---

  Background and objectives: Rubella is a mild viral infectious disease usually occurs sub-clinically without a serious complication, but if occur during pregnancy, specially the first trimester, its etiologic agent can transmit and invade to fetus causing congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) or fetal death. In order to prevent disease and its congenital complications, Rubella immunization is currently done in many countries. Nearly 20 % of girls at marriage were susceptible to rubella in 2003. That is why early all Iranians at the age of 5-25 years old were vaccinated against rubella and the vaccine was included in the compulsary immunization, MMR afterwards.

  Methods: This cross-sectional and analitical study was carried out on 140 girls who attended at a marriage consultancy center in Kermanshah city. Annually, about 10000 girls attend Rafattieh Health Center for pre-marriage laboratory tests in Kermanshah. It was expected that rate of sero-positive Rubella increase from 80 % in 1999 to above 90 % at the study time after mass and national vaccination. So considering 95 % of confidence. All Samples were tested using ELISA serologic method.

  Results: Antibody positivity and immunity against rubella was seen in 99.3 % (139 out of 140 vaccinated girls), while it was 80 % according to the similar study conducted on 240 unvaccinated girls at the same place in 1999. Comparing these two studies showed that attack rate (sero-negativity) has been decreased from 17.08 % in unvaccinated to 0.71 % in vaccinated ones with a confidence interval of 0.01- 0.30 (p < 0.01). The vaccine efficacy is estimated 96 %.

  Conclusion: Relationship between immunity, age, education and history of rubella-like illness, could not be assessed because only 1 (< 0.1%) of 140 vaccinated girls was not immune. In our previous studey in 1999 we had recommended to screen for susceptibility to rubella before marriage, which is no longer required since more than 99 % of vaccinated girls showed immuninty at the time of marriage. However, as sustainability of immunity after rubella vaccination is usually less than immunity due to illness, we recommend screening for rubella protective antibody every few years.

---

  Background & Objectives: Recent studies have shown that aquatic actinomycetes can be a source of new biological products such as antibiotics and i n dustrial products. This study was designed to examine the aquatic actinomycetes isolated from mangrove forests in South of Iran and their antibacterial activities against some human pathogens.

  Methods: In this study 115 samples were randomly taken from different places of a mangrove forests in South of Iran. Isolation was based on serial dilution of the samples and plating them on starch casein agar medium. Agar well diffusion and disc diffusion assays were used to examine the antibacterial activity of the isolated purified aquatic actinomycetes.

  Results: The aquatic actinomycetes were isolated from 83 samples (70%). Of them, 66 (80 percent) showed antibacterial activity and 17 (20%) could not inhibit the human pathogenic bacteria. The diameter of the inhibitory zones (ZOI) ranged from 4 to 11 mm and the biggest zone belonged to B acillus cereus (p≤0.05).

  Conclusion: The findings showed that the various and useful aquatic actinomycetes for production of new antibiotic compounds are isolated easily from the mangrove forests in South of Iran. Considering the vast spreading of mangrove forests in South of Iran and the economic and simplicity of isolation of actinomycetes for industrial usage, these source can be an important and new place for research and industry.

---

Background & objectives: Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) is a medicinal plant usually used in traditional medicine to reduce toothache. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of topical Clove oil on acute and chronic pain in male mice using formalin test.
Methods: In this study, 24 mice were divided into 4 groups: control, morphine (as positive control), Clove oil, and Clove oil plus morphine groups. Before the formalin test, the animals were treated topically with clove oil for 6 hours.  A single dose of morphine (10 mg/kg) was prescribed subcutaneously. Pain scores were obtained using the formalin test through an injection of 20 microliter of formalin 2.5% into the palm of the animal's right hand.
Results: Topical administration of Clove oil significantly decreased acute pain (the initial phase of the formalin test) and chronic pain (the second phase of the formalin test). Furthermore, topical Clove oil increased the analgesic effect of morphine in acute pain phase.
Conclusions: This study showed that the analgesic effect of topical Clove oil was comparable to morphine.

---

CT
 
Background & objectives: So far, various reports have been presented on the relationship between sex hormones and gender-related differences in pain and analgesia in humans and laboratory animals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of testosterone hormone and spironolactone anti-androgen drug on morphine-induced analgesia in male mice using formalin test.
Methods: In this study, 80 male mice were divided into 10 groups (N=8); normal saline (control), sesame seed oil (as testosterone solvent), testosterone (5 and 10 mg/kg body weight), spironolactone, morphine, sesame seed oil + morphine, testosterone (5 and 10 mg/ kg body weight) + morphine and spironolactone + morphine. Formalin test was performed in all the mice, and data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA.
Results: The results showed that sesame seed oil + morphine (p<0.001), morphine (p<0.001), testosterone (5 mg/kg) + morphine (p<0.01) and testosterone (10 mg/kg) + morphine (p<0.001) significantly reduced acute  pain, and testosterone (5 mg/kg) (p<0.05), testosterone (10 mg/kg) (p<0.01), sesame seed oil + morphine (p<0.001), morphine (p<0.001), testosterone (5 mg/kg) + morphine (p<0.001) and testosterone (10 mg/kg) + morphine (p<0.001) significantly reduced chronic pain compared with control group. Spironolactone had no effect on pain relief in the presence and absence of morphine compared to control group.
Conclusions: It can be concluded that testosterone has analgesic effects on the chronic phase of the pain. On the other hand, spironolactone may have hyperalgesic effects due to its anti-androgenic properties.