Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Adana and Antakya regions of Turkey.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 was found to be dominant in Turkey. In this study, HCV genotypes were examined in the Adana and Antakya regions of Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study consisted of 639 HCV-RNA-positive patients with chronic HCV infection in Adana (214 males and 101 females) and Antakya (139 males and 185 females) in Turkey. Real time-polymerase chain reaction was used for genotype determination. RESULTS: In Antakya, it was determined that the percentages of genotypes of type la (0.31%), 1b (86.73%), 2 (9.26%), 3 (0.93%), and 4 (2.78%) were compatible with the nationwide results seen in Turkey. In Adana, the percentages of genotypes of type 1a (3.49%), 1b (55.24%), 2 (14.60%), 3 (26.03%), and 4 (0.63%) were found to be different. This difference was mainly due to the infection rates in males: genotype 1b was significantly lower (42.5% versus 82.2%, P < 0.001) in men in Adana, but genotype 2 (17.8% versus 7.9%, P = 0.021) and genotype 3 (34.6% versus 7.9%, P < 0.001) were significantly higher in men than in women in Adana. CONCLUSION: Rates of genotypes 2 and 3 were unexpectedly high in Adana compared to other parts of Turkey.

[The incidence of Demodex folliculorum in patients with chronic kidney deficiency]. / Kronik böbrek yetmezligi olan hastalarda Demodex folliculorum görülme sikligi.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Demodex folliculorum in immune suppressed patients. The present study was carried out on individuals being treated for chronic kidney deficiency and immune suppressed patients that were hospitalized in the Hemodialysis Units and Internal Disease Service of the Cumhuriyet University Hospital. Forty-seven patients with chronic kidney deficiency (CKD) and a control group of thirty-eight healthy and actively exercising individuals were included in this investigation. By means of a questionnaire given to the patients and control group, complaints of allergenic related dermal and optical disorders were detected and the prevalence of Demodex was also evaluated by this questionnaire. First, the presence of D. folliculorum was proven taking dermal specimens from the cheek of every individual. Afterwards, at least two eyelash specimens from the lower and upper eyelid-eyelash follicles of the right and left eyes were taken and examined in a drop of olive oil between slide and cover glass microscopically. The frequency of parasites in every preparation was also determined in each positive case. D. folliculorum was found in the eyelid-eyelash follicles of 6 (12.76 %) and 12 (25.53 %) of the dermal face specimens of the 47 chronic kidney deficiency patients. On the other hand, D. folliculorum was found in the eyes of 2 (5.26 %) persons and in the dermal face specimens of 7 (18.42 %) out of a total of 38 persons in the control group. In the present study, the difference in the Demodex prevalence and complaints of dermal disorder in the two groups was found to be insignificant. In the study group, the difference was insignificant as to dermal complaints and Demodex prevalence (p < 0.05), but considerably difference was observed between complaints about eyes and Demodex prevalence (p < 0.05). Consequently, it was concluded that Demodex folliculorum may be a cause of eye disorders such as blepharitis, and this parasite can be frequently observed in persons with immune system anomalies.