Aims: This study is focused on the isolation, characterization and screening of new bacterial strains isolated from soil and wastewater samples that are able to produce PHA utilizing waste glycerol as sole carbon source in order to create useful products from waste glycerol and at the same time reduce the PHA production cost. A new isolate, Burkholderia contaminans Kad1 strain was investigated for its ability to biosynthesize PHA copolymers containing 3HV monomers from waste glycerol and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) precursors. Methodology and results: PHA producing bacteria were screened using Nile Red and 1% of Nile Blue method. The presence of PHA granules was detected using phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy. Burkholderia contaminans Kad1, one out of 23 positive samples, was selected for further study because of its ability to produce high PHA content (47 wt%) and dry cell weight (DCW), (4.2 g/L) when waste glycerol 2% (v/v) was used as the sole carbon source. The 16S rDNA and the PHA synthase gene were sequenced and the PHA produced was confirmed by NMR analysis. A mixture of waste glycerol and sodium valerate fed to the culture gave rise to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3- hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)]. The mole fraction of 3HV monomer in the co-polymer P(3HB-co-3HV) sample analyzed using 1H NMR was 23 mol%. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: This study demonstrated for the first time B. contaminans Kad1 was able to use waste glycerol for PHA biosynthesis including the P(3HB-co-3HV) copolymer using a mixture of waste glycerol with sodium valerate as the precursor.
bacteria

Objectives: Tuberculosis remains one of the top three infectious disease killers. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has increased substantially in the past 20 years. When drug resistance is not detected, MDR-TB patients cannot access life-saving treatment; this puts their communities at risk of ongoing MDR-TB transmission. We aimed to determine the patterns of resistance to antituberculosis drugs among Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Khuzestan province in Iran. Methods: A total of 850 clinical specimens from patients suspected of active TB were cultured in 2015. Drug susceptibility testing to the first line antiTB drugs for culture positive MTB was performed on Lowenstein–Jensen medium using the proportion method. Results: Of 850 cultured specimens, 272 (32%) were culture positive for mycobacteria. Of 64 MTB isolates that were analyzed by the proportion method, 62 (96.8%) were pan-susceptible and two (3.1%) were MDR. Conclusion An important way to prevent the emergence of MDR and XDR TB, and the principles of full implementation of the strategy is directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS). The efficient diagnosis and timely treatment of MDR-TB patients can prevent disease transmission, reduce the risk of drug resistance developing, and avoid further lung damage.

OBJECTIVETo identify the frequency of syphilis among Iranian HIV-positive patients.

METHODSA cross-sectional study on the prevalence of syphilis and HIV co-infection among 450 patients diagnosed with HIV infection was conducted between 2004 and 2008 at Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran, Iran. The lab tests including CD4 cell count, cerebrospinal fluid, veneral disease research laboratory (VDRL), fluorescent treponema antibody-absorption (FTA-Abs) and viral load were performed for all the patients. Data regarding medical history and their demographics were also collected.

RESULTSOf all 450 HIV-positive patients, 24 (5.3%) had a positive VDRL test and only two men had a FTA-Abs positive test which means 0.45% of them had a definite co-infection of syphilis. 65.3% of the HIV-positive patients were injection drug users that the co-infection prevalence of them was 0.7%. We did not find any patient with neurosyphilis.

CONCLUSIONSConsidering the increasing prevalence of HIV and also extensive use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in developing nations, the diagnosis of syphilis should be timely established using screening tests among such patients.

Coinfection ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Humans ; Iran ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Syphilis ; epidemiology ; Treponema pallidum ; Treponemal Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission

Objective: To identify the frequency of syphilis among Iranian HIV-positive patients. Methods:A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of syphilis and HIV co-infection among 450 patients diagnosed with HIV infection was conducted between 2004 and 2008 at Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran, Iran. The lab tests including CD4 cell count, cerebrospinal fluid, veneral disease research laboratory (VDRL), fluorescent treponema antibody-absorption (FTA-Abs) and viral load were performed for all the patients. Data regarding medical history and their demographics were also collected. Results: Of all 450 HIV-positive patients, 24 (5.3%) had a positive VDRL test and only two men had a FTA-Abs positive test which means 0.45% of them had a definite co-infection of syphilis. 65.3% of the HIV-positive patients were injection drug users that the co-infection prevalence of them was 0.7%. We did not find any patient with neurosyphilis. Conclusions: Considering the increasing prevalence of HIV and also extensive use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in developing nations, the diagnosis of syphilis should be timely established using screening tests among such patients.

Anastamotic pseudoaneurysm was the commonest variety of AVA-related aneurysms. The commonest indication of surgical intervention was impending rupture. Surgical revision and repair of AVA-related aneurysms is life saving and is associated with acceptable post-intervention patency rate.