Herpes Zoster Burden of Disease and Clinical Management in Turkey: A Comprehensive Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: Herpes zoster (HZ), or shingles, is caused by the reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) and typically presents as an acute, painful dermatomal rash, but can lead to long-term, distressing complications such as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Increasing trends in HZ cases are evident globally among the aging population; however, reviews investigating the epidemiology and clinical management of HZ in Turkey are lacking. Therefore, a literature review of local studies in Turkey was conducted to identify the data available and identify gaps in the literature. METHODS: Literature searches were carried out in PubMed and local journals to retrieve published articles that reported surveillance data, seroepidemiology, patient outcomes, or clinical management related to HZ or VZV in Turkey until April 30, 2022. Studies included primary data reports, case studies, secondary data reviews, and epidemiological studies in healthy or at-risk populations; HZ was the primary focus of the review. RESULTS: No studies reported VZV or HZ epidemiological data at a national level. One large retrospective study in Istanbul reported that HZ incidence rates significantly increased in adults 18-44 years of age between 2011 and 2019. Four single-center studies reported the proportion of dermatological patients with HZ at 0.43-1.56%. PHN was the most common reported complication, occurring in 8-58.9% of patients with HZ. However, out of 39 identified case reports, HZ ophthalmicus was the most frequently reported complication. Two studies highlighted poor disease awareness and risk perception of HZ among Turkish citizens. CONCLUSION: Overall, there were limited comprehensive epidemiological data on HZ in Turkey. However, the abundance of case studies on HZ complications indicates a strong disease presence and diverse clinical management in Turkey. Further research will be important to understand the impact of HZ, increase disease awareness, and support the introduction of new preventative strategies.

Nivolumab-ipilimumab combination therapy-induced seronegative encephalitis; rapid response to steroid plus intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment.

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) against malignant melanoma and numerously solid tumors has been demonstrated in several clinical studies. The incidence of immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) has increased after the rapidly expanding indications and clinical applications of ICIs. We present a case of nivolumab and ipilimumab-induced encephalitis with rapidly worsening consciousness and full recovery following ICIs suspension and high-dose steroid coupled with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). CASE REPORT: A 67-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage 4 BRAF wild malignant melanoma with metastasis to the axillary and mediastinal lymph nodes. Beyond progression with dacarbazine, ipilimumab and nivolumab combination were administered at the second-line treatment of metastatic setting. A week after the first cycle patient was reported to have a fever of more than 38°C. Subacute cognitive impairment including mild changes in behavior was reported on the third day of fever. She suddenly developed confusion, dysarthria, and motor dysfunction a few days later. Due to the altered mental status accompanied by fever, lumbar puncture was performed with a pre-diagnosis of encephalitis, meningitis, and leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME: After excluding viral and autoimmune encephalitis, high-dose methylprednisolone was administered in addition to IVIG for 5 days with the diagnosis of immunotherapy-related encephalitis according to the recommendations for the management of irAEs. On the second day of the treatment patient's neurological status improved gradually. DISCUSSION: Being aware of symptoms of serious neurological irAEs associated with ICIs can prevent complications and improve survival.

The Impact of Vaccination Among Hospitalized Patients with the Diagnosis of COVID-19.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the vaccination status and the risk factors for the intensive care unit (ICU) support need of the laboratory-confirmed breakthrough COVID-19 infection inpatients. Materials and Methods: This multi-center point-prevalence study was conducted on inpatients, divided into two groups as 'fully' and 'partially' vaccinated according to COVID-19 vaccination status. Results: Totally 516 patients were included in the study. The median age was 65 (55-77), and 53.5% (n=276) of the patients were male. Hypertension (41.9%, n=216), diabetes mellitus (DM) (31.8%, n=164), and coronary artery disease (CAD) (16.3%, n=84) were the predominant comorbidities. Patients were divided into two groups ICU (n=196) and non-ICU (n=301). Hypertension (p=0.026), DM (p=0.048), and congestive heart failure (CHF) (p=0.005) were significantly higher in ICU patients and the median age was younger among non-ICU patients (p=0.033). Of patients, 16.9% (n=87) were fully vaccinated, and this group's need for ICU support was statistically significantly lower (p=0.021). Conclusion: We conclude that older age, hypertension, DM, CHF, and being partially vaccinated were associated with the need for ICU support. Therefore, all countries should continuously monitor post-vaccination breakthrough COVID-19 infections to determine the national booster vaccine administration approach that will provide vulnerable individuals the highest protection.

