase and catalase, from the damaging effects of superoxide by minimizing its production and from peroxide by actively reducing it. - Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Hampers COVID-19: A Controlled Cross-Sectional Study in High-Burden Endemic Areas of Iran
Mehdi Bamorovat, Iraj Sharifi, Mehdi Shafiei Bafti, Setareh Agha Kuchak Afshari, Mohammad Reza Aflatoonian, Ali Karamoozian, Abdollah Jafarzadeh, Raheleh Amirzadeh, Ahmad Khosravi, Zahra Babaei,et al.
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Abstract Introduction Emerging infectious diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 can cause pandemics and create a critical risk for humans. In a previous pilot study, we reported that the immunological responses induced by cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) could decrease the incidence and severity of COVID-19. In this large-scale case–control study, we assessed the possible relationship between mortality and morbidity of COVID-19 in healed CL persons suffering scars compared to cases without CL history. Methods This controlled cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and December 2022 in the endemic and high-burden areas of CL in southeastern Iran. In the study, 1400 previous CL cases with scars and 1,521,329 subjects who had no previous CL were analyzed. We used R 4.0.2 to analyze the data. Firth’s bias reduction approach corresponding to the penalization of likelihood logistic regression by Jeffreys was also employed to influence the variables in the dataset. Also, a Bayesian ordinal logistic regression model was performed to explore the COVID-19 severity in both case and referent groups. Results The occurrence and severity rate of COVID-19 in CL scar cases are significantly less than in the non-CL control group, while in the CL scar subjects, patients with critical conditions and mortality were not observed. The morbidity (OR = 0.11, CI 0.06–0.20 and P < 0.001) and severity of COVID-19 in previous cases with CL scars were significantly diminished than that in the control group (credible interval − 2.57, − 1.62). Conclusions The results represented a durable negative relationship between cured CL and COVID-19 incidence and severity. Additional studies seem necessary and should be designed to further validate the true impact and underlying mechanistic action of CL on COVID-19. Graphical abstract - The Molecular Investigation of the mecA Gene and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis Isolated from Patients with Immune System Disorders at Omid Hospital, Isfahan, Iran
Zahra Babaei, Monir Doudi, and Ladan Rahimzadeh Torabi
Maad Rayan Publishing Company
Background: At present, antibiotic-resistant staphylococci, especially methicillin-resistant strains, are prevalent agents of infections in medical centers and hospitals. The objective of the present investigation was to discern and trace the methicillin resistance gene harbored in two bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, obtained from clinical specimens gathered from patients exhibiting immune system deficiency at Omid hospital located in Isfahan. Methods: The present investigation was conducted utilizing a descriptive cross-sectional approach. Initially, a total of 70 clinical isolates comprising 35 isolates of S. aureus and 35 isolates of S. epidermidis were obtained from patients who were diagnosed with immunodeficiency and admitted to Omid Hospital located in Isfahan, Iran, from January 2017 to April 2018. After the characterization of the isolates via morphological and biochemical assessments, subsequent evaluation of their antibiotic sensitivity was performed through the utilization of disk diffusion and Epsilometer test (E-test). Then, the identification of the isolates was conducted using the colony PCR method incorporating primers (MCF, MCR, GAIF, and GAIR) and elucidated through molecular analysis. Results: In this study, all isolates of S. aureus were resistant to cefoxitin and the MIC of this antibiotic was confirmed using E-test. However, of 35 S. epidermidis isolates, 30 isolates (85.7%) were resistant to oxacillin and 5 isolates (14.3%) were sensitive to oxacillin. According to the molecular findings, out of 35 isolates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, 4 isolates (11.4%) had the mecA gene, and out of 35 isolates of S. epidermidis, 10 isolates (28.5%) had the mecA gene. Conclusion: The present study revealed that precise detection of methicillin resistance in the aforementioned bacterial strains necessitates the employment of both phenotypic and genotypic methods. The frequency of the mecA gene in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was found to be declining. The incidence of methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) is on the rise. - In silico and in vitro potentials of crocin and amphotericin B on Leishmania major: Multiple synergistic mechanisms of actions
