Tehran University of Medical Sciences

About: Tehran University of Medical Sciences is a education organization based out in Tehran, Iran. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 35661 authors who have published 57234 publications receiving 878523 citations. The organization is also known as: TUMS.

Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Iran and their Role on Leishmania Transmission.

Abstract: Sand fly research has a long history in Iran beginning with the work of Adler, Theodor and Lourie in 1930 and followed by Mesghali's foundational taxonomic work on sand flies in 1943. Since then, research has been continued unabated throughout the country and official publications report the existence of at least 44 species of sand flies (26 of the genus Phlebotomus and 18 of genus Sergentomyia) in Iran. So far, seven Phlebotomus species and one Sergentomyia species have been collected and described by Iranian researchers for the first time. Natural promastigote infections have been repeatedly found in 13 species of sand flies and modern molecular techniques are used routinely to characterize Leishmania parasite isolates from endemic areas of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Because of anthropogenic environmental modifications or human population movements, data on phlebotomine sand flies should be regularly updated and verified at least every five years by fieldwork and taxonomy in foci of leishmaniasis, to incriminate vector species of relevance to the ecology of transmission and to support development and implementation of control programs.

Lymphomas of the Female Genital Tract: A Study of 186 Cases and Review of the Literature

Abstract: Malignant lymphomas in the female genital tract are rare, and those arising from this tissue system are extremely uncommon. Most pertinent reports lack clear references to the accepted classifications or failed to apply immunomarkers and molecular techniques for a reliable diagnosis. We analyzed a large group of patients with primary and secondary lymphomas of the female genital tract classified on the basis of the recent WHO consensus. A total of 186 patients with malignant lymphoma detected in the female genital tract were selected from the files of the Kiel Lymphoma Registry covering the period of 1974 to 2004. Stringent criteria were applied to separate systemic versus secondary lymphomas. All cases were reviewed on the basis of conventionally stained sections, relevant immunohistochemistry using the alkaline phosphatase/anti-alkaline phosphatase technique, and clinical information, as far as available. When required, gene rearrangement analysis was performed, including TCR-gamma chain gene and the three FR fragments of the IgG heavy chain gene. In addition, typical chromosomal translocations were detected by means of the FISH technique to verify the diagnosis, where needed. Thirty-seven percent of the cases were systemic lymphomas and 63% were mostly extranodal lymphomas primary to the female genital tract. The adnexa were involved in 87 cases, followed by uterine corpus in 23 cases, uterine cervix in 17 cases, portio in 9 cases, vagina in 11 cases, and vulva including clitoris in 8 cases. In 31 cases, two or more adjacent sites were involved. In both (primary and secondary) groups, the adnexa were the prevailing site of involvement. As expected, the overwhelming majority of cases were of B phenotype. The most frequent type of lymphoma proved to be diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, closely followed by follicular lymphoma, including all 3 grades of malignancy. Burkitt lymphoma showed a rather similar frequency. Marginal zone lymphoma occurred exclusively as primary lesions in the uterine mucosa. Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma was restricted to the vulvo-vaginal area and occurred in women over 60 years of age. In conclusion, our study provides a thorough overview of various types of lymphoma affecting the female genital tract primarily or secondarily, which were classified on the basis of a widely accepted WHO classification. Although quite rare, our report should remind the pathologist of considering malignant lymphomas while reading biopsies taken from female genital organ.