Use of infection biomarkers in the emergency department.

The use of infection biomarkers in the emergency department is discussed in terms of their possible contributions to diagnostic-prognostic uncertainties, appropriate antibiotic treatments, and triage and follow-up planning. Procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), proadrenomedullin (proADM), and presepsin are among the most discussed infection biomarkers for use in the emergency department. Due to the variable sensitivity results and cutoff values, there are insufficient data to recommend the widespread use of CRP and procalcitonin (PCT) for the diagnosis and prognosis of infection in the emergency department. However, these biomarkers can be used for appropriate antibiotic use in selected infection groups, such as community-acquired pneumonia, especially to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing. With its prognostic superiority over other biomarkers and its contribution to prognostic score systems in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), proADM can be used to predict hospitalization, preferably within the scope of clinical studies. Although presepsin has been shown to have some advantages over other biomarkers to rule out sepsis, there are insufficient data for its clinical use in the emergency department.

Psychological outcomes of COVID-19 survivors at sixth months after diagnose: the role of kynurenine pathway metabolites in depression, anxiety, and stress.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in long-term psychiatric symptoms because of the immunologic response to the virus itself as well as fundamental life changes related to the pandemic. This immune response leads to altered tryptophan (TRP)-kynurenine (KYN) pathway (TKP) metabolism, which plays an essential role in the pathophysiology of mental illnesses. We aimed to define TKP changes as a potential underlying mechanism of psychiatric disorders in post-COVID-19 patients. We measured plasma levels of several TKP markers, including KYN, TRP, kynurenic acid (KYNA), 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), and quinolinic acid (QUIN), as well as the TRP/KYN, KYNA/3-HK, and KYNA/QUIN ratios, in 90 post-COVID-19 patients (on the first day of hospitalization) and 59 healthy controls (on the first admission to the Check-Up Center). An online questionnaire that included the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was used 6 months after the initial assessment in both groups. A total of 32.2% of participants with COVID-19 showed depressive symptoms, 21.1% exhibited anxiety, and 33.3% had signs of stress at follow-up, while 6.6% of healthy controls exhibited depressive and anxiety symptoms and 18.6% had signs of stress. TRP and 3-HK were negative predictors of anxiety and stress, but KYN positively predicted anxiety and stress. Moreover, TRP negatively predicted depression, while KYNA/3-HK was a negative predictor of anxiety. The correlation between depression, anxiety, and stress and TKP activation in COVID-19 could provide prospective biomarkers, especially the reduction in TRP and 3HK levels and the increase in KYN. Our results suggest that the alteration of TKP is not only a potential biomarker of viral infection-related long-term psychiatric disorders but also that the therapy targets future viral infections related to depression and anxiety.

Correction: Serial measurement of cytokines strongly predict COVID-19 outcome.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260623.].

Evaluation of long-term antibody kinetics in healthcare workers vaccinated with inactivated COVID-19 Vero cell vaccine (CoronaVac), a propensity score-matched observational study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term antibody kinetics after vaccinating with an inactivated COVID-19 Vero cell vaccine (CoronaVac) in healthcare workers (HCWs) at a single center in Turkey. METHODS: For this prospective observational study, Chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used for the determination of binding antibodies (bAb) and neutralizing antibodies (nAb), respectively. Antibody kinetics were compared for the potential influencing factors, and propensity score analysis was performed to match the subcohort for age. RESULTS: Early bAb and nAb response was achieved in all 343 participants. Titers of bAbs against SARS-CoV-2 on 42 days post-vaccination (dpv) were higher in HCWs who were aged <40 years and who had a history of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 bAb levels in HCWs on days 42 (n = 97), 90 (n = 97), and 180 (n = 97) were 175 IU/ml (3.9-250), 107 IU/ml (2.4-250), and 66.1 IU/ml (2.57-250), respectively (p<0.001). SARS-CoV-2 bAb (p<0.001) and nAb (p<0.001) titers decreased significantly over time. There was a high negative correlation between SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers and inverse optic density of nAb responses (Pearson correlation coefficient: -0.738, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: When the antibody responses were compared, it was seen that the vaccine immunogenicity was better in those who had prior COVID-19 history and were aged <40 years. In the course of time, it was determined that there was a significant decrease in bAb and nAb responses after the 90th day. These results may guide approval decisions for booster COVID-19 vaccines.

Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Candidemia Among Hospitalized Patients in a Turkish Tertiary Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Candidemia, which constitutes 50 - 70% of invasive Candida infections, is an important clinical condition with high mortality and difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. Our objective was to determine the epidemiology, risk factors of candidemia, the distribution, and antifungal susceptibilities of Candida spp. responsible for candidemia among hospitalized patients in Gazi University Medical Faculty Hospital. METHODS: This was a laboratory-based, prospective observational study conducted between 2009 and 2010. The definition of nosocomial candidemia was based on CDC criteria. All relevant demographic and clinical data were collected from patient files. Candida spp. were identified by API ID32C system. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using broth microdilution method according to CLSI. RESULTS: Seventy-one candidemia episodes were identified with the incidence of 0.94 cases/1,000 hospital admissions. C. albicans was isolated in 47.9% of the admissions and in 52.1% of non-albicans Candida admissions. Among the latter, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis were the most frequent species. The most common risk factors were use of antibiotics (94.4%), hospitalization in the last 1 month (93%), history of hospitalization in ICU (74.6%), and CVC use (70.4%). Abdominal surgery, urethral catheter insertion, and use of piperacillin/tazobactam was found to increase the risk of C. albicans. A history of hospitalization within the last 3 months increased the risk of developing candidemia with non-albicans Candida spp. In total, fluconazole resistance was 20% (24.2% for C. albicans and 16.2% for non-albicans Candida strains) and voriconazole resistance was 5.7% (12.1% for C. albicans and 0% for non- albicans Candida). CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a relevant source of information for the prediction of high-risk patients and the implementation of prevention strategies for nosocomial candidemia.

Serial measurement of cytokines strongly predict COVID-19 outcome.

PURPOSE: Cytokines are major mediators of COVID-19 pathogenesis and several of them are already being regarded as predictive markers for the clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 cases. A major pitfall of many COVID-19 cytokine studies is the lack of a benchmark sampling timing. Since cytokines and their relative change during an infectious disease course is quite dynamic, we evaluated the predictive value of serially measured cytokines for COVID-19 cases. METHODS: In this single-center, prospective study, a broad spectrum of cytokines were determined by multiplex ELISA assay in samples collected at admission and at the third day of hospitalization. Appropriateness of cytokine levels in predicting mortality were assessed by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses for both sampling times in paralel to conventional biomarkers. RESULTS: At both sampling points, higher levels of IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, IL-15, IL-27 IP-10, MCP-1, and GCSF were found to be more predictive for mortality (p<0.05). Some of these cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-10, IL-7 and GCSF, had higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting mortality. AUC values of IL-6, IL-10, IL-7 and GCSF were 0.85 (0.65 to 0.92), 0.88 (0.73 to 0.96), 0.80 (0.63 to 0.91) and 0.86 (0.70 to 0.95), respectively at hospital admission. Compared to hospital admission, on the 3rd day of hospitalization serum levels of IL-6 and, IL-10 decreased significantly in the survivor group, unlike the non-survivor group (IL-6, p = 0.015, and IL-10, p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that single-sample-based cytokine analyzes can be misleading and that cytokine levels measured serially at different sampling times provide a more precise and accurate estimate for the outcome of COVID-19 patients.

Ceftazidime - Avibactam susceptibility among carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales in a pilot study in Turkey.

