Journal of Current Biomedical Reports (J Curr Biomed Rep)
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Epigenetic markers as predictors of neurodegeneration in long COVID survivors
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Bacterial etiology and prevalence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections in hospitalized patients: A five-year study in Rasht, Iran
Full text linkCatheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most prevalent healthcare-associated infections, posing substantial clinical and economic burdens. The increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens further complicates their management, necessitating region-specific surveillance to inform therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to assess the bacterial etiology and antibiotic resistance patterns of CAUTIs over a five-year period in a tertiary referral hospital in northern Iran. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 158 hospitalized patients diagnosed with CAUTIs from 2018 to 2024 at Razi Educational and Medical Center. Urine samples were processed using standard microbiological techniques, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed via the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recommended disk diffusion method. Demographic, clinical, and microbiological data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The majority of cases were male (53.3%), with a mean age of 63 ± 14.95 years. Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated pathogen (55.7%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (17.7%) and Citrobacter spp. (12%). High resistance rates were observed among Enterobacteriaceae, particularly against cefixime (80.5%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (79.5%), and ciprofloxacin (73.9%) for E. coli. Nitrofurantoin (18.2%) and amikacin (30.2%) with lowest resistance remained the most effective agents. E. coli remains the dominant CAUTI pathogen and exhibits high resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics, underscoring the urgency of local resistance surveillance. Nitrofurantoin and amikacin shows promise as an effective treatment option. These findings highlight the need for targeted antimicrobial stewardship, infection control practices, and continuous regional monitoring to control resistance trends and optimize patient outcomes
Chest CT scan findings six months after COVID-19 pneumonia: A prospective cross-sectional study
Full text linkThe severity of pulmonary complications in survivors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is not well understood, but there are concerns about potential long-term effects. In a prospective cross-sectional study, 43 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection and respiratory symptoms were eligible. They were followed-up in Razi Hospital in Rasht, Iran from February 20, 2020, to September 22, 2021. These patients underwent chest CT scans six months after disease onset. The average age of the patients included in this research was 51.72±14.25. Out of the 43 examined patients, 25 patients (58.1%) had no residual radiological manifestations of COVID-19 pneumonia (complete recovery), 11 patients (25.6%) had remainingground glass opacities (GGO), and 7 patients (16.3%) had residual lung disease (Sub-pleural line). The statistical test did not show a significant relationship between age groups, gender, underlying diseases, duration of hospitalization, the extent and type of involvement, number of involved lobes, degree of involvement, average preliminary O2 saturation, and the O2 therapy method with the remaining pulmonary radiologic appearances caused by COVID-19 pneumonia. The study’s findings suggest that half of the patients develop chest CT-scan finding, with the most common being GGO followed by subpleural lines. We believe that if patients are followed up for more than six months, it is possible to gradually decrease the residual pulmonary manifestations in their CT scan findings
Thymoquinone and chemoresistance in non-small cell lung cancer: Preclinical promise or therapeutic potential?
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Effect of anticoagulant therapy on the severity symptoms of hospitalized patients with COVID-19
Full text linkCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with a hypercoagulable state, contributing to disease severity and increased mortality. Thrombotic complications, including venous thromboembolism (VTE) and microvascular thrombosis, have been frequently reported in hospitalized patients. So, the study aimed to evaluate the effect of anticoagulant therapy on the severity of symptoms and clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. An analytical retrospective, single-center study was conducted on hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters, including age, hospitalization duration, ICU stay, ventilation, and biochemical markers, were compared across severity groups in patients <18 years. All patients received anticoagulation therapy according to hospital guidelines for at least one week, with exclusions for prior anticoagulant use, thrombosis, or incomplete records. Patients receiving anticoagulant therapy, particularly low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), showed a significant reduction in disease severity, ICU admission rates, and in-hospital mortality compared to those not receiving anticoagulation (P <0.05). The incidence of thrombotic events was also lower among anticoagulated patients. However, bleeding complications were observed in a small proportion of patients, emphasizing the need for individualized risk assessment. Anticoagulant therapy, especially LMWH, may reduce the severity and improve clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Despite its benefits, anticoagulation should be carefully administered based on thrombotic and bleeding risks. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings and to establish evidence-based protocols for anticoagulant use in COVID-19 treatment
Bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance in bloodstream infections: A three-year retrospective analysis from a tertiary hospital in Northern Iran
