Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a major underlying cause of dyspepsia; however, its regional prevalence and associations with symptoms remain underexplored in southern Iran. Objectives: This study evaluated the prevalence of H. pylori infection and associated factors among patients with dyspepsia using the urea breath test (UBT). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 145 adults with dyspepsia underwent the carbon-13 urea breath test (13C-UBT) at Motahari Clinic in Shiraz, Iran, during 2022 - 2023. Data on demographic characteristics, symptoms, medication use, and medical history were collected. Results: The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 47.6% (95% CI, 39% - 55%). Nausea was independently associated with infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.174; 95% CI, 1.050 - 4.500; P = 0.037), whereas diarrhea approached statistical significance (aOR = 3.154; 95% CI, 0.902 - 11.028; P = 0.072). Occupation was also a significant predictor of infection, with employed participants having 5.979-fold higher odds of positivity (95% CI, 1.267 - 28.22; P = 0.024) than those in the reference occupational category. Conclusions: Nausea and occupational status were independently associated with H. pylori infection. These findings may help identify patients with dyspepsia who could benefit from targeted H. pylori testing; however, larger studies are needed to validate these associations.

Background: Provincial mortality profiles are essential for local prevention and health-service planning. However, they are reported less frequently than national summaries in Iran. We described cause-of-death patterns and temporal changes in Fars Province from 2015 to 2024, including the disruption during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.Methods: We analyzed death registration records from the Fars provincial civil registration system, including age, sex, residence status, place of death, and an underlying cause coded using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), 10th revision, and mapped to major cause groups. We summarized distributions by key strata and assessed temporal patterns using annual counts and within-registry proportions. Trend tests and multivariable logistic regression evaluated associations of calendar year and pandemic period with major cause groups, while unsupervised clustering summarized mortality profiles among non-neonatal records.Results: After cleaning, 199,107 records were included. Diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 45.4% of deaths, followed by respiratory diseases, neoplasms, and external causes. All-cause deaths rose sharply in 2020-2021, with concurrent increases in respiratory and infectious causes. Cause composition varied by residence status and place of death, and clustering distinguished younger external-cause deaths from older disease-dominant profiles.Conclusion: Mortality in Fars Province during 2015-2024 was dominated by circulatory diseases, with heterogeneity by demographic and contextual factors and a major pandemic-era increase in deaths. The findings supported prioritizing cardiovascular risk reduction and timely acute care, targeted injury prevention for younger groups, strengthened rural access to prevention and emergency services, and preparedness for future infectious surges.

Background:The global monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak prompted heightened surveillance in regions with significant travel links. Fars Province, Iran, implemented a structured telemedicine response to manage patients presenting with Mpox-like symptoms. Objectives:This study aimed to describe and evaluate the impact of a tiered, hub-and-spoke telemedicine model on the triage, differential diagnosis, and cost efficiency of managing suspected Mpox cases in a setting with no confirmed Mpox. Materials and Methods:In this observational study conducted from August 27 to September 22, 2024, 150 patients presenting with fever and vesiculopustular rash across Fars Province were managed via a mandated protocol. Cases unresolved by local physicians were escalated via asynchronous (store-and-forward) WhatsApp consultations to a central specialist hub. Diagnostic testing, including Orthopoxvirus (Mpox) PCR, varicella zoster virus PCR, and herpes simplex virus testing, was performed based on telemedicine triage. A cost-consequence analysis compared the implemented pathway to a hypothetical standard referral scenario. Results:Among 150 teleconsultations, 28 patients (18.7%) were triaged as high suspicion for Mpox; three had relevant international travel history. No Mpox cases were confirmed. Final diagnoses were varicella (56.7%), herpes zoster (27.3%), herpes simplex (8.0%), and other conditions (8.0%). The telemedicine model prevented 122 (81.3%) unnecessary in-person specialist referrals. The median consultation response time was 95 min. The cost analysis showed a 76% reduction in direct costs, saving an estimated 1,087,500,000 Iranian Rials compared to standard care. Conclusion:A tiered telemedicine model proved effective for outbreak preparedness, enabling rapid expert triage, accurate differential diagnosis, and significant resource savings in a high-alert, zero-prevalence setting. This approach might yield a scalable blueprint for managing future alerts of emerging infectious diseases with cutaneous manifestations.

