ANCA are classes of Antibodies or in reality Autoantibodies usually produce in conditions that degradation of neutrophiles occur. This is led to vascular damage. They are more common in Rheumatic diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), systemic lupus Erythematus (SLE) and vasculitic diseases especially Wegners" granulomatosis (with specificityand sensitivity as high as 95%). We decided to design IFA-ANCA because this assay has high sensitivity and in with comparision other techniques such as EL/SA & RIA is more economic and simple. On the other hand, screening test for determining ANCA is immunofluorescent assay.ANCA test establishment contains: Isolation of neutrophiles, fixation with ethanol and formalin, improvement of method and quality control by using qf indirect immunoflourescence assay (IFA), two staining pattern are observed. Cytoplasmic (C-ANCA) or classic and prinuclear (P-ANCA) pattern. Established ANCA test by inter assay method had 95% reproducibility and 91 % precision.

Background: Q fever is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. To date, no studies have been conducted on the rate of Q fever infection among the veterinary staff in Lorestan province. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of infection in the veterinary staff. Methods: This cross-sectional studywasconductedfromApril to July 2019on92 samples collectedrandomlyfromLorestan province on veterinary staff who had a history of contact with livestock and were tested via indirect immunofluorescence kit. Results: In this study, 77 (83/69%) samples were positive, and 15 (16/3%) samples were negative. There were no statistically significant relationships between residence, contact with livestock, and work experience. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, the high seroprevalence of aQfever was observedamongVeterinary staff, which further reveals the necessitates of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the disease in order to prevent unwanted complications in people in contact with livestock.

Background: Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular microorganism that causes Q fever in humans and animals. A high risk for obstetric complications has been reported among women infected with Coxiella burnetii. The present study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection among rural pregnant women in Khorramabad. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 184 serum samples were collected randomly from pregnant women who were referred to clinical laboratories and health centers in Khorramabad, Iran, from December 2016 to June 2017. A commercial IFA kit was used to detect the specific antibodies against phase II human C. burnetii in serum samples. Results: In this study, 89 (48. 4%) serum samples had Coxiella antibodies. No significant relationship was observed between the variables of this study. Serological results based on the sampling month demonstrated that the most positive cases were observed in December (83. 3%) which was statistically significant (P<0. 001). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated a high seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection among pregnant women in Khorramabad. Since Q fever is a dangerous factor in pregnant women, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education should take appropriate policy to raise the awareness of people at risk, especially those who have frequent contact with livestock.

Introduction: The genus Brucella consists of six species, four of which are associated with human Brucellosis, B. Abortus, B. Melitensis, B. Suis and B. Canis. Brucella are small, no motile, none capsulated gram negative and coccobacilli. It is an intracellular parasite of the Reticuloendotnlial system. Brucella infection has a worldwide distribution. Objective: In this research, serologic test data results from 500 patients were evaluated.Materials and Methods: Method of tests consisted slide and tube agglutination test, Rose Bengal, 2ME and Immunofluorescent test, that were compared.Results: Relative frequency of Antibody titers was consisted:Rose Bengal 24.4%, Rapid Wright 21.2%, Coomb'sw 23.8% and IFA 21.4%.GMRT (Geometric mean of reciprocal titers) of Anti - Brucella Antibody titers was consisted: Tube Wright: 284.5, c.w: 294.39, IFA: 326.3.Relative frequency of Anti- Brucella Antibody titers by sex and age groups was explained that percent of disease in made (38.3%) was more than female (15.6%) and relative frequency of Anti - Brucella Antibody by seasons of the year was not significant.The specificity of the IFA was higher than of tube test.The sensibility of the IFA was higher than 2ME test.Conclusion: As a general rule, IFA test has less false positive and negative results.

Toxoplasmosis is a wide distributed opportunistic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. This was a cross-sectional study of T. gondii antibody titer, which was conducted from June 2003 to August 2004 on renal transplant recipients in Iran. A total of 551 serum samples were obtained from randomly selected population referred from different areas all over the country to Shafa Central Clinic in Tehran. Patient’s information was recorded in a questionnaire before sampling. Two samples of finger-prick blood were collected from each person and antibody titer against Toxoplasma was assessed by Indirect Fluorescence Antibody (IFA) technique on serum samples. Totally 39 cases (7.1%) of samples were positive for antibody by the titer of 1: 20 and higher. On investigation of risk factors, no significant difference was found between consumption of under- cooked meat, close contact with animals, and the source of drinking water and seropositivity rate of toxoplasmosis. The relatively low seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma infection shows the successful approaches to awareness of transplant recipients about the potential risks of acquisition of infectious diseases due to regular administration of suppressive drugs. However, the regular surveillance through serological screening of Toxoplasma antibody in kidney transplant recipients is advisable

Toxoplasmosis is one of the common parasitic infections of human and warm blooded animals. Clinical diagnosis is very difficult, therefore, diagnosis is based on measuring antibody titer by different laboratory methods.In order to investigate the incidence & prevalence of toxoplasma infection among pregnant women in Mashhad, a study was undertaken over a 6 months period in Emam Reza Hospital. Sera samples of 200 pregnant women who reffered to University Hospital Labs were collected for detection of IgG and IgM by ImmunoFlouresence Antibody (IF A) and Immuno - Peroxidase (IP) tests.Simultaneously, a questionnaire was completed for each woman.The results showed that among 200 sera samples, 108 cases (54%) were IgG positive for toxoplasma (from 1:20 to 1:1600) by IF A and IP techniques. In 92 case (46%) the results of tests were negative. It is concluded that: I-However toxoplasma infection is almost common but the disease is rare in pregnant- women. 2-There is no significant difference between IFA & IP test for diagnosis of toxoplasma infection.

