Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis and Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV- 2) and has resulted in increased mortality worldwide. Several studies have identified the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and other tissues. Although it has been reported that the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor affected by SARS-CoV is expressed more in the pancreas than in the lungs, the issue regarding the occurrence of pancreatitis is controversial. SARS Cov-2 rarely causes acute necrotizing pancreatitis without significantly affecting the respiratory and other systems. This paper presents a patient who underwent laparotomy due to acute necrotizing pancreatitis and hemodynamic instability caused by COVID-19 without any known risk factors.

Colistin use in critically ill neonates: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of colistin use in critically ill neonates. METHODS: This was a case-control study that included newborn infants with proven or suspected nosocomial infections between January 2012 and October 2015, at two centers in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of patients who received colistin therapy were reviewed and compared to patients who were treated with antimicrobial agents other than colistin during the same period. RESULTS: Forty-seven cases who received intravenous colistin (colistin group) and 59 control patients (control group) were included. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding outcomes and nephrotoxicity, including acute renal failure. Colistin therapy was associated with significantly reduced serum magnesium (1.38 ± 0.39 mg/dL vs. 1.96 ± 0.39 mg/dL, p < 0.001) and hypokalemia (46.8% vs. 25.4%, p = 0.026). The patients who received colistin also had longer hospital stays (43 (32-70) days vs. 39 (28-55) days, p = 0.047), a higher rate of previous carbapenem exposure (40.4% vs. 11.9%, p = 0.001), and a higher age at the onset of infection (13 (10-21) days vs. 11 (9-15) days, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: This study showed that colistin was both effective and safe for treating neonatal infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. However, intravenous colistin use was significantly associated with hypomagnesemia and hypokalemia.

[The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in women from Sanliurfa, a province with a high raw meatball consumption]. / Cig köftenin yaygin tüketildigi Sanliurfa ilinde kadinlarda Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalansi.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan that can infect all kind of birds and all mammals including humans and is common throughout the world. The prevalence varies according to social and cultural habits, pet cats in homes and geographic factors. Domestic cats are considered to be an important source of Toxoplasma gondii infection. From January to June 2006, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis was retrospectively monitored from blood samples that had been sent to our laboratory in order to determine the levels of IgM and IgG. All the subjects were women and 2,586 blood samples were investigated with the chemiluminescence immunoassay method. The rates of Toxoplasma gondii IgM antibodies were found to be 3.0% (78/2,586) and that of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies, 69.5% (1.798/2,586). The total rate of positivity of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies was 69.6% (1,801/2,586) and the negativity, 30.4% (785/2,586). The highest positive rates have been reported in the southeastern region of Turkey and the 69.6% detected in our study seems to be the highest rate. Raw meatball consumption is common in our region and raw meat has a high risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection by direct ingestion of tissue cysts. As a result we consider that the high frequency of Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in this region is due to raw meatball consumption.

[Short communication: hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus seropositivities in women admitted to Sanliurfa Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital]. / Kisa bildiri: sanliurfa kadin hastaliklari ve dogum hastanesine basvuran kadinlarda hepatit B, hepatit C ve insan immün yetmezlik virusu seropozitifligi.

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and immune deficiency virus (HIV) in women who were admitted to Sanliurfa Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital clinics and to compare the results with the previous seropositivity rates reported from different regions of Turkey. The serum samples were screened for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV markers by a commercial chemiluminescence method (UniCel Dxl 800, Beckman Coulter, USA), during a six months period (January 1st to June 30th, 2006). As a result the seropositivity rates of HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV were found as 5.1% (119/2335), 0.9% (18/2066) and 0.1% (3/2548), respectively. While anti-HCV seropositive results were approved by confirmation tests, three of anti-HIV positive results were not confirmed and accepted as false positivities. HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV seropositivities detected in our study were similar to the rates previously reported in other studies in Turkey. However, HBsAg positivity was found slightly higher than the rates that were reported from western parts of our country. This result may be related to the lower socioeconomical status of Sanliurfa (which is located in Southeast Anatolia), and indicates that HBV should be considered as a serious public health problem in East and Southeast parts of Turkey.