Background and Objectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium, is ubiquitous and represents one of the most challenging multidrug-resistant pathogens today. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate antibiotic resistance patterns, detect the cepA antibiotic resistance gene, and identify virulence factor genes (exoA, algD, lasB, and plcH) in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. Materials and Methods: This experimental study analyzed 74 P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from clinical samples at Imam Sajad (Yasuj) and Namazi (Shiraz) hospitals, including 74 clinical isolates and one standard reference strain. Bacterial identification was performed using standard biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed by the disk diffusion method according to CLSI 2018 guidelines. Genomic DNA was extracted by means of boiling method, and PCR assays were applied to detect exoA, cepA, plcH, lasB, and algD genes. Data were analyzed with chi-square tests, considering p<0.05 as statistically significant. Results: Among 74 P. aeruginosa isolates, all carried the exoA gene, while algD, plcH, cepA, and lasB were detected in 95.6%, 94.6%, 93.2%, and 91.9% of isolates, respectively. High resistance was observed to aztreonam and ticarcillin, while cefiderocol showed the greatest sensitivity. A significant correlation was found between the cepA gene and antibiotic resistance (P = 0.03). Conclusion: This study reveals a high prevalence of virulence genes and increasing antibiotic resistance among P. aeruginosa clinical isolates, highlighting the urgent need for effective therapeutic strategies to combat this pathogen.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the cardiovascular links to intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Methods: A retrospective study of 216 COVID-19 patients admitted to Shahid Faghihi Hospital was conducted. The study examined their lab results, heart tests, and cardiovascular complications. Data were analyzed using SPSS (v.26) software with ttests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression models. Results: Out of 216 patients, 41.2% were male and 58.8% were female, with a mean age of 61.56 years. Of these, 23.1% required ICU admission, and 14.81% of the total died. Patients needing ICU care had higher age, LDH, and D-dimer levels, while deceased patients showed elevated LDH, D-dimer, troponin, and various ECG abnormalities. A normal ECG had a protective effect against ICU admission. Conclusions: COVID-19 patients can develop cardiovascular complications such as myocarditis, stroke, and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), which increase morbidity and mortality. Therefore, careful cardiovascular monitoring is crucial.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are significant causes of acute hepatitis, commonly transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Hospital staff, being at a higher risk of exposure, are considered a vulnerable group. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HAV and HEV among hospital staff in Southwestern Iran. The overall seropositive rate of HAV and HEV IgG was 9.9

Human brucellosis remains a major public health issue in endemic regions such as Iran. While climatic variables may affect transmission patterns, their role remains uncertain. This study analyzed long-term trends of human brucellosis in relation to climatic factors in Iran from 2000 to 2023. A time-series ecological design was applied using annual crude incidence rates (CIR) of brucellosis alongside climatic indicators including annual mean temperature (AMT), annual precipitation (AP), and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Correlation tests, linear regressions, and multivariate models were performed. The average CIR was 23.96 per 100,000. AMT showed an inverse correlation with CIR, while SPEI indicated a weak positive association. Precipitation was not significantly correlated. Multivariate models explained less than one-quarter of variance, and no climatic factor remained a significant predictor. Findings suggest that climatic variables alone have limited explanatory power for brucellosis trends in Iran, with socioeconomic, agricultural, and behavioral factors likely playing a much greater role. Rather than demonstrating a strong climate-disease link, this study highlights the complexity and potential insignificance of climatic influence on brucellosis incidence, underscoring the need for integrated One Health approaches.