Ehsan Salarkia, Iraj Sharifi, Alireza Keyhani, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Ahmad Khosravi, Fatemeh Sharifi, Mehdi Bamorovat, and Zahra Babaei
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
A significant barrier to optimal antileishmanial treatment is low efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance. Multiple approaches were used to monitor and assess crocin (a central component of saffron) mixed with amphotericin B (AmpB) potential in silico and in vitro consequences. The binding behavior of crocin and iNOS was the purpose of molecular docking. The results showed that crocin coupled with AmpB demonstrated a safe combination, extremely antileishmanial, suppressed Leishmania arginase absorption, and increased parasite death. This natural flower component is a robust antioxidant, significantly promoting the expression of the Th1-connected cytokines (IL12p40, IFN-γ, and TNF- α), iNOS, and transcription factors (Elk-1, c-Fos, and STAT-1). In comparison, the expression of the Th2-associated phenotypes (IL-10, IL-4, and TGF-β) was significantly reduced. The leishmanicidal effect of this combination was also mediated through programmed cell death (PCD), as confirmed by the manifestation of phosphatidylserine and cell cycle detention at the sub-GO/G1 phase. In conclusion, crocin with AmpB synergistically exerted in vitro antileishmanial action, generated nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, modulated Th1, and Th2 phenotypes and transfer factors, enhanced PCD profile and arrested the cell cycle of Leishmania major promastigotes. The main action of crocin and AmpB involved wide-ranging mechanistic insights for conducting other clinical settings as promising drug candidates for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Therefore, this combination could be esteemed as a basis for a potential bioactive component and a logical source for leishmanicidal drug development against CL in future advanced clinical settings. - Lophomonas Infection in Patients with Respiratory Diseases in Southeastern Iran Using Wet Mount, Giemsa and Trichrome Staining
Saeedeh Shamsaddini, Mitra Samareh Fekri, Mohsen Shafiepour, Hossein Kamyabi, Hossein Aghassi, Mehdi Borhani, Zahra Babaei, and Majid Fasihi Harandi
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Background: In developing countries, pulmonary infections are one of the major causes of death because the incidence and prevalence of pulmonary diseases have increased dramatically. Several species of protozoa can be found in the respiratory system. Pulmonary protozoan infections are increasingly identified in clinical settings. Protozoans within the genus Lophomonas are endo-commensals of the hindgut of arthropods. Recently the trophozoite forms of Lophomonas have been observed in human tissues. Little is known about the occurrence of these protozoa in the Iranian population. Objective: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of Lophomonas in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from the patients with respiratory diseases referred in Kerman province, southeast of Iran. Methods: A total of 200 patients were selected by simple random sampling. BAL samples were transferred to the Parasitology lab, direct smears were prepared for each specimen and two staining methods, Giemsa and Trichrome were performed for Lophomonas microscopical identification. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Results: Lophomonas trophozoites were found in 48 (24%) patients, at least in one of the methods. The mean age of the patients was 58.3 years (58.1 in men, 58.4 in women). Out of 200 samples, 45 (22.5%), 30 (15%), and 11(5.5%) were positive by wet mount microscopy, Giemsa, and Trichrome staining, respectively. Conclusion: This study presented the first finding of Lophomonas infection in patients with pulmo-nary symptoms in southeast Iran. - Potential Anti-Inflammatory and Growth Inhibitory Effect of Cyrtopodion scabrum Extract on Colon Cancer; An in vivo Study
Zahra Babaei, Ghazal Namavari, Fatemeh Khademi, Farhad Koohpeyma, Mojtaba Rashidi, S M Shafiee, Fatemeh Zal, and Atefeh Seghatoleslam
EpiSmart Science Vector Ltd
