Papers by Arezoo Aghakhani
Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the interleukin (IL)-... more Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the interleukin (IL)-10 genes have a role in determining hepatitis B virus (HBV) outcome. Objectives: This study evaluates the correlation between HBV infection and SNP in IL-10 gene promoter. Patients and Methods: Ninety-six HBV-infected patients (32 chronic hepatitis B infection patients, 34 healthy carriers, 30 spontaneously recovered cases) and 31 healthy controls were enrolled. Three biallelic (-819,-592,-1082) regions in the IL-10 gene promoter were sequenced for all patients.
Animal bites are major public health issues, not only for the risk of acquiring secondary infecti... more Animal bites are major public health issues, not only for the risk of acquiring secondary infections but also for the possibility of contracting rabies. The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiology of animal bites in Tehran, Iran. During a three-year period, through a questionnaire-based study, 8806 bitten persons were enrolled into our study. Of these, 79.16% were males and 20.84% were females. Bites were most frequent among the age group of 20-29 years. Most cases were self employed. Upper extremities were the most frequent bite site (53.8%). The offending animals, in order of frequency were dogs, cats, squirrels, monkeys, hamsters, and other animals, responsible in 5804 (65.9%), 2241 (25.44%), 343 (3.89%), 134 (1.52%), 125 (1.41%), and 159 (1.84%) cases, respectively. We found that animal bites are still prevalent in Iran and thus preventive measures and health education are required for the public.
Hepatitis Monthly, 2013
Background: Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a defective virus dependent on hepatitis B virus (HBV) for... more Background: Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a defective virus dependent on hepatitis B virus (HBV) for its replication. Due to HDV transmission routes, patients undergoing hemodialysis and those with HIV infection are at risk of acquiring HDV. Objectives: This study was aimed to determine the frequency and genotype of HDV infection among patients with HIV infection and those undergoing hemodialysis. Patients and Methods: 720 cases including 120 patients undergoing hemodialysis, and 600 patients with HIV infection were studied. All cases with positive results for HBsAg were evaluated for the presence of anti-HDV antibodies. Samples with Anti-HDV positive results were subjected to nested PCR for HDV-RNA confirmation, and sequenced for HDV genotype determination. Results: HBsAg was found in 9 (7.5%) of 120 patients undergoing hemodialysis, and 9 (1.5%) of 600 patients with HIV infection. 3 (33.3%) of patients undergoing hemodialysis with positive results for HBsAg, and 5 (55.5%) of cases with HIV infection and positive results for HBsAg, had positive findings for anti-HDV which were then subjected to nested PCR. The amplification results confirmed that in 3 (37.5%) samples HDV-RNA was detected. Overall 2.5% of patients undergoing hemodialysis, and 0.8% of cases infected with HIV had positive results for anti-HDV and 1.7% and 0.2% of cases undergoing hemodialysis and patients infected with HIV had positive findings for HDV-RNA respectively. All of the HDV isolates were clustered in clade 1.
Nephro-urology monthly, 2015
Occult Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is defined as the presence of HBV-DNA in the liver... more Occult Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is defined as the presence of HBV-DNA in the liver or serum with undetectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Hemodialysis (HD) patients are at risk of acquiring parenterally transmitted infections. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of OBI in HD patients. A hundred HBsAg negative HD patients were included in this study from main dialysis units in Tehran, Iran. HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and liver enzymes levels were examined in all subjects. The presence of HBV-DNA was determined in plasma samples using real-time PCR. A hundredpatients with a mean age of 58.5 ± 16.1 years were enrolled in this study. In total, 56.7% were male and 43.3% female. Anti-HBs, anti-HBc, anti-HCV and anti-HIV were detected in 56.7%, 2%, 5.2% and 1% of patients, respectively. Isolated anti-HBc was detected in 2% of cases. HBV-DNA was detected in 1% of HBsAg negative patients. This st...
Infectious Diseases, 2015
Background: BK virus (BKV) is a common human polyomavirus which infects up to 90% of the general ... more Background: BK virus (BKV) is a common human polyomavirus which infects up to 90% of the general population with little clinical signifi cance and with various epidemiological patterns of infection. Immune suppression is considered the main risk factor for BKV reactivation. Owing to their impaired cellular and humoral immunity, patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) are at high risk of infectious diseases such as BKV infection. BKV presents with different distributions in different populations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of BKV in Iranian patients with chronic renal disease undergoing HD and PD. Methods: Sixty-three HD patients and 33 PD cases from the main dialysis units in Tehran, Iran, were enrolled in the study. BK viremia was determined by qualitative polymerase chain reaction in all subjects. Results: Sixty-three cases under HD (mean age 59.3 Ϯ 14.5 years) and 33 subjects on PD (mean age 53.7 Ϯ 13 years) were enrolled in the study. The mean duration of HD was 59.1 Ϯ 53.8 months and the dialysis interval was three times a week. In the PD group, the mean duration of dialysis was 38.9 Ϯ 35.2 months. The prevalence of BK viremia was 3.03% in PD and 0% in HD subjects. Conclusions: This study showed a low rate of BK viremia in chronic renal disease patients undergoing HD or PD. Differently from other studies in various populations, our results demonstrated low or absent BKV replication in Iranian dialysis patients, highlighting the varying epidemiological pattern of BKV distribution.