ObjectiveThe current study aimed to identify the association between COVID-19 vaccination and prolonged post-COVID symptoms (long-COVID) in adults who reported suffering from this condition.MethodsThis was a retrospective follow-up study of adults with long-COVID syndrome. The data were collected during a phone call to the participants in January-February 2022. We inquired about their current health status and also their vaccination status if they agreed to participate.ResultsIn total, 1236 people were studied; 543 individuals reported suffering from long long- COVID (43.9%). Chi square test showed that 15 out of 51 people (29.4%) with no vaccination and 528 out of 1185 participants (44.6%) who received at least one dose of any vaccine had long long- COVID symptoms (p = 0.032).ConclusionsIn people who have already contracted COVID-19 and now suffer from long-COVID, receiving a COVID vaccination has a significant association with prolonged symptoms of long-COVID for more than one year after the initial infection. However, vaccines reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 (including reinfections) and its catastrophic consequences (e.g., death). Therefore, it is strongly recommended that all people, even those with a history of COVID-19, receive vaccines to protect themselves against this fatal viral infection.

Background and Aim: SARS-COV-2 can present with pulmonary, renal, gastrointestinal, hematological, and neurological manifestations. Neurological manifestations may occur after or before COVID-19 symptoms and signs. Spine and spinal cord complications are documented as neurological complications of COVID-19. Spinal cord pathology following COVID-19 showed inflammatory myelopathy and suspected cord ischemia. The most frequent presentation of COVID-19 myelitis is non-enhancing central expansile cord T2 signal changes, but it can present with lateral and dorsal column-specific disease and in some cases with negative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There is no known documented mechanism for spinal cord involvement in COVID-19 infection, but it seems as a post-infectious immunological and post-inflammatory disorder and reaction. Viral infection of SARS-CoV-2 can cause demyelination of the brain and spinal cord and also can exacerbate the known primary demyelinating disorders. Methods and Materials/Patients: This is a narrative study about the spinal cord complications of COVID-19. To provide up-to-date information, we precisely reviewed COVID-19 articles on spine and spinal cord complications. Based on the keywords COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, spine, and spinal cord, all the related articles were taken from Google Scholar, PubMed, and Medline and were precisely studied. Results: There are reported cases of COVID-19 spine and spinal cord involvement. There is no documented mechanism for these involvements but the possible mechanisms are direct invasion, cytokine storm, coagulopathy, and an autoimmune response. The routine therapy of such complications is the treatment of these complications with other primary causes with a poor and unsatisfactory response of myelopathy to treatment; however, early diagnosis and vigilance of such involvement improve outcome. Conclusion: COVID-19 can cause spine and spinal cord complications in some patients without a known incidence rate of such complications. The pathogenesis is not completely known; therefore, more conclusive studies are obligatory to improve our information on COVID-19 spinal cord and spine complications.

Background/Aims The aim of this study was to determine the rate of natural and breakthrough infection and related symptoms of Covid-19 amongst Iranian healthcare workers (HCWs) who were vaccinated by different non-mRNA-based vaccines at peak points. Methods In this cross-sectional study, the RT-PCR test was performed for a total of 10,581 HCWs suspicious of Covid-19 infection. For each HCW, the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the time of transmission based on vaccination administration time and schedule were examined during different waves of the pandemic. Based on these findings, the study patients were divided into three groups: natural, natural/breakthrough, and breakthrough. Results In total, 53% of the HCWs were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection between 1 and 5 times within two years after the current pandemic, while 20.7% and 32.3% experienced natural and breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively. Only 6% of the breakthrough-infected HCWs had naturally contracted SARS-CoV-2 infection during the initial waves. The highest natural peaks of infection occurred during the interval administration of the first and second dose of the first vaccination series, while the single highest peak of breakthrough infection belonged to the Omicron wave. It occurred simultaneously with the administration of the third vaccination dose. On the other hand, the highest rate of reinfection was observed amongst people who had received the Sinopharm and Bharat vaccines full-doses. Conclusion This study compared the clinical differences between the two peaks of Omicron and Delta. This study indicates the rates of natural and breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections according to vaccination schedules and different waves of the pandemic.