Background: The use of complementary and/or alternative medicine to increase the efficacy and decrease the side effects of current cancer treatment is highly required. In this in-vivo study, we aimed to investigate the anti-tumor activity and probable side effects of a natural treatment, Cyrtopodion scabrum extract (CsE), in a model of tumor bearing mice. Methods: We established 28 female CT26-tumor bearing balb/c-mice model. We divided them randomly into four groups (n=7): Negative control received distilled water (DW) and the three treatment groups were administered with 5-FU and two different doses (300 and 600 mg/kg) of the gecko aqueous extract, respectively. The changes in the tumor volumes and weights during and after treatment, along with the blood cell counts; spleen and thymus indices were assessed in the treatment groups. We have also measured the serum TNF-α, VEGF, AST, ALT and GSH, as well as the physical activities of the experimental mice. Results: We found that the means of tumor weights and volumes in both CsE and 5-FU treated groups were significantly lower than the untreated group (p<0.05). Serum TNF-α and VEGF levels in both CsE treated groups were remarkably lower than 5-FU and untreated groups (p<0.05). The 5-FU treatment caused a remarkably decrease in serum GSH, RBC count, WBC count, thymus index, and spleen index , while CsE treatment maintained these quantities, with no significant changes, compared to the control group. AST and ALT were not significantly changed in none of the treated groups compared to control. Conclusion: Altogether, data suggest C. scabrum, as an effective and safe anti-cancer natural source, which could be used as an alternative/complementary medicine for the treatment of patients who suffer from colon cancer. - Bioinformatics evaluation of anticancer properties of GP63 protein-derived peptides on MMP2 protein of melanoma cancer
Fatemeh Sharifi, Iraj Sharifi, Zahra Babaei, Sodabeh Alahdin, and Ali Afgar
Elsevier BV - Antiproliferative properties of Turmerone on Leishmania major: Modes of action confirmed by antioxidative and immunomodulatory roles
Fahimeh Mohseni, Iraj Sharifi, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Zahra Babaei, Mahshid Mostafavi, Pooya Ghasemi Nejad Almani, Alireza Keyhani, Ehsan Salarkia, Fatemeh Sharifi, Hossein Hosseini Nave,et al.
Elsevier BV - Anti-leishmanial activity of Avicennia marina (Avicenniaceae family) leaves hydroalcoholic extract and its possible cellular mechanisms
Zahra Rashno, Iraj Sharifi, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Saeed Tajbakhsh, Fariba Sharififar, Fatemeh Sharifi, Abbas Hatami, Ashkan Faridi, and Zahra Babaei
Elsevier BV - Fifty years of struggle to control cutaneous leishmaniasis in the highest endemic county in Iran: A longitudinal observation inferred with interrupted time series model
Mohammadreza Aflatoonian, Iraj Sharifi, Behnaz Aflatoonian, Ehsan Salarkia, Ahmad Khosravi, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Mehdi Bamorovat, Abbas Aghaei Afshar, Zahra Babaei, Fatemeh Sharifi,et al.
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Negligible data are available following major social activities and environmental changes on leishmaniasis. Therefore, how interactions between these events influence cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) risk is not well-known. This longitudinal study was undertaken to explore the impact of interventions conducted between 1971 and 2020 in Bam county, which has had the highest disease burden in Iran. Only confirmed CL cases during this period were taken into account. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using the X2 test to assess the significance of the difference between proportions. Moreover, we used interrupted time series (ITS) to assess the impact of three environmental events during this period. Overall, 40,164 cases of CL occurred in the past five decades. Multiple complex factors were among the leading causes that synergistically induced the emergence/re-emergence of CL outbreaks in Bam. The main factors attributed negatively to CL control were cessation of malaria spraying activity, expansion of the city spaces, and a massive earthquake creating new breeding potentials for the vectors. The highest impact on CL incidence during these years was related to the earthquake [coefficient = 17.8 (95% CI: 11.3, 22.7); p-value < 0.001]. Many factors can contribute to CL outbreaks in endemic foci. They also can cause new foci in new areas. Since humans are the single reservoir for CL in this area, early detection and effective management significantly contribute to controlling CL to reduce the disease burden. However, essential evidence gaps remain, and new tools are crucial before the disease can ultimately be controlled. Nevertheless, sustained funding and more trained task forces are essential to strengthen surveillance and case management and monitor the interventions’ impact. - The prediction and expression of miR-203a-p and miR-29b* against DNMT3B as well as TNFAIP3 in melanoma
Ali Afgar, Reza Vahidi, Mohammad Ebrahimipour, Zahra Babaei, Mohamad Javad Mirzaei-Parsa, and Mehrnaz Sadat Ravari
Elsevier BV - In vitro and in vivo therapeutic potentials of 6-gingerol in combination with amphotericin B for treatment of Leishmania major infection: Powerful synergistic and multifunctional effects
Alireza Keyhani, Iraj Sharifi, Ehsan Salarkia, Ahmad Khosravi, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Zahra Babaei, Pooya Ghasemi Nejad Almani, Saeid Hassanzadeh, Reza Kheirandish, Mashid Mostafavi,et al.
