Evaluation of seroprevalence and clinical and laboratory findings of patients admitted to health institutions in Gümüshane with suspicion of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Background/aim: To determine the seroprevalence and evaluate clinical findings and laboratory results of patients prediagnosed with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Gümüshane. Materials and methods: Included in the cross-sectional study were 362 patients (162 female, 200 male) between 0 and 94 years of age, who were followed up after receiving a preliminary diagnosis of CCHF between January 2011 and December 2019. Anamnesis, age, sex, clinical findings, laboratory results, epidemiological and clinical evaluations, severity criteria, risk factor reviews, and a comparison of the suspected negative cases with positive cases were analyzed retrospectively. Patients included in the study were evaluated as RNA- positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or IgM-positive by ELISA. Results: Of the 362 patients admitted to health institutions with a preliminary diagnosis of CCHF, 242 were diagnosed as CCHF- positive (66.9%). Moreover, 196 of those CCHF-positive patients (81%) were admitted to health institutions during the summer months. Statistical analyses revealed a significant relationship between the incidence of CCHF and patients who had been in contact with animals, lived in rural areas, and had engaged in farming and animal husbandry. In addition, fever, headache, diffuse bodily pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fever of 38 °C or higher, tachycardia, elevated ALT/AST, creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were detected in the CCHF-positive patients. Significant relations were found between this disease and these symptoms. However, there was no significant relationship between the statistical evaluation of the disease and bloody diarrhea, bodily bruises, rash, unconsciousness, gingival bleeding, hypotension, epistaxis, petechiae, splenomegaly, ecchymosis, hematuria, maculopapular rash, gastrointestinal system complaints, anemia, or elevation of the international normalized ratio and activated partial thromboplastin time duration, separately. Conclusion: Of the 362 patients, 66.9% (242) of those who received a preliminary diagnosis of CCHF were indeed CCHF-positive in Gümüshane. It was concluded that CCHF remains an important endemic disease in Gümüshane. In addition, elevated ALT/AST, CK, and LDH levels, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia in patients presenting with headache, fever, fever of 38 °C or higher, generalized body pain, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and tachycardia will play a pivotal role in the preliminary diagnosis of CCHF.

Comparison of P-Wave Duration and Dispersion in Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery Via Right Atrial Transseptal or Left Atrial Approach in Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Predisposition to atrial fibrillation in mitral valve surgery has been well demonstrated. The changes in electrocardiographic parameters (Pmax, Pmin and P-wave dispersion) related to AF risk are unknown. We aimed to document the relationship between electrocardiographic changes and mitral valve replacement through right or left atrial surgical approaches. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 154 patients, who underwent mitral valve replacement surgery from 2008 to 2018. Seventy-nine patients were operated with right atriotomy and transseptal approach (Group 1), and 75 patents were operated with left atriotomy (Group 2). ECGs obtained at hospital admittance and postoperatively at 24 hours were blindly analyzed. RESULTS: Preoperative demographic characteristics were similar. Pmax, Pmin and P-wave dispersion were similar preoperatively. All parameters increased in both groups compared with the preoperative values (P < .05). Postoperative Pmax, Pmin and P-wave dispersion all were statistically significantly higher with the right atrial approach (P < .05). Postoperative AF also was more common in Group 1 (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Right atrial approach may lead to higher P-wave changes and atrial arrhythmias. This may be due to more extensive surgical disruption. The changes in atrial anatomic structure can increase atrial arrhythmic propensity and can cause atrial fibrillation.

Ginseng and cancer.