INTRODUCTION:There have been some reports of the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and mucormycosis. This study aims to compare the hospitalization rates and clinical characteristics of mucormycosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODOLOGY:In this retrospective study, we compared the hospitalization rate of mucormycosis patients in Namazi hospital in Southern Iran for two periods of 40 months. We defined July 1st, 2018 to February 17th, 2020, as the pre-COVID-19 period and February 18th, 2020, to September 30th, 2021, as the COVID-19 period. In addition, a quadrupled group of hospitalized patients with age and sex-matched SARS-COV-2 infection without any sign of mucormycosis was selected as the control group for COVID-associated mucormycosis.RESULT:In the total of 72 mucormycosis patients in the COVID period, 54 patients had a clinical history and a positive RT-PCR, which confirms the diagnosis of SARS-COV2 infection. The hospitalization rate of mucormycosis showed an increase of + 306% (95% CI: + 259%, + 353%) from a monthly average value of 0.26 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14, 0.38) in the pre-COVID period to 1.06 in the COVID period. The use of corticosteroids prior to the initiation of hospitalization (p ≤ 0.01), diabetes (DM) (p = 0.04), brain involvement (p = 0.03), orbit involvement (p = 0.04), and sphenoid sinus invasion (p ≤ 0.01) were more common in patients with mucormycosis during the COVID period.CONCLUSIONS:In high-risk patients, especially diabetics, special care to avoid the development of mucormycosis must be taken into account in patients with SARS-COV-2 infection considered for treatment with corticosteroids.

Background and objective Ivermectin is a known anti-parasitic agent that has been investigated as an antiviral agent against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ivermectin in mild COVID-19 patients. Methods In this multi-arm randomized clinical trial conducted between 9 April 2021 and 20 May 2021, a total of 393 patients with reverse transcription-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection and mild symptoms were enrolled. Subjects were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive single-dose ivermectin (12 mg), double-dose ivermectin (24 mg) or placebo. The primary outcome was need for hospitalization. Results There was no significant difference in the proportion of subjects who required hospitalization between the placebo and single-dose ivermectin groups (absolute difference in the proportions: -2.3 [95% CI = -8.5, 4.1]) and between the placebo and double-dose ivermectin groups (absolute difference in the proportions: -3.9 [95% CI = -9.8, 2.2]). The odds of differences in mean change in severity score between single-dose ivermectin and placebo groups (ORdifference = 1.005 [95% CI: 0.972, 1.040]; p = 0.762) and double-dose ivermectin and placebo groups (ORdifference = 1.010 [95% CI: 0.974, 1.046]; p = 0.598) were not statistically significant. None of the six adverse events (including mild dermatitis, tachycardia and hypertension) were serious and required extra action. Conclusion Single-dose and double-dose ivermectin early treatment were not superior to the placebo in preventing progression to hospitalization and improving clinical course in mild COVID-19.

Background: There are some concerns about the effectiveness of the inactivated and vector-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in the real-world settings with the emergence of new mutations, especially variants of concern. Data derived from administrative repositories during mass-vaccination campaigns or programs are of interest to study vaccine effectiveness (VE). Methods: Using 4-repository administrative data linkage, we conducted a historical cohort study on a target population of 3,628,857 inhabitants aged at least 18 years residing in Southern Iran. Results: We estimated 71.9% [95% CI: 70.7-73.1%], 81.5% [95% CI: 79.5-83.4%], 67.5% [95% CI: 59.5-75.6%], and 86.4% [95% CI: 84.1-88.8%] hospitalization reduction for those who received the full vaccination schedule of BIBP-CorV, ChAdOx1-S/nCoV-19, rAd26-rAd5, and BIV1-CovIran vaccines, respectively. A high reduction in mortality, at least 85%, was observed in all age subgroups of fully immunized population. Conclusion: The pragmatic implementation of a vaccination plan including all available vaccine options in the Iranian population was associated with a significant reduction in documented COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death associated with COVID-19.