Elsevier BV
The ongoing conventional drugs for leishmaniasis treatment are insufficient. The present study aimed to assess 6-gingerol alone and in combination with amphotericin B on Leishmania major stages using experimental and in vivo murine models. Here, arrays of experimental approaches were designed to monitor and evaluate the 6-gingerol potential therapeutic outcomes. The binding affinity of 6-gingerol and IFN-γ was the basis for docking conformations. 6-Gingerol combined with amphotericin B represented a safe mixture, extremely leishmanicidal, a potent antioxidant, induced a remarkable apoptotic index, significantly increased the expression of the Th1-related cytokines (IL-12p40, IFN-γ, and TNF- α), iNOS, and transcription factors (STAT1, c-Fos, and Elk-1). In contrast, the expression of the Th2-related cytokines was significantly downregulated (p < 0.001). This combination was also potent when the lesion appearance was evaluated following three weeks of treatment. The histopathological and immunohistochemical patterns of the murine model represented clusters of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes which compressed and deteriorated the macrophages harboring Leishman bodies. The primary mode of action of 6-gingerol and amphotericin B involved broad mechanistic insights providing a coherent basis for further clinical study as a potential drug candidate for CL. In conclusion, 6-gingerol with amphotericin B synergistically exerted anti-leishmanial activity in vitro and in vivo and potentiated macrophages' leishmanicidal activity, modulated Th1- and Th2-related phenotypes improved the histopathological changes in the BALB/c mice infected with L. major. They elevated the leukocyte infiltration into the lesions. Therefore, this combination should be considered for treating volunteer patients with CL in clinical studies. - A long-lasting emerging epidemic of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in southeastern Iran: population movement and peri-urban settlements as a major risk factor
Taiebeh Karimi, Iraj Sharifi, Mohammad Reza Aflatoonian, Behnaz Aflatoonian, Mohammad Ali Mohammadi, Ehsan Salarkia, Zahra Babaei, Farzaneh Zarinkar, Fatemeh Sharifi, Nima Hatami,et al.
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Abstract Background Epidemics of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are occurring more frequently and spreading faster and farther than before in many areas of the world. The present study aimed to assess a long-lasting emerging epidemic (2005–2019) of 5532 cases with anthroponotic CL (ACL) in peri-urban areas of Kerman city in southeastern Iran. Methods This descriptive-analytical study was carried out for 15 years in Kerman province, southeastern Iran. The data were passively obtained through the health surveillance system and the Kerman Leishmaniasis Research Center. Every subject was diagnosed using direct smear microscopy. The representative causative agent was further examined by ITS1-PCR, PCR-RFLP, 7SL RNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. For each subject, a case report form designating demographic and clinical data was recorded. Results A different pattern of ACL incidence was found in peri-urban areas compared to that in the city of Kerman. The incidence rate of ACL cases has significantly increased (P < 0.001) from 2005 to 2016 in new settlements with a gradual decline after that. The overall average risk of contracting the disease was 7.6 times higher in peri-urban areas compared to Kerman city, an old endemic focus. All isolates consisting of six variants were confirmed to be Leishmania tropica. The overall pattern of the ACL infection indicates that the etiological agent of ACL is propagated and transmitted by the bite of female Phlebotomus sergenti sandflies from person to person from dissimilar clones as reflected by the complexity of the migrants’ backgrounds in the province. Conclusions The movement of populations and establishment of new settlements in peri-urban areas close to endemic areas are major risk factors for and are directly linked to CL. The underlying factors of this emerging ACL epidemic caused by L. tropica were disasters and droughts, among others. A robust commitment to a multilateral approach is crucial to make improvements in this area. This will require decisive coordinated actions through all governmental factions and non-governmental organizations. Furthermore, active and passive case detection strategies, early diagnosis, and effective treatment could help control the disease. - High occurrence of Acanthamoeba spp. In the water samples of public swimming pools from Kerman Province, Iran
Raheleh Eftekhari-Kenzerki, Kavous Solhjoo, Zahra Babaei, Hassan Rezanezhad, Ahmad Abolghazi, and Ali Taghipour
IWA Publishing