History and Objectives: Although some serological tests are not highly sensitive in diagnosis of pulmonary hydatide cysts however Dot-ELISA is introduced as a simple, sensitive and a very efficient means of pulmonary hydatid cyst diagnosis. In the present study, we compared the validity of IHA, IFA and Dot-ELISA techniques in diagnosis of antiechinococcal antibodies caused bu Echinococcus granulosis in cystic liver and lung hydatid disease. Materials and Methods: 244 sera of which 30 samples from hydatid patients, 104 sera from patients suffering a disease other than hydatidosis and 110 serafrom healthy individuals were collected mainly from Tehran's hospitals. The hydatid patients were confirmed by surgery and consisted of 14, 10 6patients with liver, lung and liver-lung hydatid cysts respectively. The sera were tested by IHA, IFA and Dot-ELISA techniques. Sensitivity, spedficity, predictive values, false positivity and false negativity of each test were evaluated in diagnosis of liver and lung hydatid cysts.Results: The results indicate that the sensitivities of IHA test for liver, lung and liver-lung cysts were 78.7%, 60% and 100% respectively, while the sensitivities of IFA in detecting liver, lung and liver-lung cysts were 93%, 80% and 100% respectively. In this regard, the Dot-ELISA showed the best results whereas its sensitivities for liver, lung and liver-lung cysts were 100% each.Conclusions: These results indicates that detection of antiechinococcal antibodies in human serais superior by Dot-ELISA compared to IHA and IFA tests. Hence, the application of this test in medical laboratories for hydatid cyst diagnosis can be recommended.

Dot-ELISA assay is a solid phase diagnostic method for detection of antigen or antibody that is used widely for diagnosis of protozoan and metazoan diseases of human and animals. To evaluate this method in diagnosis of human toxoplasmosis, the test was standardized, using golden positive and negative serum samples. Then 215 human serum samples were evaluated for IgG and IgM against Toxoplasma gondii by Indirect Immuno-Fluorescent Antibody (IFA) and Dot-ELISA. Using statistic program, Epi info 6.0 showed these testes have a good agreement in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis with Kappa = 0.8607 for IgG and Kappa = 0.8865 for IgM antibodies (P<0.05). This study and the works carried out by the other scientists indicate that the Dot-ELISA test is rapid, simple, cost effective, does not need expensive equipment and has a good sensitivity and specificity. But, as the results are expressed qualitatively, therefore, it is not possible to use for antibody titer determination. Yet, it is quite useful for screening test especially in the field and where there are no well-equipped laboratories

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important infectious diseases common in both human and animals and various serological findings from all over the world point out to the fact that this protozoal infection is on the rise all over the world. Considering the fact that the rate of contamination is absolutely related to geographical conditions, eating habits, existence of cats and since the cat is the most popular pet in a large number of families in Yazd, we decided to have an epidemiological study on the mentioned subject. Since there is a high morbidity risk in single females, this group was also evaluated for the rate of contamination. Thirty areas were selected randomly and using statistical records of the health care center of Yazd province a questionnaire was filled and blood samples of one hundred persons were taken by referring to their houses, and the same things were done for over 300 single females who had referred to Nikoopour health care center, for premarriage tests. I.F.A was done for all blood samples at the central laboratory of Yazd province. Overall, 3320 persons were evaluated, including 1041 (31.4 %) males and 2279 (68.6 %) females, with the following results: 60.2 % were negative, 14.8 % with titer of 1.100, 13.5 % with titer of 1/200, 9.5% with titer of 1/400, 1.2% with titer 1/800, 0.3% with titer of 1/1600, 0.3% with titer of 1/3200, 0.1 % with titer of 1/6400 & 0.1% with titer of 1/12800 positive. Antibody titer in single females had the following pattern: 64.4 % negative, 14.5 % with titer of 1/100, 12.5 % with titer of 1/200,4.6 % with titer of 1/400, 4 % with titer of 1/800 and higher. There is a direct relationship between age and prevalence of toxoplasmosis, therefore there is more chance of contamination with increase in age. The age group of less than ten years had the lowest, while 30-39 years age group had the highest contamination rate. Housewives and butchers had the highest contamination rate. There is a correlation between prevalence rate of toxoplasmosis and consumption of half-cooked meat, raw vegetables and contact with cats. Not using half-cooked or kabob-type meat, good personal hygiene by cooks and those handling uncooked meat & proper cooking methods are recommended.