Objectives: Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the main etiology of invasive cervical cancer. Together HPV and viral hepatitis account for the cause of 25% of cancers in developing countries. To evaluate the association between population movements and the spread of HPV, this study looked at prevalence, genotypes, and phylogenetic assessment of HPV in Great Khorasan, a pilgrimage-tourism province in northeast Iran. Methods: From March 2013 to July 2018, 567 samples were collected from three groups in Khorasan: Razavi and North Khorasan provinces (highly mobile population); South Khorasan province (conservative and desert); and diverse group (tourists). Results: HPV prevalence was 48.4% in Razavi and North Khorasan (first group); 19.9% in South Khorasan (second group); and 33.6% in the diverse group. The four most common HPV genotypes were HPV-6, 11, 51 and 16, in the first group; HPV-6, 11, 16 and 58 in the second group; and HPV-6, 11, 16 and 53/89 in the diverse group. The most frequent genotypes that are known as high risk for cervical cancer were HPV-51 in the first group, HPV-16 in the second group and the diverse group. Among low-risk genotypes, HPV-6, and HPV-11 were more frequent in all groups. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 20 HPVpositive samples showed that the distributions of the HPV genotypes were HPV-6 (50%), 11 (10%), 67 (5%), 16 (15%), 31 (10%), 54 (5%), and 89 (5%). Conclusions: The findings show that areas associated with population movement should be frequently monitored for infectious diseases, while conservative and less populated areas have less risk for virus spread and endemicity. Health authorities should focus more on the establishment of HPV diagnostic facilities, screening, vaccination, and enhancement of public knowledge in these regions.

HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease related to human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. Interferon type III (IFN-λ), which includes IL28, IL29, and IL28R, and affects the outcome of viral infections, might be complicated in the progression of HAM/TSP. Here, we investigated the host-virus interactions in the manifestation of HAM/TSP, using IL28B, IL29, IL28R, HTLV-1 Tax, HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ), and proviral load (PVL). The study groups consisted of 20 patients with HAM/TSP, 20 asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (ACs), and 20 healthy controls (HCs). The means of PVL, Tax, and HBZ gene expressions in the HAM/TSP group (p = 0.004, 0.006, and < 0.0001, respectively) were significantly higher than in the AC group. The comparison of IL28B, IL29, and IL28R expression in the HAM/TSP, AC, and HC groups revealed no significant difference between the first 2, but lower concentrations in the HCs (IL28B: p = 0.03, 0.01; IL29: p = 0.07, 0.01; and IL28R: p < 0.0001, respectively). In the HAM/TSP group, correlations were seen between Tax and HBZ (R = 0.61, p = 0.004) and between Tax and IL29 (R = 0.45, p = 0.04). Negative correlations were observed between Tax and IL28B (R = –0.49, p = 0.02) and between HBZ and IL28R (R = –0.43, p = 0.06). In the ACs, an inverse correlation was found between Tax and IL28B (R = –0.42, p = 0.06). These findings suggest that IL29, IL28B, and IL28R interfere in the infection of HAM/TSP, mainly via Tax activation.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem with about 1.75 million new HCV cases and 71 million chronic HCV infections worldwide. The study aimed to evaluate clinical, serological, molecular, and liver markers to develop a mathematical predictive model for the quantification of the HCV viral load in chronic HCV infected patients. In this cross‐sectional study, blood samples were taken from 249 recently diagnosed HCV‐infected subjects and were tested for liver condition, viral genotype, and HCV RNA load. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and multiple linear regression analysis were used to predict the HCV‐RNA load. Genotype 3 followed by genotype 1 were the most prevalent genotypes in Mashhad, Northeastern Iran. The maximum levels of viral load were detected in the mixed genotype group, and the lowest levels in the undetectable genotype group. The log of the HCV viral load was significantly associated with thrombocytopenia and higher serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT). In addition, the log HCV RNA was significantly higher in patients with arthralgia, fatigue, fever, vomiting, or dizziness. Moreover, genotype 3 was significantly associated with icterus. A ROC curve analysis revealed that the best cut‐off points for serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were >31, >34, and ≤246 IU/L, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values for AST were 87.7%, 84.36%, and 44.6%, for ALT they were 83.51%, 81.11%, and 36%, and for ALP were 72.06%, 42.81%, and 8.3%, respectively. A mathematical regression model was developed that could estimate the HCV‐RNA load. Regression model: log viral load = 7.69 − 1.01 × G3 − 0.7 × G1 + 0.002 × ALT − 0.86 × fatigue.

Background Hepatitis C virus infection is a major worldwide public health problem with about 1.75 million new HCV cases and 71 million HCV chronic infections around the world. The aim of study was to evaluate clinical, serological, molecular, and liver markers to develop a mathematical predictive model for HCV viral load quantification in chronic HCV infected patients. Methods In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were taken from 249 recently diagnosed HCV-infected subjects and were tested for liver condition, viral genotype, and HCV RNA load. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and multiple linear regression analysis were used to predict HCV viral load. Results The genotype 3 followed by genotype 1 were the most prevalent genotypes in Mashhad, Northeastern Iran. HCV viremia was significantly associated with genotyping (p=0.04). The maximum levels of viral load were detected in the mixed genotype group, and the lowest levels in the undetectable genotype group. Log of HCV viral load was significantly associated with thrombocytopenia and higher serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT). In addition, log HCV RNA was significantly higher in patients with arthralgia, fatigue, fever, vomiting or dizziness. Moreover, genotype 3 was significantly associated with icterus. A ROC curve analysis revealed that the best cut-off points for serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were >31, >34, and ≤246 IU/L, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values for AST were 87.7%, 84.36% and 44.6%, for ALT; 83.51%, 81.11% and 36%, and for ALP were 72.06%, 42.81% and 8.3%, respectively. Conclusions A mathematical regression model was developed that can estimate the HCV viral load. Regression model: log viral load=7.69-1.01×G3-0.7×G1+0.002×ALT-0.86× fatigue.

BackgroundMicrobes can influence on the development and somehow on triggering of asthma attacks. Therefore, in this study the more significant microbial infections which trigger the attacks in children were evaluated.MethodsA total of 41 nasopharyngeal and oro-pharyengeal swabs were obtained from the Pediatric Allergy Clinic of two educational hospitals, and sent to a Molecular Laboratory for evaluation of 21 bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens using qPCR-TaqMan method.ResultsThe main bacterial infections were S.aur 18/41 (43.9%), S.pneu 16/41 (39%), C.pneu 12 /41 (29.3%), and HIB 17/41 (41.5%) while the most viral infections were and HRSV 3/41 (7.3%) and FluB, HRV, HMPVA.B, HPIV-2,3,4, HcoV-63 and HcoV-229 in 2 cases (4,9%), in asthmatic children. Although, bacterial infections were more common in both gender, the frequency of those agents were statistically difference between girls and boys population (P=0.02). There were positive correlations between S. pneu infection with asthma attack and bronchitis (P= 0.02 and P= 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between AV and RSVA.B infections with allergic rhinitis (P= 0.02 and P= 0.001, respectively).ConclusionIn conclusion, it is more likely that in this region with a population of 6.2 million and more than 25 million tourists, the bacterial respiratory infections, particularly, HIB, S.aur and S. pneu were more common, however, and consistence with other studies HRSV and Flu.B have been dominant viral infections in asthmatic attacks.