Chrysin loaded polycaprolactone-chitosan electrospun nanofibers as potential antimicrobial wound dressing.

In this study, various concentrations of chrysin (chry) were loaded into polycaprolactone-chitosan (PCL-CTS) nanofibers to develop a potential wound dressing materials using electrospinning method. The structural composition and the morphology of the produced PCL-CTS5, PCL-CTS10 and PCL-CTS15 were analyzed by FE-SEM and FTIR, respectively. By increasing the amount of chry, the average diameter of the nanofibres was also increased to 191 ± 65 nm, 203 ± 72 nm, and 313 ± 69 nm for PCL-CTS5, PCL-CTS10, and PCL-CTS15, respectively.

Fabrication and characterization of tretinoin-loaded nanofiber for topical skin delivery.

Background: Tretinoin or all-trans retinoic acid is used in the treatment of acne vulgaris and photo-aging. This work aims to develop tretinoin-loaded nanofibers as a potential anti-acne patch and to investigate its physicochemical characteristics.

Method: Nanofibers were produced via electrospinning method and surface topography was evaluated by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM).

Comparison of biofilm production and virulence gene distribution among community- and hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus isolates from northwestern Iran.

Introduction: The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant isolates among Staphylococcus aureus and their genetic variations has become a major concern worldwide. The present study aims at comparing the biofilm formation and the genes encoding adhesion molecules in methicillin-susceptible, community- and hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant, vancomycin-intermediate and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus isolates.

Comparative analysis of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from clinical samples and traditional cheese types in the Northwest of Iran: antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence traits.

This research was conducted using 50 samples of popular traditional cheeses and 160 enterococcal clinical isolates. Phenotypic and genotypic methods used for identification of enterococci. Then, the incidences of antibacterial resistance and virulence traits were investigated.

One piece biopsy for both rapid urease test and cultivation of Helicobacter pylori.

Background & Aims: Increasing antibiotic resistance among Helicobacter pylori isolates and the unsuccessful attempts at eradication can impose many costs to both healthcare systems and patients. The present study intended to find a way from which H. pylori could be isolated from biopsies with less invasive procedures undertaken on infected patients.

Molecular Epidemiology of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium Isolated from Clinical Specimens in the Northwest of Iran.

This study was conducted to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in the aforementioned resistant isolates were studied using the epsilometer (E)-test and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These isolates were subjected to typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

Emergence of vancomycin-intermediate and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus among methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolated from clinical specimens in the northwest of Iran.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency as well as the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) isolates from clinical specimens at three university teaching hospitals in Urmia, Northwest Iran, from 2012-2015.

Methods: Following identification of the isolates, antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed.

Occurrence of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in Various Clinical Infections: Detection of Their Drug Resistance and Virulence Determinants.

The aim of this study was to characterize virulence determinants and antibiotic resistance profiles in enterococci obtained from various clinical sources in the northwest of Iran. A total of 160 enterococcal clinical isolates from various wards of University Teaching Hospitals were collected and specified by biochemical test, from September 2014 to July 2015. Identification of enterococci was confirmed by multiplex PCR in the genus and species level.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage between healthy students of medical and nonmedical universities.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a challenge for public health, and community-acquired (CA) infections seem to be increasing among people in different areas.

Methods: A total of 700 healthy student volunteers residing in dormitories of universities in Urmia, Iran, were enrolled in this study. After identification of the isolates, antibiotic susceptibility, presence of mecA and pvl genes, and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing were evaluated.

Immunology and vaccines and nanovaccines for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori infection is very common worldwide and is an important cause of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric adenocarcinoma. Since the eradication requires treatment with multidrug regimens, prevention of primary infection by a suitable vaccine is attractive. Developing vaccines on the spot when and where an infection is breaking out might be possible, thanks to engineered nanoparticles.

Virulence and antimicrobial resistance in enterococci isolated from urinary tract infections.

Purpose: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common nosocomial infection among hospitalized patients. Meanwhile, most frequent infections involving enterococci affect the urinary tract. The aims of this study were to investigate the susceptibility pattern of isolated enterococci from UTI and the prevalence of virulence genes.

Survey of Virulence Determinants among Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium Isolated from Clinical Specimens of Hospitalized Patients of North west of Iran.

Recent data indicates an increasing rate of vancomycin resistance in clinical enterococcal isolates worldwide. The nosocomial enterococci are likely to harbor virulence elements that increase their ability to colonize hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to characterize virulence determinants in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) obtained from various clinical sources.

The status of antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori in Eastern Azerbaijan, Iran: comparative study according to demographics.

Helicobacter pylori-associated infections are extremely common in Iran, but few data about antibiotic sensitivity of H. pylori are available for this region. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of resistance in isolates against commonly used antibiotics in Eastern Azerbaijan, Iran, and the dependence of prevalence on the sex and age of patients.

Prevalence of bacteriocin activities and bacteriocin-encoding genes in enterococcal clinical isolates in Iran.

The aim of the project was to isolate and characterize bacteriocin-producing enterococci, as well as determine the prevalence of enterocin structural genes in 187 enterococcal clinical isolates from the northwest of Iran. The isolates were screened for antibacterial activity against 15 different indicator strains. The proteinaceous nature of the antimicrobial substances was confirmed by sensitivity to proteinase K; their stability to heat treatment was tested at 60 °C and 100 °C for 20 and 10 min, respectively.