This study aimed to detect carbapenemase genes and to determine the in vitro susceptibility of Ceftazidime-Avibactam (CZA) in Enterobacterales isolates. Carbapenemase genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction. CZA sensitivity of isolates was evaluated with broth microdilution (BMD) and disk diffusion methods. A total of 318 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales isolates were included. Most of the isolates (n = 290, 91.2%) were identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae. The most common carbapenemase type was OXA-48 (n = 82, 27.6%). CZA susceptibility was evaluated in 84 isolates with OXA-48 and KPC carbapenemase activity. Both BMD and disk diffusion methods revealed that 95.2% of the isolates were sensitive to CZA; whereas, 4 (4.76%) isolates were resistant to CZA. Among colistin resistant isolates, 96.5% (n = 80) of them were susceptible to CZA. Our study demonstrated high in vitro efficacy of CZA in Enterobacterales isolates producing OXA-48 carbapenemase. High susceptibility rates against colistin resistant isolates which generally are also pan drug resistant, makes CZA a promising therapeutic choice for difficult-to-treat infections. Due to its high correlation with the BMD, disk diffusion method is a suitable and more practical method in detecting CZA in vitro activity.

Relationship between chest computed tomography findings and clinical conditions of coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A multicentre experience.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the clinical and chest computed tomography (CT) features associated with clinical parameters for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the capital of Turkey, Ankara. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Epidemiological, clinical features, laboratory findings and radiological characteristics of 1563 hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in Ankara were collected, reviewed and analysed in this study. The risk factors associated with disease severity were investigated. RESULTS: Non-severe (1214; 77.7%) and severe cases (349; 22.3%) were enrolled in the study. Compared with the non-severe group, the severe group were significantly older and had more comorbidities (ie, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease). Smoking was more common in the severe group. Severe patients had higher respiratory rates and higher incidences of cough and dyspnoea compared with non-severe patients. Compared with the non-severe patients, the severe patients had increased C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and CRP/albumin ratio and decreased albumin. The occurrence rates of consolidation, subpleural sparing, crazy-paving pattern, cavity, halo sign, reversed halo sign, air bronchogram, pleural thickening, micronodule, subpleural curvilinear line and multilobar and bilateral involvement in the CT finding of the severe patients were significantly higher than those of the non-severe patients. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors are related to the severity of COVID-19, which can help clinicians judge the severity of the patient and evaluate the prognosis. This cohort study revealed that male sex, age (≥55 years), patients with any comorbidities, especially those with cardiovascular disease, dyspnoea, increased CRP, D-dimer and NLR, and decreased lymphocyte count and CT findings of consolidation and multilobar involvement were predictors of severe COVID-19.

Urgent and elective proctologic/anorectal interventions in the COVID-19 pandemic: A practical guideline for treatment safety.

BACKGROUND: This article aims to give practical information and concrete suggestions on what should be considered in emergency, semi-urgent and elective settings for common anorectal diseases in the hectic period of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on early results of a series of anorectal interventions. METHODS: Referring to other related guidelines, general considerations specific to the diagnosis and treatment of highly prevalent anorectal diseases were developed to target the correct patients, evaluate and orientate by telemedicine, adapt the Proctology Unit to the new pandemic, and control contamination and infection. Specific considerations for common anorectal diseases were cited, and our initial results were retrospectively documented. RESULTS: From March 1 to April 10, 2020, we contacted 240 patients with anorectal diseases in two centers. We evaluated the results retrospectively on 16-17 April. At the end of this survey, 14 patients (5.8%) were lost for further contact and follow-up. Thirty-one patients (12.9%) were evaluated as nondeferrable cases and invited to the Proctology Unit. Twenty-eight patients required interventions at the same session. Adhering to the principles described here, more than 90 percent of benign anorectal disorders could be treated successfully, with 2.1 percent of suspected contamination and no confirmed cases. None of the Proctology personnel or their close contacts developed COVID-19, either. CONCLUSION: By adhering to the principles outlined in this practical guide, it was possible to treat most of the benign anorectal diseases safely in the initial, hectic period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Role of Pneumococcal Pneumonia among Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adult Turkish Population: TurkCAP Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) among patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Turkey and to investigate and compare features of PP and non-PP CAP patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This multicenter, non-interventional, prospective, observational study included adult CAP patients (age ≥ 18 years). Diagnosis of PP was based on the presence of at least 1 positive laboratory test result for Streptococcus pneumoniae (blood culture or sputum culture or urinary antigen test [UAT]) in patients with radiographic findings of pneumonia. RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-five patients were diagnosed with CAP, of whom 59 (12.7%) had PP. The most common comorbidity was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (30.1%). The mean age, smoking history, presence of chronic neurological disease, and CURB-65 score were significantly higher in PP patients, when compared to non-PP patients. In PP patients, 84.8% were diagnosed based ony on the UAT. The overall rate of PP patients among CAP was calculated as 22.8% considering the UAT sensitivity ratio of 63% (95% confidence interval: 45-81). The rate of intensive care treatment was higher in PP patients (P = .007). While no PP patients were vaccinated for pneumococcus, 3.8% of the non-PP patients were vaccinated (P = .235). Antibiotic use in the preceding 48 hours was higher in the non-PP group than in the PP group (31.8% vs. 11.1%, P = .002). The CURB-65 score and the rate of patients requiring inpatient treatment according to this score were higher in the PP group. CONCLUSION: The facts that PP patients were older and required intensive care treatment more frequently as compared to non-PP patients underline the burden of PP.