Derived from the Greek word Panacea that means 'cure for all', Ginseng (Panax) has had an important place in Chinese Medicine for many of years. As the name suggests, it is believed to be a miraculous plant effective in the treatment of many health problems. It is claimed to have many effects such as sedative, hypnotic, aphrodisiac, antidepressant, diuretic, and stimulating effects, and to be effective in the treatment of certain health problems such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, erectile dysfunction and infections. In addition, its effects on the prevention and treatment of cancer as well as on the reduction of cancer-related symptoms have been prioritized in recent years. However, the studies that have been done so far do not confirm these effects. Although certain favorable results have been obtained in some studies intended for investigating its effects on acute nasopharyngitis, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and erectile dysfunction, it is early to say anything conclusive. And in cancer patients, it has been shown to be effective in reducing weakness due to cancer and its treatment. On the other hand, ginseng may cause important drug interactions, although it is described as a relatively safe product. For now, it seems to be reasonable to use ginseng only for cancer-related weakness in cancer patients at this point. But this should definitely be done within the knowledge and under the control of oncologists.

Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi Mushroom) and cancer.

Having a long historical past in traditional Chinese medicine, Ganoderma Lucidum (G. Lucidum) is a type of mushroom believed to extend life and promote health. Due to the increasing consumption pattern, it has been cultivated and marketed intensively since the 1970s. It is claimed to be effective in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, and in addition, it exerts anticancer properties. Almost all the data on the benefits of G. Lucidum are based on laboratory and preclinical studies. The few clinical studies conducted are questionable. Nevertheless, when the findings obtained from laboratory studies are considered, it turns that G. Lucidum is likely to have some benefits for cancer patients. What is important at this point is to determine the components that will provide these benefits, and use them in drug development, after testing their reliability. In conclusion, it would be the right approach to abstain from using and incentivizing this product, until its benefits and harms are set out clearly, by considering its potential side effects.

Curcumin (Turmeric) and cancer.

Curcumin is a substance obtained from the root of the turmeric plant, which has the feature of being a yellow or orange pigment. It is also the main component of curry powder commonly used in Asian cuisine. Curcumin, a substance that has had an important place in traditional Indian and Chinese medicines for thousands of years, has been the center of interest for scientific studies especially in the field of cancer treatment for several years. Laboratory studies have presented some favorable results in terms of curcumin's antioxidant, antiinflammatory and anticancer properties in particular. However, since such findings have yet to be confirmed in clinical studies, its effect on humans is not clearly known. Therefore, when its advantages in terms of toxicity, cost and availability as well as the favorable results achieved in laboratory studies are considered, it would not be wrong to say that curcumin is a substance worth being studied. However, for now the most correct approach is to abstain from its use for medical purposes due to lack of adequate reliable evidence obtained from clinical studies, and because of its potential to interfere with other drugs.

Investigation of Mitochondrial Cytb Gene Region of Both Echinococcus granulosus Eggs from Dogs and Cystic Echinococcosis Isolates Obtained from Sheep and Cattle by Molecular Methods.

Background: We aimed to determine the common Echinococcus granulosus genotypes in Agri, Türkiye and to obtain information on the transmission of this parasite. Methods: Cystic echinococcosis samples from 100 slaughtered cattle and 100 slaughtered sheep and faecal samples from 200 stray dogs were included in 2021. Collected cyst fluid samples and faces were examined microscopically. DNA was isolated from the germinal membrane of the cysts and from the parasite eggs in the stool samples. The mitochondrial cytb gene region of the parasite was amplified by PCR. Genotypes were determined using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) after sequence analysis of PCR amplicons. Results: The highest percentage of cysts was found in the lungs of sheep and the liver of cattle. In addition, 75% of sheep cysts and 25.6% of cattle cysts were fertile. Taenia spp./Echinococcus spp. eggs were found in 6% of the faeces of 200 dogs examined microscopically. E. granulosus eggs were detected in 4 out of 50 stool samples analysed by PCR. All samples analysed by sequence analysis were identified as E. granulosus s.s. G1 genotype. Sequence comparison revealed revealed one or more-point mutations in different regions of the five samples. Conclusion: E. granulosus s.s. G1 genotype, known as sheep strain, is common in the Agri, Türkiye. The controlled slaughter of livestock, especially sheep, and the avoidance of feeding hydatid cyst organs to dogs, together with public education, were necessary to prevent the spread of the disease.

