Background & objectives: In this study, we aimed to determine the extent of possible genetic influence on cardio-metabolic risk factors and to evaluate the familial aggregation of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a Tehranian population.

Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study, the anthropometry, blood pressure andbiochemical measurements were examined in each member of 566 nuclear families. The role of risk factors in MetS and the Pearson partial correlation between MetS and lipid related factors were calculated.

Results: The prevalence of MetS among the mothers and girls was 78.4 and 12.9%, respectively. Grandmothers had the highest incidence of atherosclerotic risk factors. Four factors were found which explained 77.7% of the overall variance. Recurrence risk ratio among siblings was 5.61 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.15-9.97). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of proband’s MetS status was 1.33 (95% CI: 1.06–1.67) and adjusted OR for the four factors to predict MetS were all significant with the obesity factor having the highest risk (OR: 7.50, CI: 5.91–9.52) followed by dyslipidemia/hyperglycemia factor (OR: 4.86, CI: 4.03–5.87), and blood pressure factor (OR: 4.20, CI: 3.51-5.02).

Conclusion: The present findings confirm the idea of familial aggregation and the recurrence risk ratio in MetS traits. Sibling correlations were higher than other relatives indicating the high genetic factors of these quantitative components in which a high risk of MetS (two-fold) was found

Background & objectives: Enterococci are among the normal microbial flora in human and animals digestive tract. The nosocomial pathogenicity of enterococci has emerged in recent years and has caused great concern due to developing resistance to many antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to investigate and identify the prevalence of VRE (vancomycin resistant enterococcus) within Enterococci isolates obtained from different parts of the hospital.

Methods: Putative Enterococci (n=120) were isolated on Membrane Filter Enterococcus Selective Agar Medium and supplemented with 2, 4 and 8 µgr/ml vancomycin in medical samples. A total isolates passed the standard biochemistry tests for the genus and species as well as their specific primers. The antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the disc diffusion method for 8 antibiotics. Microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC) of vancomycin was also done using Agar-dilution assay by CLSI recommendations.

Results: Results showed that 38 and 84 of the isolates were E. faecium and E.faecalis, respectively. According to antimicrobial susceptibility tests 45, 88, 103, 42, 83, 73, 54 and 95 of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, penicillin, ampicillin and erythromycin, respectively. MIC test on 70% of the isolates was>256 µgr/ml.

Conclusion: Despite the fact that the prevalence of VRE strains belongs to two species, E. faecium had high resistance to a broad range of antibiotics. The results of this study indicate the important role of medical samples as reservoirs of resistance elements. Early detection of VRE with their virulence trait will help in preventing the spread of vancomycin resistant enterococcus species and urgent infection control is required in hospital setting