The factors predicting pneumonia in COVID-19 patients: preliminary results from a university hospital in Turkey

Background/aim: Pneumonia is the most serious clinical presentation of COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings that can properly predict COVID-19 pneumonia. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in the Gazi University hospital. All hospitalized patients with confirmed and suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection between 16 March 2020 and 30 April 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. COVID-19 patients were separated into two groups, pneumonia and nonpneumonia, and then compared to determine predicting factors for COVID-19 pneumonia. Variables that had a P-value of less than 0.20 and were not correlated with each other were included in the logistic regression model. Results: Of the 247 patients included in the study 58% were female, and the median age was 40. COVID-19 was confirmed in 70.9% of these patients. Among the confirmed COVID-19 cases, 21.4% had pneumonia. In the multivariate analysis male sex (P = 0.028), hypertension (P = 0.022), and shortness of breath on hospital admission (P = 0.025) were significant factors predicting COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusion: Shortness of breath, male sex, and hypertension were significant for predicting COVID-19 pneumonia on admission. Patients with these factors should be evaluated more carefully for diagnostic procedures, such as thorax CT.

Meropenem, rifampicin and gentamicin combination therapy in a patient with complicated urinary tract infection caused by extreme drug-resistant P. aeruginosa.

In this article, we report a case of a 25-year-old male patient who was under follow-up for nephrolithiasis and repeated urological interventions. His last operation was carried out 9 months ago for insertion of a double-J catheter. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is susceptible to only colistin treatment, was detected in the urine culture. Before the removal of the double-J catheter, colistin and ceftazidime antibiotics were started to prevent the risk of bloodstream infection. However, the treatment was stopped urgently due to signs of nephrotoxicity. His treatment was restarted with colistin 300 mg once as the initial loading dose, followed by 150 mg/day. However, this time, colistin neurotoxicity has developed and the treatment was again stopped. Meropenem 6 g/day, gentamicin 2 mg/kg and rifampicin 300 mg were prescribed. Negative urine culture was achieved on the fifth day of treatment.

Economic evaluation of micafungin versus liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB) for treating patients with candidaemia and invasive candidiasis (IC) in Turkey.

Micafungin was reported to be non-inferior to liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB) in treating patients with candidaemia and invasive candidiasis (IC). The current study aimed to evaluate the economic impact of using micafungin versus LAmB for treatment of candidaemia and IC in Turkey. A decision analytic model, which depicted economic consequences upon administration of micafungin or LAmB for treating patients with candidaemia and IC in the Turkish hospitals, was constructed. Patients were switched to an alternative antifungal agent if initial treatment failed due to mycological persistence. All patients were followed up until treatment success or death. Outcome probabilities were obtained from published literature and cost inputs were derived from the latest Turkish resources. Expert panels were used to estimate data that were not available in the literature. Cost per patient treated for each intervention was then calculated. Sensitivity analyses including Monte Carlo simulation were performed. For treatment of candidaemia and IC, micafungin (€4809) was associated with higher total cost than LAmB (€4467), with an additional cost of €341 per treated patient. Cost of initial antifungal treatment was the major cost driver for both comparators. The model outcome was robust over a wide variation in input variables except for drug acquisition cost and duration of initial antifungal treatment with micafungin or LAmB. LAmB is cost-saving relative to micafungin for the treatment of candidaemia and IC from the Turkish hospital perspective, with variation in drug acquisition cost of the critical factor affecting the model outcome.