Molecular Prevalence of Larval Stages of Fasciola hepatica in Lymnaea stagnalis Species Snails in the Vicinity of the Agri Province

Objective: Lymnaea stagnalis known as the great pond snail, is one of the intermediate hosts of Fasciola hepatica, a zoonotic parasite. In this study, it was aimed to determine the larval forms of F. hepatica by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in L. stagnalis species snails collected from the vicinity of Agri province. Methods: In this study, 150 L. stagnalis snails were collected from the Agri province. The freshwater snails brought to the laboratory were dissected, then their soft tissues were examined under a microscope. DNA extraction was performed on the dissected snails. After DNA extraction, PCR was performed using primers targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene region. Results: In the microscopic examination, larval forms of F. hepatica could not be detected. However, it was concluded that two (1.3%) L. stagnalis freshwater snails were infected with the larval forms of F. hepatica in the PCR. Conclusion: It was determined that L. stagnalis served as an intermediate host to F. hepatica in the study area.

Subtyping of Cryptosporidium parvum Obtained from Humans and Calves in Van, Turkey.

Background: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species detected in humans and calves in the Van region of Turkey. Methods: A total of 150 patients, comprising 60 who were immunosup-pressed, 50 who were immunosuppressed and had diarrhea, and 40 who had only diarrhea, were enrolled in this study in the Department of Medical Parasitology, Van Yuzuncu Yil University Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. Stool samples were taken from the rectums of a total of 50 calves that had 30 diarrhea and 20 that did not have diarrhea, from the stables and farms of 10 central villages of Van, Turkey. All samples were analyzed using modified acid-fast staining, immunochromatographic test, and PCR. Cryptosporidium positive samples were also subtyped. Results: Only C. parvum subtypes were detected in all positive samples. C. parvum was detected in 30 (20%) of the 150 human stool samples, while it was detected in 5 (10%) of the 50 samples from the calves. The GP60 gene region was amplified and sent for sequence analysis to identify the C. parvum subtypes. Conclusion: As a result, C. parvum is found to be an active species that caused cryptosporidiosis is in the Van region. IIdA24G1 subtype of C. parvum were found in both human and calf. Therefore, due to the zoonotic feature of the C. parvum IIdA24G1 subtype, it has been shown that the calves in the region are a significant risk for humans.

Trends in Naegleria fowleri global research: A bibliometric analysis study.

Naegleria fowleri is one of the most dangerous protozoan agents. This article describes a bibliometric review of the literature on N. fowleri research indexed in WoS during a 51-year period. The VOSviewer visualization methodology was used to conduct a bibliometric study. The data included articles from the Web of Science database, nations, institutions, journals, keywords, co-authorship, co-citations, international collaborations, and citation rates. A total of 1106 articles were retrieved from the Web of Science database. The articles were cited 21,904 times in total (cited 12,138 times without self-citations). The average citation per article was 19.82. The Hirsch index was 63. The leading country according to the number of published articles was the United States of America (USA) (n = 447; 40.416%), followed by Mexico (n = 80; 7.233%), and Australia (n = 63; 5.696%). Other than these top three countries, the publications were from 74 countries globally. Especially after the 2000s, both the number of citations and the number of publications exhibited an increasing trend. The Virginia Commonwealth University (USA) (9.584%), Centers for Disease Control Prevention (USA) (8.770%), and Instituto Politecnico Nacional Mexico (4.069%) were the leading affiliations. Most of the leading affiliations were from the USA and Mexico. In conclusion, a bibliometric evaluation of N. fowleri was performed for the first time. Authors affiliated with institutions in the USA and Mexico have led scientific production on PAM. Efforts should be made to help developing countries with the highest prevalence of N. fowleri to develop scientific research networks with the USA and/or Mexico in order to increase research with interdisciplinary teams.

