() is a protozoan zoonosis which clinical signs of infection with this parasite has been reported to be more severe in patients with weakened immune systems than healthy controls. So, the aim of the study was to evaluate genomic analysis of isolates obtained from patients with HIV-positive using locus SSU-rDNA. At first, 268 stool samples were randomly collected from patients with HIV-positive referred to health centers of Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran. Formol-ether and direct smear techniques were used for the detection of parasitic agents. After extracting DNA, the samples were analyzed by the PCR method. Finally, the subtypes were determined by the sequencing and PCR methods. New samples were used for the preparation of positive control sample; they were cultured in coagulant-serum biphasic cultivation media. Of 268 stool samples, 33 (12.3%) cases were detected positive for using Formol-Ether technique but 51 (19%) cases were positive using molecular method. The most common isolates were related to the subtype III with 29 positive cases (56.8%), then, genotype I with 11 (21.6%) cases, 6 cases (11.8%) with genotype II, 3 (5.9%) combined cases with genotypes I and III as well as 2 cases (3.9%) with genotype VI. There was a significant difference between two groups of HIV-positive patients (infected with the parasite and/or without the parasite) in the term of the mean of TCD4-positive cells. The results indicated a relatively high prevalence of in HIV-positive patients as well as our findings may represent that the number reduction of TCD4-positive cells has an effective role in the increased risk of the parasitic infection in HIV-positive patients.

Background:Because of the economic importance of the Arab race horses and also the role of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. in abortion and reproductive failure of these animals, we decided to perform this study.Objectives:We designed this study to investigate the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora spp. antibodies in Arab horses from 12 cities of Khuzestan province in southwest of Iran.Materials and Methods:From October 2009 to March 2011, a total of 235 blood samples were collected from jugular veins of Arab horses of different ages and genders from 12 cities of Khuzestan province. All the sera were tested for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT) and the existence of anti-Neospora antibodies were tested using N-MAT for Neospora spp.Results:According to the MAT results, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 114 (48.5%) of 235 sera with titers of 1:20 in 84, 1:40 in 19, 1:80 in four, 1:160 in four, and 1:320 in three horses. According to the N-MAT results, antibodies to Neospora spp. were found in 47 (20%) of 235 sera with titers of 1:40 in 39, 1:80 in five, and 1:160 in three horses. We did not observe any statistically significant differences regarding age groups and genders between seropositive and seronegative horses for Neospora spp. using chi-square (χ2) test, but it seemed that anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were more prevalent in older horses (≥ 10 years old).Conclusions:The results indicated that Arab horses are exposed to these parasites in southwest of Iran. Further research is required to determine the genomic structures of these parasites in Arab horses in southwest of Iran.

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