OBJECTIVES: Brucellosis is a systemic disease with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients in Hamadan Province in the west of Iran. METHODS: A total of 157 HIV-infected patients were screened through standard serological tests, including Wright’s test, Coombs’ Wright test, and 2-mercaptoethanol Brucella agglutination test (2ME test), blood cultures in Castaneda media, and CD4 counting. Data were analyzed using Stata version 11. RESULTS: Wright and Coombs’ Wright tests were carried out, and only 5 (3.2%) patients had positive serological results. However, all patients had negative 2ME results, and blood cultures were negative for Brucella spp. Moreover, patients with positive serology and a mean CD4 count of 355.8 ± 203.11 cells/μL had no clinical manifestations of brucellosis, and, and the other patients had a mean CD4 count of 335.55 ± 261.71 cells/μL. CONCLUSION: Results of this study showed that HIV infection is not a predisposing factor of acquiring brucellosis.
Agglutination Tests ; Brucella ; Brucellosis* ; Causality ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; Humans* ; Iran* ; Mercaptoethanol ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Serologic Tests

Aims: This study aimed to isolate and identify lactobacilli strains that have antagonistic activity against multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and evaluate their probiotic properties. Methodology and results: Twenty-one Lactobacillus isolates were collected, and their antimicrobial activity was assessed by agar well diffusion, broth microdilution and time-kill test. The probiotic potential of the isolates was evaluated as well. The bacterial culture and cell free supernatant (CFS) of all isolates exhibited antibacterial activity against all MDR isolates. Out of 21 isolates, 4 isolates (A31, B35, S20 and S25) displayed the highest antimicrobial activity and further evaluated. The minimum inhibitory percentages of CFS from selected isolates against pathogens ranged from 10 to 30% and the bactericidal percentages ranged from 20 to 50%. The inhibitory activity of CFS was not changed after heating but abrogated as the pH neutralized. The growth kinetic of the MDR pathogens was significantly reduced in the presence of the CFS of all isolates. The isolates had a less than 1-log reduction in their viability in acid tolerance test and could grow in the presence of 0.3% bile salts. Strains S20, S25 and B35 exhibited high coaggregation with E. coli (51.7-73.3%), P. aeruginosa (53.7-69.3%) and K. pneumoniae (49.7-65.3%). Molecular identification revealed that the isolates were Lactobacillus rhamnosus (B35) and Lactobacillus paracasei (S20, S25, A31). Conclusion, significance and impact of study The results suggest that these lactobacilli isolates may have potential applications for controlling and preventing colonization of infections caused by MDR pathogens.
Lactobacillales ; Kefir ; Probiotics ; Gram-Negative Bacteria