Investigation of Intestinal and Blood Parasites in People Returning to Turkey with a History of Traveling Abroad During the Pandemic

Objective: To investigate intestinal and blood parasites in people who have a history of traveling abroad during the Coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic and returning to Turkey. Methods: In this study, 104 patients with gastrointestinal system and/or fever complaints who had traveled abroad during the pandemic period and returned to Turkey were included. Parasitic agents were investigated by taking blood and stool samples from the patients. Additionally, urine samples were obtained from patients with hematuria or dysuria with the suspicion of schistosomiasis. A direct microscopic examination, the Crypto-Giardia immunochromatographic test, and ELISA methods were used in the examination of the stool samples. In order to detect Plasmodium species, blood samples were examined by preparing both the rapid diagnostic test and thick drop and thin smear preparations. Results: One or more parasite species were detected in 38 (38.5%) of 104 patients included in the study. While intestinal parasites were detected in 16 (32%) of 50 patients who traveled to Iran and 16 (33.3%) of 48 patients who traveled to Northern Iraq, blood parasites were not found. Schistosoma mansoni was detected in all 5 of the patients with a history of traveling to Sudan. Plasmodium falciparum was detected in 1 patient who traveled to the African continent. Conclusion: It is vital to take precautions to prevent parasitic diseases, such as malaria and schistosomiasis, during travels to African countries. During travels to neighboring countries of Turkey, such as Northern Iraq and Iran, hygiene should be paid attention to, so as to prevent contracting intestinal parasitic diseases. In addition, it was concluded that people who plan to travel abroad should have information about the endemic parasitic diseases of the country that they are going to.

Phenoloxidase is involved in the immune reaction of Helix lucorum to parasitic infestation by dicrocoeliid trematode.

INTRODUCTION: Phenoloxidases are known to play a role in the immune defences of arthropods and molluscs. In the invertebrates, phenoloxidases mediate three major physiologically important processes: sclerotization, wound healing, and defence reactions. Helix lucorum serve as the first intermediate host for the larval stages of dicrocoeliid trematodes which infects animals as well as human beings. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of larval forms of dicrocoeliid trematodes to phenoloxidase acitivity in H. lucorum, Linneaus, 1758, in Bitlis, Turkey. The effect of the snail's shell colour to phenoloxidase activity was also investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Land snails (n=200) were collected by hand from their natural habitats during the period May - June 2019 in Bitlis, Turkey. Evaluation of the process was performed by measuring immune reaction of the snails against larval forms of dicrocoeliid trematodes. Phenoloxidase activity assay was carried out using a spectrophotometer device based on 3,4-Dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-dopa) hydrolysis. RESULTS: The natural infection rate of the land snails with the developmental stages of dicrocoeliid trematodes was 20%. Phenoloxidase activity was found to be significantly higher (*p<0.05) in larval forms of dicrocoeliid trematodes infected snails when compared with non-infected snails. No effect of shell colours to phenoloxidase activity was observed. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to report that the phenoloxidase system is involved in the immune reaction of Helix lucorum to parasitic infestation by larval forms of dicrocoeliid trematodes.

Mini-endovascular aneurysm repair: a minimalist approach for a minimally invasive procedure.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal aortic aneurysms represent the majority of all aneurysms of the aorta. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is an alternative procedure to surgical repair. Although general and regional anaesthesia are frequently used during EVAR procedures, local anaesthesia has become one of the anaesthesia options for which there is increasing experience. AIM: We reported our EVAR cases in which we routinely used femoral local anaesthesia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between August 2016 and June 2020, the EVAR procedure was applied to 22 infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm patients under femoral local anaesthesia. Open femoral artery access through a groin incision was used in all patients. Patients were followed up for graft- and wound-related complications. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 72.59 ±6.6 years (min: 60, max: 84). Mean aneurysm sac diameter was 61.04 ±8.76 mm. Bifurcated stent graft was used in 21 (95.5%) patients. An aorto-uni-iliac stent graft was used for 1 (4.5%) patient due to contralateral total iliac occlusion. Endoleak was observed in 6 patients. In-hospital mortality was observed in 2 patients; both cases were ruptured with haemodynamic instability (9%). Revision in the groin area was performed in 3 (13.6%) patients due to local wound complications. CONCLUSIONS: Although the EVAR procedure has been described as a safer and more easily applicable alternative to surgical repair, it is disadvantageous in terms of increasing treatment costs. Anaesthesia preference and incision size with a more minimalist approach can reduce the length of hospital stay and minimize the complications that may occur after the procedure, resulting in decreased costs.