Hepatitis Monthly, 2012
Ramezani A, Banifazl M, eslamifar A, Sofian M, Aghakhani A. occult hepatitis B infection in diffe... more Ramezani A, Banifazl M, eslamifar A, Sofian M, Aghakhani A. occult hepatitis B infection in different high risk patients. Hepat Mon. 2012; 467-8. DoI: 10.5812/hepatmon.7094 Dear Editor, We read with great interest the article "epidemiology of occult hepatitis B infection among thalassemia, hemophilia and hemodialysis patients" by Arababadi et al. (1). because of our common field of interest in investigation of occult hepatitis B infection (oBI) in high risk patients such as HIV infected cases and hemodialysis patients. oBI is defined as the presence of HBV-DnA in the liver tissue or serum without detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (2). About 20 % of oBI cases are negative for all HBV markers except HBV-DnA, 50 % are positive for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and 35 % are positive for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) (3). We investigated oBI in HIV positive patients (10, 11). oBI is an important issue in these patients because HIV/HBV co-infected individuals are at increased risk of chronic hepatitis, cirrho-sis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (4). In the published reports, the prevalence of occult HBV infection in HIV infected patients ranged between 0-10 % using standard PCR methods (5-7) and 35-89 % using more sensitive assays . In our study, out of 106 enrolled HIV infected patients, 20.75 % had isolated anti-HBc (HBsAg negative, anti-HBs negative and anti-HBc positive). HBV-DnA was detected in 13.6 % of patients with isolated anti-HBc. We divided these patients based on their HCV status. out of 63 anti-HCV positive cases, 28.6 % had isolated anti-HBc and 16.7 % of the latter group had oBI. But we did not find any oBI in HIV patients without HCV infection (10, 11). We also conducted the same study in hemodialysis patients (12). The prevalence of occult HBV infection in dialysis patients was reported with a range between 0 to 58 % in published studies (13-16). We found that 6.2 % of 289 enrolled patients had isolated anti-HBc and oBI was detected in 50 % of these patients. only one of our patients with occult HBV was co-infected with HCV, so a conclusion cannot be reached regarding the association of occult HBV infection and HCV in this study .
Journal of Addiction Medicine, 2012
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2007
1. Clinical Research Dept., Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. 2. Iranian Research Center f... more 1. Clinical Research Dept., Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. 2. Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Tehran, Iran. 3. Iranian Society for Support Patients with Infectious Diseases, Tehran, Iran. ... Background and Objective: Presence of hepatitis B core antibody ...
Hepatitis Monthly, 2012
The clinical outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is variable, ranging from spontaneous r... more The clinical outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is variable, ranging from spontaneous recovery to an inactive carrier state, chronic hepatitis, occult HBV infection, liver cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. Evidence Acquisition: This variable pattern and clinical outcomes of the infection were mainly determined by virological and host genetic factors. Since the most of host genetic factors associated with HBV infection have currently focused on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) associations and interleukin (IL)-10 gene polymorphisms, this review focuses on the recent progresses in these issues to provide prognostic markers for the outcome of HBV infection. Results: A study on serum levels of IL-10 in occult HBV infected patients reported that the higher level of IL-10 production may suppress function of the immune system against HBV in patients with occult HBV infection (57). IL-10 promoter polymorphism at position -592 is associated with susceptibility to occult HBV infection. Conclusions: Findings of this study suggest that the host HLA polymorphism is an important factor in determining outcome of HBV infection but regarding IL-10 gene promoter polymorphisms, we are still have a long way to achieve a definite conclusion.
... 2. Medical Council of Kashan, Kashan, Iran. 3. Iranian Society for Support of Patients with I... more ... 2. Medical Council of Kashan, Kashan, Iran. 3. Iranian Society for Support of Patients with Infectious Diseases, Tehran, Iran. 4. Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran. ABSTRACT Background and Objective: Anemia is a common manifestation of human immunodeficiency ...
Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the interleukin (IL)-... more Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the interleukin (IL)-10 genes have a role in determining hepatitis B virus (HBV) outcome. Objectives: This study evaluates the correlation between HBV infection and SNP in IL-10 gene promoter. Patients and Methods: Ninety-six HBV-infected patients (32 chronic hepatitis B infection patients, 34 healthy carriers, 30 spontaneously recovered cases) and 31 healthy controls were enrolled. Three biallelic (-819,-592,-1082) regions in the IL-10 gene promoter were sequenced for all patients.
In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and metabolic abnormalities in... more In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and metabolic abnormalities in 2 groups of HIV infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and antiretroviral-naive patients.
Background: Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is defined as the presence of HCV-RNA in liv... more Background: Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is defined as the presence of HCV-RNA in liver or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the absence of detectable hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) or HCV-RNA in the serum. Although occult HCV infection is less aggressive than classic chronic HCV infection, nevertheless it is important in management of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Occult HCV infection has been described in two different clinical settings: in patients with normal liver enzymes or in patients with abnormal values of liver enzymes. The aim of this study was to detect the occult HCV infection in hemodialysis patients with elevated liver enzymes.
Animal bites are major public health issues, not only for the risk of acquiring secondary infecti... more Animal bites are major public health issues, not only for the risk of acquiring secondary infections but also for the possibility of contracting rabies. The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiology of animal bites in Tehran, Iran. During a three-year period, through a ...
... in Different Age Groups in Tehran, Iran Ali Eslamifar1, Amitis Ramezani1, Mohammad Banifazl2,... more ... in Different Age Groups in Tehran, Iran Ali Eslamifar1, Amitis Ramezani1, Mohammad Banifazl2, Akbar Khadem-Sadegh1, Arezoo Aghakhani1 ... Burns S, et al. Population-based incidence of pertussis among adolescents and adults, Minnesota, 1995–1996. ...
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Papers by Arezoo Aghakhani