Abstract Background There are some concerns about the effectiveness of the inactivated and vector-based vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in real-world settings with the emergence of new mutations, especially variants of concern. Data derived from administrative repositories during mass vaccination campaigns or programs are of interest to study vaccine effectiveness. Methods Using 4-repository administrative data linkage, we conducted a historical cohort study on a target population of 1 882 148 inhabitants aged at least 18 years residing in southern Iran. Results We estimated a 71.9% [95% confidence interval [CI], 70.7%–73.1%], 81.5% [95% CI, 79.5%–83.4%], 67.5% [95% CI, 59.5%–75.6%], and 86.4% [95% CI, 84.1%–88.8%] hospital admission reduction for those who received the full vaccination schedule of BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm), ChAdOx1-S/nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222, Oxford-AstraZeneca), rAd26-rAd5 (Gam-COVID-Vac, Sputnik V), and BIV1-CovIran (COVIran Barekat) vaccines, respectively. A high reduction in mortality (at least 85%) was observed in all age subgroups of the fully immunized population. Conclusions The pragmatic implementation of a vaccination plan including all available vaccine options in the Iranian population was associated with a significant reduction in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) detected infections as well as hospital admissions and deaths associated with COVID-19.

Background The current literature is scarce as to the outcomes of COVID-19 infection in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients and whether immunosuppressive or chemotherapeutic agents can cause worsening of the patients’ condition during COVID-19 infection. Case presentation Our case is a 59-year-old gentleman who presented to the Emergency Department of the Cancer Institute of Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil on 10th May 2020 with a worsening dyspnea and chest pain which had started 3 days prior to presentation to the Emergency Department. He had a past history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for which he was receiving chemotherapy. Subsequent PCR testing demonstrated that our patient was SARS-CoV-2 positive. Conclusion In this report, we show a patient with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the middle of chemotherapy, presented a mild clinical course of COVID-19 infection.

Background and objectives With the increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, the global health apparatus is facing insufficient resources. The main objective of the current study is to provide additional data regarding the clinical characteristics of the patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and in particular to analyze the factors associated with disease severity, lack of improvement, and mortality. Methods 102 studies were included in the present meta-analysis, all of which were published before September 24, 2020. The studies were found by searching a number of databases, including Scopus, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase. We performed a thorough search from early February until September 24. The selected papers were evaluated and analyzed using Stata software application version 14. Results Ultimately, 102 papers were selected for this meta- analysis, covering 121,437 infected patients. The mean age of the patients was 58.42 years. The results indicate a prevalence of 79.26% for fever (95% CI: 74.98-83.26; I-2 = 97.35%), 60.70% for cough (95% CI: 56.91-64.43; I-2 = 94.98%), 33.21% for fatigue or myalgia (95% CI: 28.86-37.70; I-2 = 96.12%), 31.30% for dyspnea (95% CI: 26.14-36.69; I-2 = 97.67%), and 10.65% for diarrhea (95% CI: 8.26-13.27; I-2 = 94.20%). The prevalence for the most common comorbidities was 28.30% for hypertension (95% CI: 23.66-33.18; I-2 = 99.58%), 14.29% for diabetes (95% CI: 11.88-16.87; I-2 = 99.10%), 12.30% for cardiovascular diseases (95% CI: 9.59-15.27; I-2 = 99.33%), and 5.19% for chronic kidney disease (95% CI: 3.95-6.58; I-2 = 96.42%). Conclusions We evaluated the prevalence of some of the most important comorbidities in COVID-19 patients, indicating that some underlying disorders, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney disease, can be considered as risk factors for patients with COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, the results show that an elderly male with underlying diseases is more likely to have severe COVID-19.

