Serological evidence of Rift Valley fever virus among humans in Mersin province of Turkey.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a vector-borne pathogen that causes serious outbreaks among livestock, and severe symptoms and mortality in humans. The virus is known to be widespread throughout African countries and Arabian peninsula. The aim of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence of RVFV infection among human populations of Mersin province, Turkey. METHODS: A region-wide serological survey was conducted on humans residing in rural and urban areas of Mersin province located in the subtropical mediterranean region of Turkey from July 2011- January 2014. Plasma samples were tested for the presence of anti-RVFV antibodies using commercially available indirect immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: The overall past infections were detected in 48 (4.9%) of the 977 human blood samples. The RVF virus- specific IgG positivity was detected in 33 (4.9%) of the 677 blood samples obtained from the urban area and in 15 (5%) of the 300 samples obtained from the rural area. There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of RVFV IgG positivity rates between urban and rural areas (p = 0.933); though difference was significant between the rural areas (p = 0.029). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The study confirmed for the first time, the presence of the RVFV antibody in the urban and rural areas of mediterranean province of Mersin in Turkey, suggesting wide circulation of RVFV in the human population.

Multicenter evaluation of AYC.2.2 agar for the isolation of mycobacteria from clinical samples.

PURPOSE: The aim of this multicenter study is to evaluate AYC.2.2 agar for the isolation of mycobacteria from clinical samples. METHODS: Totally 5559 media were tested in 7 centers. AYC.2.2 agar media for the study were prepared by C1 and sent to other centers under appropriate conditions. Other media except AYC.2.2 agar were purchased commercially. The media were subjected to routine laboratory operations in the center where they were sent. After the samples received for routine processing (in all centers, samples were processed with the same method (NALC-NaOH)), they were cultivated on routine media and AYC.2.2 agar afterward. RESULTS: C1: Average growth time was determined as 12.74±3.74 days with MGIT 960 system; 24.42±4.75 days with LJ and 24.37±4.96 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C2: Average growth time was determined as 18.25±9.32 days with TK-Medium, 28.73±7.44 days with LJ, and 31.72±6.35 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C3: Average growth time was determined as 20.48±7.24 days with Ogawa medium, 20.74±7.12 days with LJ, and 20.26±7.43 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C4: Average growth time was determined as 15.27±6.37 days with MGIT 960 system, 22.14±9.1 days with LJ, and 22±8.45 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C5: Average growth time was determined as 13±4.24 days with MGIT 960 system, 32.16±6.23 days with LJ, and 33±5.73 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C6: Average growth time was determined as 9±3.11 days with MGIT 960 system, 18.68±5.32 days with LJ, and 18.34±4.63 days AYC.2.2 agar. C7: Average growth time was determined as 14.74±7.65 with MGIT 960 system, 26.01±8.21 days with LJ, and 26.24±7.88 days with AYC.2.2 agar. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, similar results were obtained with LJ and Ogawa media and AYC.2.2 agar. Furthermore, more studies should be conducted for isolation of M. tuberculosis and performing antibiotic susceptibility tests using AYC.2.2 agar before it can be used as a routine media in the laboratories.