Safe carotid endarterectomy: "one fits all strategy".

INTRODUCTION: Carotid artery stenosis of 50% or more in the extracranial internal carotid artery is responsible for 10-15% of all strokes. Interventional treatment options include carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting, where endarterectomy is proven to be superior. AIM: In this study, we report the carotid endarterectomy results of patients we operated on using the strategy we termed the "one fits all strategy". MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-six patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy between July 2016 and April 2020 were retrospectively studied. Conventional endarterectomy under general anesthesia with primary closure of the arteriotomy was performed in all patients. We used a near infrared spectroscopy oximeter to measure regional cerebral oxygenation continuously throughout the surgery. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 70.96 8.15 years. There were 52 male and 24 female patients. The mean follow-up time was 20.6 ±13.6 months. Coronary artery disease was detected in 52 (73.6%) patients. Coronary artery bypass operation was indicated in 19 patients in whom a staged approach was performed in 13 and a reverse staged approach in 1. There were two perioperative strokes one of which recovered fully spontaneously and the other partially with physiotherapy. Eight cases were revised due to hematoma formation. CONCLUSIONS: Carotid endarterectomy continues to prove its safety in carotid artery stenosis patients. Continuous cerebral oxygenation monitoring is indispensable for carotid surgery. Despite discrepancies in surgical techniques, we believe that "one fits all strategy: general anesthesia, conventional endarterectomy without patch plasty, never shunter and always NIRS monitorization" may be used safely in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

Comparison of protectiveness of recombinant Babesia ovis apical membrane antigen 1 and B. ovis-infected cell line as vaccines against ovine babesiosis.

Babesiosis is a disease complex caused by unicellular Babesia parasites and among them, malignant ovine babesiosis caused by B. ovis has a devastating economical impact on the small ruminant industry. The control of disease is mainly based on chemotherapy and preventing animals from tick infestation and to date no vaccine is available against ovine babesiosis. The requirement for vaccination against B. ovis infection in endemically unstable regions is necessary for implementation of effective disease control measures. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different immunisation protocols against disease in sheep experimentally vaccinated with recombinant B. ovis apical membrane antigen-1 (rBoAMA-1) and/or live, a B. ovis-infected cell line. Sheep were divided into four experimental groups, plus a control group. Animals were immunised either with the B. ovis stabilate, or with rBoAMA-1, or with both rBoAMA-1 and the B. ovis stabilate. Western blots and ELISAs indicated that immunisation with rBoAMA-1 resulted in generation of a specific response against the recombinant protein, but the degree of antibody response did not correlate with the level of induced protection against challenge. The strongest immune response was induced in animals co-immunised with the live B. ovis stabilate plus rBoAMA-1. Both the hematological and parasitological findings indicated that this co-immunisation regimen has vaccine potential to limit losses incurred by ovine babesiosis in endemic countries.

High genetic diversity and differentiation of the Babesia ovis population in Turkey.

Babesia ovis is a tick-transmitted protozoan haemoparasite causing ovine babesiosis in sheep and goats leading to considerable economic loss in Turkey and neighbouring countries. There are no vaccines available, therapeutic drugs leave toxic residues in meat and milk, and tick vector control entails environmental risks. A panel of eight mini- and micro-satellite marker loci was developed and applied to study genetic diversity and substructuring of B. ovis from western, central and eastern Turkey. A high genetic diversity (He  = 0.799) was found for the sample of overall B. ovis population (n = 107) analyzed. Principle component analysis (PCoA) revealed the existence of three parasite subpopulations: (a) a small subpopulation of isolates from Aydin, western Turkey; (b) a second cluster predominantly generated by isolates from western Turkey; and (c) a third cluster predominantly formed by isolates from central and eastern Turkey. Two B. ovis isolates from Israel included in the analysis clustered with isolates from central and eastern Turkey. This finding strongly suggests substructuring of a major Turkish population into western versus central-eastern subpopulations, while the additional smaller B. ovis population found in Aydin could have been introduced, more recently, to Turkey. STRUCTURE analysis suggests a limited exchange of parasite strains between the western and the central-eastern regions and vice versa, possibly due to limited trading of sheep. Importantly, evidence for recombinant genotypes was obtained in regionally interchanged parasite isolates. Important climatic differences between the western and the central/eastern region, with average yearly temperatures of 21°C versus 15°C, correspond with the identified geographical substructuring. We hypothesize that the different climatic conditions may result in variation in the activity of subpopulations of Rhipicephalus spp. tick vectors, which, in turn, could selectively maintain and transmit different parasite populations. These findings may have important implications for vaccine development and the spread of drug resistance.