Abstract Background In the current COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 viral respiratory symptoms have been confused with other viral respiratory infections such as influenza. Given that both viruses cause respiratory diseases, there are important differences between these two viruses in terms of how they are spread, controlled and treated. Due to these differences, a definitive diagnosis of each infection has important implications for the public health measures that can be implemented in response to the treatment of each virus.Method In this cross-sectional retrospective study from 4th September 2020 to 5th December 2020 (time period of influenza outbreak in Iran, a total of 455 Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) patients were included. Two nasopharyngeal and one oropharyngeal throat swab samples were collected from all participants and evaluated for COVID-19 by real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay using the E-Gene specific primers/FAM probe and S Gene primers/ROX probe (Covitech, Iran) for SARS-CoV-2. Due to the concurrence of the study in autumn and the history of influenza outbreak at this time in Iran. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected and tested for influenza viruses A (H1N1, H3N2, seasonal flu), and Influenza B by one step qRT-PCR Master Mix (Invitrogen, United States) and AG synthesis probe and primers (Metabion, Germany) for Influenza A (H1N1, H3N2, seasonal flu) and B.Results In this study, 455 patients with SARI were hospitalized during September to December 2020. 203(44.61%) were infected with SARS-COV-2 and of these patients, one patient was positive for both COVID-19 and Influenza. The mean age was estimated 54.93 ± 17.00 and 50.65 ± 17.71 in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups, respectively which was significantly different (P < 0.001). Sex distribution between two groups showed that most of COVID-19 patients were male, this is in contrast with the COVID-19 negative group, in which most of patients were female and these differences were statistically significant. (P = 0.057). Clinical outcomes of patients with diagnosed SARI were measured. The main parameters were discharge from ICU and death during hospital admission. There was no significant difference between the number of patients discharge from ICU who were COVID positive or COVID negative. In addition, there was no significant difference between the number of patients who died who were COVID positive or COVID negative.Conclusion The decline in Influenza incidence and coinfection with COVID-19 in comparison to previous years appears to be significant due to its concurrence with the COVID19 pandemic and general population awareness on observing the instructions for personal respiratory protection e.g mask-wearing, hand washing, self-isolation and public health measures. Therefore, routine testing and empirical treatment for suspected influenza coinfection in COVID-19 patients is not recommended.

Human enteric adenovirus species F (HAdV-F) is one of the most common pathogens responsible for acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Brazil is a country with continental dimensions where continuous multiregional surveillance is vital to establish a more complete picture of the epidemiology of HAdV-F. The aim of the current study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of HAdV-F using full-genome data in rural and low-income urban areas in northern Brazil. This will allow a genetic comparison between Brazilian and global HAdV-F strains. The frequency of HAdV-F infections in patients with gastroenteritis and molecular typing of positive samples within this period was also analysed. A total of 251 stool samples collected between 2010 and 2016 from patients with acute gastroenteritis were screened for HAdV-F using next-generation sequencing techniques. HAdV-F infection was detected in 57.8 % (145/251) of samples. A total of 137 positive samples belonged to HAdV-F41 and 7 to HAdV-F40. HAdV-F40/41 dual infection was found in one sample. Detection rates did not vary significantly according to the year. Single HAdV-F infections were detected in 21.9 % (55/251) of samples and mixed infections in 37.4 % (94/251), with RVA/HAdV-F being the most frequent association (21.5 %; 54/251). Genetic analysis indicated that the HAdV-F strains circulating in Brazil were closely related to worldwide strains, and the existence of some temporal order was not observed. This is the first large-scale HAdV-F study in Brazil in which whole-genome data and DNA sequence analyses were used to characterize HAdV-F strains. Expanding the viral genome database could improve overall genotyping success and assist the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)/GenBank in standardizing the HAdV genome records by providing a large set of annotated HAdV-F genomes.

An analytical procedure for rapid and effective dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction (DMSPE) of glibenclamide (GB) from urine samples was set up by using sulfur doped tin oxide nanoparticles (S@SnO2-NPs) loaded on activated carbon (AC), as the sorbent, and clean-up materials, followed by detection.

Objectives: Female sex workers (FSW) are highly at risk of HIV, and can potentially transmit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in different societies. Study design: The aims of the present study were to investigate the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and associated risk factors among FSW between 2010 and 2017 using a systematic literature review and meta-analysis approach. Methods: International databases were searched, including ISI Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus. Using the appropriate keywords, relevant studies published on the HIV/AIDS prevalence among FSW between 2010 and 2017 were identified. Afterwards, the information was extracted and analyzed by STATA version 14. Results: Thirty-seven studies were found eligible for inclusion in this research, encompassing a total of 46,657 subjects. The results revealed that the global prevalence of HIV/AIDS among FSW was 2.17 (95% CI=1.37-3.14). Conclusion: These findings demonstrated the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among FSWs worldwide. Accordingly, strict educational and interventional programs should be implemented globally to reduce HIV/AIDS prevalence among this group, as well as to prevent probable HIV transmission.