Comparison of Methods in the Serologic Diagnosis of Cystic Echinococcosis.

PURPOSE: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is caused by the larval form of Echinococcus granulosus. Clinical, radiologic, pathologic, and serologic findings should be evaluated together for the diagnosis of CE. The sensitivity and specificity oalf serologic tests may vary depending on the method used. In this study, we aimed to detect IgG antibodies specific to E. granulosus using indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect fluorescent antibodies (IFA) and western blot (WB) tests. METHODS: In our study, the serum samples of 74 patients sent to our laboratory with suspicion of CE were studied using two different commercial IHA tests, ELISA, IFA and WB test. The test results were evaluated along with radiological findings and histopathological examinations, the latter being the gold standard. RESULTS: Of all the patients, 51 (69%) were female and 23 (31%) were male. There was a statistically significant difference between males and females (χ2 = 9.7, p = 0.002). Out of 74 patients, positivity rates for Siemens IHA, Fumouze IHA, ELISA, IFA and WB test were positive as 33 (44.6%), 35 (47.3%), 43 (58.1%), 42 (56.7%) and 38 (51.3%), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the tests were as follows: 66.67 and 2.31% for Siemens IHA; 70.83% and 96.15% for Fumouze IHA; 85.42%, and 88.46% for ELISA; 83.33% and 88.46% for IFA; 72.92% and 88.46% for WB test. CONCLUSION: There were statistically significant differences in between all five methods (p < 0,001). While the tests with the highest specificity was Fumouze IHA, the test with the highest sensitivity was the ELISA test. It was concluded that IHA and ELISA tests were more practical in practice because of their greater applicability.

Acanthamoeba Keratitis Associated with Scleral Contact Lens Use in a Keratoconus Patient.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) as a result of scleral lens use and the first case of AK associated with Maxim scleral lens use (Accu-Lens, Inc., Lakewood, CO, USA). A 22-year-old male scleral lens user presented at the department of ophthalmology at Gazi University Hospital complaining of painful corneal opacities and erosion in the cornea of right eye. A real-time polymerase chain reaction assay (Primerdesign, Southampton, UK) was performed, and Acanthamoeba spp. DNA was amplified on the corneal specimen. A topical antimicrobial treatment was prescribed, and the symptoms had improved significantly at the 2-week follow-up. Contact lens wearers always run the risk of developing AK, even with gas-permeable scleral contact lenses. Therefore, AK must be considered as an important differential diagnosis in patients who use scleral contact lenses.

[The investigation of the seroprevalence of cystic echinococcosis in veterinary surgeons]. / Veteriner hekimlerde kistik ekinokokkozis seroprevalansinin arastirilmasi.

In Turkey where agriculture is a major industry, cystic echinococcosis is a serious public health problem which also has a significant impact on the country's economy. In this case, echinococcosis seroprevalence among veterinary surgeons was tested using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect hemagglutination (IHA) methods and the samples tested positive were subjected to a further verification test using the western blot (WB) method. While sera from 2 out of 93 veterinary surgeons (2.15%) were found to be positive for Echinococcus-IgG antibody using the ELISA method, the optic density values of the two sera were found to be very close to the limits. All of the sera were found to be seronegative for Echinococcus-IgG antibody using the IHA method. Further verification using the WB method was used for confirmation of the 2 (2.15%) sera positive with ELISA, one of the sera tested positive for IgG and the other was at the limit.

[Is Blastocystis hominis an opportunist agent?]. / Blastocystis hominis firsatçi bir patojen mi?

Despite its high prevalence throughout the world, major issues about Blastocystis hominis remain unresolved, including fundamental areas such as taxonomy and pathogenicity. Sequences of the SSUrRNA gene place Blastocystis in the stramenophiles. Analysis of the elongation factor 1-alpha gene, however, indicates similarity to Entamoeba histolytica. There is considerable morphological variability and karyotype diversity, and it appears that more than one species is present in humans and animals. In culture, three major forms predominate: vacuolar, granular, and ameboid. The vacuolated form (usually 10 to 30 mum) was most frequently detected in fecal specimens. The prevalence of Blastocystosis in humans appears to be higher in developing countries (30% to 50%) than in developed countries (1.5% to 10%), and has been associated with travel. B. hominis is the most common parasite isolated from stool specimens in symptomatic and asymptomatic persons in a variety of settings. Isolates resembling B. hominis have been described in a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and even insects. The significance of this human infection is uncertain.

Efficacy of various disinfecting agents on the reduction of bacteria from the surface of silicone and polyether impression materials.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different disinfectants on the reduction of two resistant bacteria from the surface of impression materials. Impressions were made of a sterile metal model of the edentulous maxillary arch which had been contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and Enterecoccus faecalis. The impressions were cultured before and after disinfection with 0.525% sodium hypochlorite, Gludex and Mikrozid spray disinfectant. For each of the three impression materials and the two microorganisms, spray disinfectant was found to be less effective than either sodium hypochlorite or Gludex.

The use of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) methods for diagnosis of Giardia intestinalis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of the direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) techniques reported to have high sensitivity and specificity and the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test used to determine antigens in stool samples in the routine diagnosis of Giardia intestinalis. When 44 stool samples in which G. intestinalis cysts and/or trophozoites had been seen during native Lugol examination were investigated, positivity detected with the trichrome staining method, monoclonal ELISA method and monoclonal DFA method was found to be 37 (84.0%), 39 (88.6%) and 35 (79.5%) respectively. DFA detected Crytosporidium parvum cysts in addition to G. intestinalis in one sample. Twenty-seven (61.4%) of the samples were positive with all three methods. When compared with the DFA method, the ELISA method had a sensitivity of 88.6%, a specificity of 88.8%, a positive predictive value of 79.5% and a negative predictive value of 20.0% while the trichrome staining method had a sensitivity of 85.7%, a specificity of 77.8%, a positive predictive value of 81.1% and a negative predictive value of 22.2%. There was no statistically significant difference between the DFA and ELISA tests and between the DFA test and the trichrome staining method for diagnosing G. intestinalis (p > 0.05).

[The use of the nested real-time polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infections.]. / Toxoplasma gondii infeksiyonu tanisinda iki turlu gerçek zamanli (real-time) polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu yönteminin kullanilmasi

This study was performed in order to investigate the presence of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) DNA, in various clinical specimens, obtained from different clinics, using the real-time polymerase chain reaction. Investigation of a total of 80 specimens was carried out using B1 gene region specific primers and probes after the extraction of T. gondii DNA. T. gondii DNA was found in three out of 80 specimens. Out of the three specimens found to be positive for T. gondii DNA, two were amniotic fluid specimens obtained from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and one, a cerebrospinal fluid specimen obtained from the Neonatology Department. T. gondii DNA was not found in the blood of a CSF-positive case. DNA was not found in the specimens of the remaining 77 patients.