Abstract Acanthamoeba spp. is a free-living amoeba that can cause major infections in humans, including keratitis and granulomatous encephalitis. Thus, water resources play an important role in transmitting Acanthamoeba spp. infection to humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of Acanthamoeba spp. in public swimming pools from three cities of Kerman Province, southeastern Iran. Eighty water samples of 20 public indoor swimming pools were taken from Kerman, Jiroft, and Kahnauj cities. Water temperature (°C), pH, and free chlorine concentration (ppm) were measured. Filtration and cultivation were applied on non-nutrient agar medium. The polymerase chain reaction was applied by using the genus-specific primers (JDP1 and JDP2) on positive samples; these primers can amplify the 423–551 bp fragment. Eighteen of the 20 swimming pools (including 32/80; 40% samples) were contaminated with Acanthamoeba spp. All swimming pools of Jiroft and Kahnauj and 88.2% of swimming pools in Kerman were contaminated. As such, all 32 Acanthamoeba isolates were amplified using the JDP primer pairs. Two genotypes, T3 and T4, were also identified. The present research is the first to report Acanthamoeba spp. in public swimming pools from Kerman Province. Due to high occurrence of this protozoan, it is recommended to use warning signs around swimming pools to create awareness of this infection. - The Effect of Naja naja oxiana Snake Venom Against Leishmania tropica Confirmed by Advanced Assays
Iraj Sharifi, Fatemeh Tabatabaie, Saeideh Nikpour, Mahshid Mostafavi, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Fatemeh Sharifi, Zahra Babaei, Elham Jafari, Ehsan Salarkia, and Delavar Shahbazzadeh
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to explore the activity of Naja naja oxiana venom on Leishmania tropica and its modes of action. METHODS Different fractions of Naja naja oxiana venom (NNOV) were prepared and characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography. The superior component, fraction k (FK) was selected. The activity of the fraction was assessed using advanced assays. RESULTS Interleukin (IL)-12, TNF-α and iNOS gene expression as the indicators of Th1 significantly increased. In contrast, the level of IL-10, as the marker of T helper 2 substantially decreased (p < 0.001). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) after treatment with different concentrations of NNOV-FK, unlike arginase (L-ARG) activity which showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001). The NNOV-FK showed significant lethal activity on the L. tropica stages. CONCLUSION The findings demonstrated that NNOV-FK represented a strong leishmanicidal activity on L. tropica stages. The major modes of NNOV-FK action are multidimensional, which perceives the induction of a synergistic response and upregulation of the immune-modulatory role towards Th1 response against L. tropica stages as well as apoptotic and anti-metabolic action as a model drug to generate ROS, block the polyamine synthesis and lead to parasite death. - Potential protective role of cyrtopodion scabrum in antioxidant parameters in serum and liver of rats with 5- fu-induced oxidative damage
M. Diba, A. Seghatoleslam, M. Namavari, Shahabaddin Assadi, S. Vakili, Z. Babaei and M. Akmali
Chemotherapy is the main approach for the treatment of cancer; however, it often causes unpleasant oxidative damages. Therefore, the development of an effective alternative/complementary therapy with improved tumor suppression efficiency and lower adverse effects is highly required. Recently, it has been shown that Cyrtopodion scabrum extract (CsE) is an effective and selective tumor suppressor medicine. The present study investigated the antioxidant activity of Cyrtopodion scabrum homogenate (CsH) and CsE and their effects on attenuating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced liver dysfunction in rats. A total of 60 male rats (weight: 200-220 g) were divided into six groups and treated for 14 days. The control (group I) and 5-FU (group II) groups received distilled water and 5-FU, respectively. The other four groups were orally administered with CsE, CsH, CsE+5-FU, and CsH+5-FU (groups III to VI), respectively by gavages based on a daily schedule. The 5-FU-induced oxidative damage was evaluated by changes in the weight and food and water intake during the treatment and antioxidant parameters in the liver and serum of the treated rats. The obtained data indicated that the administration of CsH and CsE significantly improved liver function and defense system of antioxidants by attenuating the levels or activities of malondialdehyde, superoxide anion, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase and decrease of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione, total protein, and albumin in the liver and serum, induced by 5-FU treatment. The obtained data of the current study suggested that CsH and CsE play a protective role in the imbalance elicited by 5-FU and can be used as alternative/complementary supplements with 5-FU to reduce oxidative damages which is the consequence of reactive oxygen species production in cancerous patients. - Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of hydatid cysts isolated from livestock in Bushehr province, Iran