Effects of N-acetyl cysteine, vitamin E and vitamin C on liver glutathione levels following amiodarone treatment in rats.

INTRODUCTION: Amiodarone, a pharmaceutical extensively used to suppress atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias, is also known to cause many side effects on many tissues. N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), vitamin E and vitamin C are known as antioxidants for their ability to minimize oxidative stress. In the peer-reviewed literature, there is no study reporting on the protective effects of these antioxidant agents against its hepatotoxicity. AIM: We investigated the oxidative effects of NAC, vitamins E and C on liver tissue after amiodarone treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rats were randomly assigned to: control; amiodarone group; amiodarone + NAC treated group; amiodarone + Vit. E group and amiodarone + Vit. C group. Liver tissues were isolated from animals and total glutathione levels were measured. RESULTS: In all time intervals, the level of glutathione increased. When all time intervals were compared, the amiodarone group revealed the lowest levels. The antioxidant co-administered group was studied; the glutathione levels were statistically significantly higher than the sole amiodarone group. When vitamins E, C or N-acetyl cysteine were examined, there was no statistically significant difference among them. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we found that hepatotoxicity capacity of amiodarone may be reduced by taking up antioxidants. In addition, the effect documented here may be reproducible and may be applied to clinical settings.

The cytotoxic properties and apoptotic potential of N-butyl and 2-octyl cyanoacrylates used in surgical treatment of chronic venous insufficiency.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the cytotoxic effects and apoptotic potential of N-butyl cyanoacrylate and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate used in surgical treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. METHODS: N-butyl cyanoacrylate and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate were cultured in cell-culture using human umbilical endothelial cell-line. Cytotoxicity and viability were assessed at 24 and 72 hours with lactate dehydrogenase and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, respectively. Apoptotic potential was documented at 24 and 72 hours with relative caspase-3 activity. RESULTS: The mean cytotoxicity at 24 and 72 hours were: N-butyl cyanoacrylate with an area of dot/line: 37.0±3.9%/29.3±2.7% and 46.4±1.6%/45.1±7.1%, 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with an area of dot/line: 39.0±7.0%/37.3±4.6% and 47.0±2.3%/40.7±7.5%. Cytotoxicity increased by time in each group (p<0.05). The mean viability at 24 and 72 hours were: N-butyl cyanoacrylate with an area of dot/line: 53.4±7.7%/72.0±5.7% and 35.7±1.9%/37.8±3.7%, 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with an area of dot/line: 54.3±4.4%/73.5±19.9% and 33.6±2.8%/30.7±4.5%. The mean viability decreased by time in each group (p<0.05). The mean relative caspase-3 activity at 24 and 72 hours were: control group: 0.084±0.006 and 0.065±0.002, N-butyl cyanoacrylate with an area of dot/line: 0.940±0.037/0.924±0.053 and 0.999±0.072/1.056±0.015, 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with an area of dot/line: 0.900±0.044/0.928±0.018 and 0.989±0.084/0.999±0.072. The mean relative caspase-3 activity was higher than control group in each group at each time interval (p<0.05) and activity increased by time in N-butyl cyanoacrylate line and in 2-octyl cyanoacrylate line groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that N-butyl cyanoacrylate and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate cause cytotoxicity in cell-culture media. We may also postulate that they induce apoptosis in cell-culture media.

