Age and duration of disease as factors affecting clinical findings and sacroiliitis in brucellosis.

OBJECTIVE: Brucellosis may be seen in any age group, but it still involves young and middle aged adults more frequently. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between age and the duration of disease on clinical findings of brucellosis in adults in this study. PATIENTS AND METHOD: One hundred and sixty-three patients with brucellosis, treated in our hospital, between 1997 and 2003, were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Fever was found in 60.7% of the patients, and it was significantly higher when the duration of disease was less than one month (p = 0.03). Fever was significantly lower in the > or = 65 age group (p = 0.01). Sacroiliitis was detected in 44.1% of patients. Sacroiliitis was significantly higher in the 15-35 age group (p = 0.03). There were no differences between age groups and other clinical and laboratory findings. CONCLUSIONS: Sacroiliac involvement was noted particularly in young adults who manifested lumbar pain and fever, but this might not be a major symptom of brucellosis in the elderly, or in patients showing symptoms for more than a month.

[An outbreak of influenza in hospital personnel]. / Hastane personelinde bir influenza epidemisi.

During the last week of December 1989, an outbreak of respiratory system infection involved 32 hospital personnel and 2 patients was detected in Gazi University Medical Faculty Hospital. White blood cells count of the patients were either normal or there were a slight leucopenia. Throat cultures of the most patients were normal. Serum ASO, CRP, bilirubin, AST and ALT were usually within normal limits. According to symptoms, signs and laboratory data we considered a viral disease, especially influenza. All patients recovered without any sequelae. Of 34 in-patients, 8 paired sera, 2 acute phase sera, and 10 convalescent phase sera were tested for the presence of Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) antibody to three influenza virus strains recommended by WHO in the 1989-1990 season: Influenza A/Taiwan/1/86 (H1 N1), Influenza A/Shanghai/11/87 (H3 N2), Influenza B/Victoria/2/87. All of the sera were negative for Influenza B/Victoria/2/87. There were no significant rises in HT antibody titer for Influenza A/Taiwan/1/86 (H1 N1). The sera for 4 of 8 patients examined both acute and convalescent phase sera had fourfold or greater rise in HI antibody for Influenza A/Shanghai/11/87 (H3 N2). Four patients examined only convalescent sera had 1/40 or greater rises in HI antibody for this influenza subtype. It was considered that this influenza outbreak was probably caused by Influenza A/Shanghai/11/87 (H3 N2).

[A food-borne outbreak of group A streptococcal pharyngitis]. / Bir kamu kurulusunda görülen besin kaynakli A grubu streptokok farenjiti epidemisi.

In August 1988, following a luncheon, an explosive epidemic of pharyngitis due to group A streptococci (M type 11, T type 3/13/B3264 and opacity factor positive) occurred among the staff of an institution in Ankara. Epidemiological investigation indicated that the outbreak was food-borne. A salad prepared by bean with boiled egg was incriminated as the vehicle of transmission. Group A streptococci were isolated from the throats of 37 (63.8 percent) of 58 persons with pharyngitis. High levels of antistreptolysin O titers were observed in serum samples from 39 (81.2 percent) of 48 persons with pharyngitis. Secondary transmission had accounted for only 3.8% of cases.

[Outbreak of food poisoning caused by Salmonella typhimurium]. / Salmonella typhimurium ile meydana gelen toplu besin zehirlenmesi.

In this paper, a food poisoning outbreak of 42 people who ate the sucuk (Turkish sausage flavored with garlic) which was made of the same meat has been described. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from the stool of 20 patients and from the sucuk. Efficacy rate of Ofloxacin was 75 percent in these 20 patients treated Ofloxacin.

[The effect of ofloxacin therapy in acute salmonellosis on the duration of fecal excretion of Salmonella]. / Salmonella gastroenteritinde ofloxacin tedavisinin diskida salmonella salinma süresi üzerine etkisi.

During an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Salmonella typhimurium, the duration of excretion of salmonella was studied for patients who received no antibiotic therapy and for those treated with Ofloxacin. In untreated group 85.7% of patients at 8 days and 28.5% of patients at 18 days were excreting S. typhimurium. However, in Ofloxacin-treated group only 25.0% of patients at 8 days and 5.0% of patients at 18 days were excreting S. typhimurium. The differences were statistically significant. We showed that Ofloxacin shortens the duration of excretion of S. typhimurium in feces. This phenomen may important in halting the spread of infection.

[The fungal flora of the air in the villages around Carsamba, Northern Turkey]. / Carsamba Kizilot Saglik Ocagina bagli köylerde havanin fungal florasi.

The fungal flora of the air was investigated in 13 villages of Samsun, Carsamba, Kizilot Health Center in December and February. In most of the villages, Penicillium and Alternaria were isolated most frequently. Scopulariopsis and Fusarium were also found at high quantity in the air.

[Agents of acute juvenile bacterial meningitis and the importance of bed-side culture]. / Cocuklarda akut bakteriyel menenjit etkenleri ve hasta basinda yapilan kültürün önemi.

In order to certify the significance of the bedside culture in acute bacterial meningitis (ABM), the results of CSF cultures performed at the bedside and in the laboratory were compared in 66 children with ABM. The etiologic agents were isolated in 83% of bedside cultures and in 62% of laboratory cultures. N. meningitidis was isolated from bedside cultures in 30 patients, 14 of these have failed to grow in laboratory cultures. There was no difference between the two methods for the isolation of bacteria other than N. meningitidis. Consequently, it can be said that the bedside culture is the most reliable culture method in ABM especially due to N. meningitidis.