Zahra Babaei, Reza Taherkhani, Afshin Barazesh, Marzieh Taherzadeh, Soleiman Khorami, and Moradali Fouladvand
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Hydatid cyst is one of the parasitic zoonoses caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm. The spread of this parasite is global and is of great importance in terms of public health. To date, ten different species of this parasite have been identified that differ in characteristics such as life cycle, epidemiology and pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine the genotype and phylogenetic relationship of hydatid cysts isolated from livestock of Bushehr province, Iran. About 62 samples of hepatic and pulmonary hydatid cysts were collected from slaughtered animals. DNA extracted by phenol–chloroform method was amplified by PCR using primers specific for the cox1 gene. The PCR products of 50 samples were sequenced and analyzed using BioEdit software and compared with sequences in the GenBank. The phylogenetic tree was drawn using Neighbor Joining tree-NJ method, and its reliability was evaluated. Sequencing results showed that out of 50 sequenced samples, 43 samples had the genotype of Echinococcus granulosus and 7 samples had the genotype of Taenia hydatigena. By drawing a phylogenetic tree, all 43 hydatid cyst samples belonged to G1 strain. The predominance of G1 strain of hydatid cyst in livestock of Bushehr province shows the main role of this genotype in establishing the life cycle of parasite in this region and if the genotype of the parasite in dogs and humans is determined, then these findings can be used to disrupt the life cycle of the parasite and reduce the human infections. - The potential role and apoptotic profile of three medicinal plant extracts on Leishmania tropica by MTT assay, macrophage model and flow cytometry analysis
Mozhde Ilaghi, Iraj Sharifi, Fariba Sharififar, Fatemeh Sharifi, Razieh Tavakoli Oliaee, Zahra Babaei, Manzume Shamsi Meimamandi, Alireza Keyhani, and Mehdi Bamorovat
Elsevier BV
Introduction Treatment of leishmaniasis with conventional synthetic drugs is a major global challenge. This study was designed to explore the leishmanicidal activity and apoptotic profile of three leaf extracts on Leishmania tropica stages. Methods The plants of Quercus velutina, Calotropis procera and Nicotiana tabacum were gathered from Anbarabbad county, in the southeastern part of Kerman province and extracted by maceration method using methanol alcohol. Various concentrations of the extracts (1, 10, 100 and 1000 μg/mL) were used against L. tropica stages to evaluate the inhibitory effect by colorimetric assay, macrophage model and flow cytometry. The MTT assay was conducted to determine the IC50 and CC50 values in promastigotes and J774-A1 macrophages, respectively. For intra-macrophage amastigotes, the leishmanicidal activity was evaluated by calculating the mean number of amastigotes in each macrophage and also IC50 values. The promastigote or amastigote stages with no drug and complete medium without organisms were considered as positive and negative controls, respectively. Meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime) was also used as standard drug. Also, annexin V was used to assess the apoptotic profile. All treatment settings were incubated for a standard time of 72 h in triplicates. Data were analyzed by t-test and ANOVA. Results The findings showed that all plant extracts inhibited the proliferation rate of promastigotes and amastigotes (P ˂ 0.001); especially, Q. velutina represented the lowest IC50 in both stages. Besides, Q. velutina showed the least number of amastigotes in each macrophage compared to the other groups (4.5 μg/mL). The percentage of parasitic apoptosis at 1000 μg/mL of Q. velutina, C. procera, N. tabacum and Glucantime® were 37.4, 18.6, 8.5 and 52.4, respectively. Amastigotes (clinical stage) were significantly more susceptible to extracts and also Glucantime® than promastigotes (P < 0.001). Conclusions This study revealed that all three extracts of Q. velutina, C. procera and N. tabacum exhibited an effective antileishmanial activity and induced apoptosis against the L. tropica promastigotes. Further investigations are essential to isolate and analyze the chemical compositions and their biological properties.