The incidence of tuberculosis infection in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients: A retrospective cohort study from a center in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Immune-compromised patients with latent TB infection (LTBI) are at risk for TB reactivation and should receive prophylaxis. Whereas the tuberculin skin test (TST) has limitations particularly in immune-compromised patients. AIMS: This retrospective study was conducted to determine the incidence of TB infection in adult HSCT recipients whose preventive therapy for LTBI was determined according to the guidance of targeted TST. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five hundred and fifty-eight consecutive HSCT recipients (287 autologous and 271 allogeneic) who survived ≥100 days post-transplantation were included in this analysis. RESULTS: Tuberculin skin test results were available in 493 of 558 transplants (88.3%). The incidence of negative TST was 54.5% (269 of 493 patients). One multiple myeloma patient with a history of TB and negative TST result and was not on INH prophylaxis developed reactivation of TB infection. None of the recipients under INH prophylaxis (151 of 558 transplants; 27.1%) and none of the 224 patients with TST ≥5 mm developed TB infection. DISCUSSION: Despite the limitations of being a retrospective analysis and variable prophylaxis thresholds of TST, there are some remarkable results of this analysis. We had no TB infection in the allogeneic HSCT recipients. The high incidence of negative TST results may be attributed to the underlying immune-deficiency. TST may not be a reliable guide for predicting TB reactivation risk in hematology patients. CONCLUSION: Tuberculin skin test may have a high rate of false-negative and false-positive results in HSCT recipients. The general guidelines for targeted TST to guide treatment of LTBI may not apply to all regions and situations. More reliable methods are required to predict and treat LTBI in these specific conditions.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of anidulafungin vs fluconazole for the treatment of invasive candidiasis (IC) in Turkey.

Anidulafungin has been shown to be non-inferior to, and possibly more efficacious, than fluconazole in treating patients with invasive candidiasis (IC). This study aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of anidulafungin vs fluconazole for treatment of IC in the Turkish setting. A decision analytic model was constructed to depict downstream economic consequences of using anidulafungin or fluconazole for treatment of IC in the Turkish hospitals. Transition probabilities (ie treatment success, observed or indeterminate treatment failures) were obtained from a published randomised clinical trial. Cost inputs were from the latest Turkish resources. Data not available in the literature were estimated by expert panels. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the model outcome. While anidulafungin [TL 17 171 (USD 4589)] incurred a higher total cost than fluconazole [TL 8233 (USD 2200) per treated patient, treatment with anidulafungin was estimated to save an additional 0.58 life-years, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of TL 15 410 (USD 4118) per life-years saved. Drug acquisition cost and hospitalisation were the main cost drivers for anidulafungin and fluconazole arms respectively. The model findings were robust over a wide range of input variables except for anidulafungin drug cost. Anidulafungin appears to be a cost-effective therapy in treating IC from the Turkish hospital perspective.

[The pilgrimage and the burden of pneumococcal disease in adults]. / Hac ve eriskinlerde pnömokok hastaligi yükü.

Pneumococcal disease is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. All over the world, 1.6 million people die of pneumococcal disease every year; this estimate includes the deaths of 1 million children aged less than 5 years and the deaths of 600.000- 800.000 adults. The burden of pneumococcal disease is high in adults. Increasing age and the presence of comorbidity has a significant affected of the risk of developing the disease. During mass gatherings, such as pilgrimage individuals, is exposed to severe community-acquired pneumococcal infections. Individuals who has Streptococcus pneumoniae in nasopharynx, have the potential to infection and leave exposed to the risk of pneumococcal disease the other Individuals with sneezing, coughing or out of breath, given breath through droplets of these microorganisms. In the present review, the relationship of pneumococcal disease in adults and pilgrimage, vaccination strategies will be considered and then during a visit to Pilgrimate and Umrah pilgrims against the current vaccine recommendations will be summarised.