Infection dynamics of Theileria annulata over a disease season following cell line vaccination.

Tropical theileriosis is a tick-borne haemoparasitic disease of cattle caused by the protozoan parasite Theileria annulata. Globally, the economic impact of the disease is immense and enhanced control measures would improve livestock production in endemic regions. Immunisation with a live attenuated vaccine is an effective and widely used control method, however, the repeated use of live vaccines may have an impact on the field parasite population at a genetic level. Additionally, there has been an increasing number of reports of vaccine breakthrough cases in recent years. Thus, the present study was designed to evaluate the genetic composition of a parasite population over a disease season in a locality where live cell line vaccination is practised. A diverse range of parasite genotypes was identified and every T. annulata positive cattle blood sample harboured multiple parasite genotypes. An alteration in the major genotype and an increasing multiplicity of infection in individual animals was observed over the course of the disease season. Vaccination status was found not to effect within-host multiplicity of infection, while a significantly higher number of genotypes was detected in grazed cattle compared to non-grazed ones. A degree of genetic isolation was evident between parasite populations on a micro-geographic scale, which has not been reported previously for T. annulata. Analysis of parasite genotypes in vaccinated animals suggested only a transient effect of the vaccine genotype on the genetic diversity of the T. annulata population. The vaccine genotype was not detected among clones of two vaccine 'breakthrough' isolates and there is no suggestion that it was responsible for disease. The obtained data indicated that in the system studied there is no apparent risk of introducing the vaccine genotype into the population with only a transient effect on the genetic diversity of the parasite population during the disease season.

The secreted Theileria annulata Ta9 protein contributes to activation of the AP-1 transcription factor.

Theileria annulata is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa. Theileria sporozoites invade bovine leukocytes and develop into a multinucleate syncytial macroschizont that causes uncontrolled proliferation and dissemination of infected and transformed leukocytes. Activator protein 1 (AP-1) is a transcription factor driving expression of genes involved in proliferation and dissemination and is therefore a key player in Theileria-induced leukocytes transformation. Ta9 possesses a signal peptide allowing it to be secreted into the infected leukocyte cytosol and be presented to CD8 T cells in the context of MHC class I. First, we confirmed that Ta9 is secreted into the infected leukocyte cytosol, and then we generated truncated versions of GFP-tagged Ta9 and tested their ability to activate AP-1 in non-infected HEK293T human kidney embryo cells. The ability to activate AP-1-driven transcription was found to reside in the C-terminal 100 amino acids of Ta9 distant to the N-terminally located epitopes recognised by CD8+ T cells. Secreted Ta9 has therefore, not only the ability to stimulate CD8+ T cells, but also the potential to activate AP-1-driven transcription and contribute to T. annulata-induced leukocyte transformation.

Prevalence of Larval-Stage Dicrocoeliidae (Digenea) Trematodes in Helix lucorum (Mollusca: Pulmonata) in Van Province.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of larval-stage Dicrocoeliidae trematodes in Helix lucorum, a land snail found in Van Province. METHODS: Helix lucorum snails were collected in April, May, and June 2017 from Edremit and Gevas, the central districts of Van Province, especially from natural areas where ruminants predominate. The snails were anesthetized with magnesium chloride, were removed from their shells, and their digestive glands were disrupted. The disrupted parts were examined under a microscope. RESULTS: In Van Province, H. lucorum snails were found to be intermediate hosts for Dicrocoelium trematodes with a prevalence of 22%. The larval stages detected in the microscope are photographed and shown in detail. The number of infection with larval stages of the parasite was found to be highest in May. CONCLUSION: Helix lucorum the land snail, serves as an intermediate host for some developmental stages of the Dicrocoeliid trematodes, is also consumed as nutrients by humans in some countries. Based on the obtained results in this study, it can be concluded that this snail would have important effects on animal health in the Van region which has a hard climate and a border with Iran.