Clinical and Laboratory Effects of Foodborne Illness in Children.

The World Health Organization estimates that 31 foodborne pathogen account for 600 million cases of illness annually. This study, conducted in a pediatric emergency department in Turkey, addresses the limited research on pediatric foodborne diseases (FD) in the country, exposing a significant knowledge gap. Analyzing 17,091 pediatric cases, 106 FD cases were identified, predominantly affecting boys (94.3%) with an average age of 7.65 ± 6.51 years. Remarkably, no patients required pediatric intensive care admission, and no mortalities were recorded. Hyponatremia emerged as a prevalent electrolyte disorder in pediatric FD, while hyperkalemia was notably observed in children under 5. The study emphasizes the severity of FD in children under 5, reflected in longer hospital stays, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions and improved detection methods in pediatric FD.

Rotavirus Infections: A 2-Year Comprehensive Review in Admitted Pediastric Patients Amid Conflicting National Policies.

Highlighting rotavirus (RV) as a significant food and waterborne pathogen, particularly affecting infants and children, causing serious gastrointestinal infections and dehydration, is important. It should be noted that there are significant debates regarding the effectiveness and outcomes of RV vaccination. In contrast to Turkey's nonmandatory vaccination policy, many developed countries implement mandatory vaccination policies, raising questions about their impact on disease prevalence and healthcare expenditures. Our study aims to comprehensively understand RV infections in Turkey and compare them with countries that have mandatory vaccination policies. We found similar, and even better, hospitalization rates, length of hospital stays, and laboratory parameters demonstrating the effectiveness of Turkey's independent vaccination approach. These findings contribute valuable insights to global vaccination strategies and disease control.

The Role of the Low-Density Lipoprotein/High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio as an Atherogenic Risk Factor in Young Adults with Ischemic Stroke: A Case-Control Study.

Dyslipidemia is a major atherogenic risk factor for ischemic stroke. Stroke patients tend to have high levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Therefore, it is noteworthy that there has been an increase in ischemic stroke cases in young and elderly individuals in recent years. This study investigated the TC/HDL-C ratio and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, which may be more specific and common lipid parameters in young patients with ischemic stroke. This study aimed to demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios as atherogenic markers for young adult ischemic strokes. This trial was conducted as a retrospective case-control study. A total of 123 patients (patient group) and 86 healthy individuals (control group) aged 18-50 years were randomly selected from four different hospitals. Lipid parameters and TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were compared between these two groups. The mean age was 38.8 ± 7.3 years in patients and 37.7 ± 9 years in controls (p > 005). The HDL-C levels were 39.1 ± 10.8 mg/dL in patients and 48.4 ± 13.8 mg/dL in controls (p < 0.001). LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were 3.23 ± 1.74 and 2.38 ± 0.87, and TC/HDL-C ratios were 5.24 ± 2.31 and 4.10 ± 1.25 in the patient and control groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The LDL-C/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C cutoff values in ROC analyses were 2.61 and 4.40 respectively; the AUCs (95% CI) were determined to be 0.680 (0.608-0.753) and 0.683 (0.610-0.755) (p < 0.001), respectively. An increased risk of stroke was observed in those with a high LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (OR = 1.827; 95% CI = 1.341-2.488; p < 0.001). Our study obtained similar results when we compared the mean TC and LDL-C levels between the two groups. However, considering the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios, it is noteworthy that there was a significant difference between the patient and control groups.