Background: Fungi are regarded as one of causal factors of respiratory allergies and are a serious threat to public health in indoor environments. Before conclusively identifying fungi as the major causative agent of all or some types of rhinitis, we should have a good knowledge of the fungal flora of the nasal cavity and indoor building environments of healthy subjects. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the presence and relative abundance of fungal flora in the nasal cavity and bedroom of healthy subjects in Mashhad city, north east of Iran. Patients and Methods: A group of fifty healthy volunteers without a history of respiratory system diseases were selected. Samples from the nasal cavity and different parts of the bedroom including indoor air, pillow, mattress, blanket, dust of the bed, dust of the shelf and dust of the air duct were collected and cultured. The fungi were identified by standard mycological techniques. Results: The most common fungi isolated from all samples were Aspergillus, Penicillium, Yeast, Alternaria and Cladosporium. Stemphylium, Ulocladium, Stachybotrys, Basidiobolus and Exophiala showed the least frequencies among the isolated fungi. Conclusions:The presence of fungi in the nasal cavity and indoors of healthy subjects in this study suggests that fungi should be considered as health hazards. Furthermore, it is important and seems necessary to monitor indoor air quality and raise awareness of existing threats due to microorganisms, including fungi.
Background: The snake, Echis carinatus, one of the most venomous snakes in Asia, possesses a deadly hemotoxic venom. It has been reported that suramin, an anti-trypansomiasis drug, can inhibit the toxic effects of some snake venoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the possible antagonistic effects of suramin against the hemorrhagic activity of the venom from an Iranian snake, Echis carinatus, in developing chicken embryos. Methods: One day old fertile eggs (n=250) were incubated for six days at 37ºC and 60% humidity. Paper discs (5 mm diameter) containing different concentrations of E. carinatus venom (5, 10, 20 & 30 μg) were placed on the chorioallantoic membrane over the major bilateral vein and were left in place until hemorrage occurred and the embryos died. Results: We found the standard hemorrhagic dose (SHD) of E. carinatus venom to be (5 μg/disc). Various concentrations (5, 10 & 20 μg) of suramin were tested against SHD of E. carinatus venom in different protocols. Control experiments were performed with the buffered saline solution, venom and suramin individually. The results demonstrated that suramin at 5, 10 and 20 μg significantly (P<0.05) delayed time to death (717, 521 & 208 min) of embryos poisoned with E. carinatus venom in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Suramin exerted protective and inhibitory effects against the deadly E. carinatus venom, and therefore, may potentially offer future therapeutic applications against poisoning with E. carinatus venom.
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