Full text linkBloodstream infections (BSIs) are a major contributor to morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients, particularly when antimicrobial resistance is rapidly increasing. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria poses significant challenges to empirical treatment and infection-control efforts. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, bacterial etiology, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of BSIs among inpatients at a tertiary hospital in northern Iran over a three-year period. A retrospective observational analysis was conducted at a tertiary university hospital from March 2021 to March 2024. All hospitalized patients with culture-confirmed BSIs and documented antimicrobial susceptibility testing results were included. Bacterial identification followed standard microbiological procedures. A total of 284 cases of BSI were recorded, and based on the number of hospital admissions, the rates of nosocomial infection and BSI were approximately 4% and 1%, respectively. The mean patient age was 59.7 years, and 32.4% were admitted to ICUs. Gram-negative bacteria predominated, with Klebsiella spp. (18.3%), Escherichia coli (18.0%), and Acinetobacter spp. (12.7%) as the most frequent pathogens. High antimicrobial resistance rates were observed among Gram-negative isolates, particularly non-fermenters. Carbapenems and aminoglycosides remained the most active agents against Enterobacterales. Among Gram-positive bacteria, approximately half of staphylococcal isolates were methicillin-susceptible, and enterococci showed full susceptibility to vancomycin. BSIs continue to impose a significant clinical burden in northern Iran, dominated by Gram-negative pathogens and marked antimicrobial resistance. The findings highlight the need for ongoing local surveillance, updated empirical treatment guidelines, and reinforced antimicrobial-stewardship and infection-control programs to reduce morbidity, mortality, and the spread of resistant organisms
COVID-19 in patients with preexisting liver disease: Clinical features and outcomes from northern Iran
Full text linkPeople living with chronic liver disease (CLD) may experience more severe consequences when infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, information from Middle Eastern populations is still limited. The present research examined the presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 among patients with underlying liver disorders in Northern Iran. To achieve this, a retrospective cross-sectional review was carried out in a major referral hospital between March 2020 and March 2023. Adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 and documented preexisting liver disease were included. Demographic, clinical, and outcome data were extracted and analyzed. Among 83 identified patients, common symptoms were myalgia (59%), cough (56.6%), and respiratory distress (49.4%). Hypoxemia (25.3%) was significantly associated with mortality (47.4% vs. 18.8%, P = 0.017). Altered consciousness also predicted poor outcomes (31.6% vs. 9.4%, P = 0.016). COVID-19 patients with preexisting liver disease had increased risk of adverse outcomes, with hypoxemia and altered mental status serving as key mortality predictors. Early recognition and tailored management are essential for this vulnerable group
Prevalence of hospital-acquired infections in burn patients: A six-year experience from northern Iran
Full text linkBurn injuries represent a major public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are one of the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Burn patients are especially vulnerable due to loss of skin barrier, immune suppression, prolonged hospitalization, and invasive procedures. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the six years prevalence of HAIs in burn patients admitted to a subspecialty center for burn accidents. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Velayat Hospital, Rasht, northern Iran, including all burn patients admitted between March 2018 and March 2023 with hospital stays longer than 48 hours. Demographic, clinical, microbiological, and outcome data were extracted from hospital records. A total of 1,098 HAIs were documented, corresponding to a prevalence of 3.7%. The mean age of infected patients was 39.4 ± 20.7 years, and 74.1% were male. Skin and soft tissue infections were most frequent (89%), followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (5%), bloodstream infections (4.1%), and urinary tract infections (1.5%). Pseudomonas spp. (33.1%) and Klebsiella spp. (14.1%) were the leading pathogens. Mortality occurred in 29% of infected patients, with the highest rate among VAP cases (80%). Higher TBSA burns (>30%) and older age were significantly associated with mortality. HAIs remain a serious complication among burn patients, with Pseudomonas spp. as the predominant pathogen and VAP as the leading risk factor of death. Targeted infection-control strategies, improved microbiological diagnostics, and focused interventions for high-TBSA patients are critical to improving outcomes in burn centers
Genotyping and investigation of antibiotic resistance genes of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates isolated from raw meat using RAPD-PCR method
Full text linkAcinetobacter baumannii is a well-known pathogen linked to hospital infections and has recently been detected in raw meat from livestock and poultry, raising concerns over antibiotic resistance transmission to humans. Considering the extensive prevalence of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii in food sources, this study focused on genotyping A. baumannii isolates from meat and poultry samples and examining the presence of essential antibiotic resistance genes. As part of a cross-sectional study conducted in August 2023, researchers gathered 125 raw meat samples from livestock and poultry at various sites throughout Isfahan province, Iran. The A. baumannii isolates were identified by standard microbiological producers and examined for antimicrobial susceptibility using the disk diffusion technique. Their resistance patterns were analyzed through RAPD-PCR. Totally, 22 A. baumannii isolates from raw meat were recovered. All isolates exhibited resistance to at least two antibiotics. Strains derived from livestock showed high resistance to tetracycline (72.7%), whereas strains from poultry exhibited the highest resistance to both tetracycline (90.9%), and gentamicin (81.8%). In both poultry and livestock isolates, tetA was the most frequently detected resistance gene at 90.1 and 81.8%, respectively. While, the blaoxa-24-like genes were present at one isolate with a rate of 9.1%. Genotyping grouped the isolates into five RAPD profiles, with genetic similarities ranging from 74%-100%, indicating notable diversity despite widespread resistance. These findings highlight the emergence of antibiotic-resistant A. baumannii in meat products and underscore the potential risk of resistance gene transfer from animals to humans, emphasizing the need for further research and public health strategies
