Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Motor and Cognitive Dysfunction in an Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury Model.

AIM: To investigate the therapeutic and neuroprotective effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) application on the traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced glutamate and calcium excitotoxicity and loss of motor and cognitive functions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty rats were equally divided in the sham, TBI, tDCS + TBI + tDCS, and TBI + tDCS groups. Mild TBI was induced by dropping a 450-g iron weight from a height of 1 m onto the skull of the rats. The tDCS + TBI + tDCS group was prophylactically administered 1 mA stimulation for 30 min for 7 days starting 5 days before inducing TBI. In the TBI + tDCS group, tDCS (1 mA for 30 min) was administered 2 h after TBI, on days 1 and 2. Cognitive and locomotor functions were assessed using the novel object recognition and open field tests. The calcium, glutamate, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1) levels in the hippocampus were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Although the motor and cognitive functions were substantially reduced in the TBI group when compared with the sham, they improved in the treatment groups (p < 0.05). The calcium, glutamate, and NMDAR1 levels were considerably higher in the TBI group than in the sham (p < 0.001). However, they were considerably lower in the tDCS + TBI + tDCS and TBI + tDCS groups than in the TBI groups (p < 0.05). In particular, the change in the tDCS + TBI + tDCS group was higher than that in the TBI + tDCS group. CONCLUSION: Application of tDCS before the development of TBI improved motor and cognitive dysfunction. It demonstrated a neuroprotective and therapeutic effect by reducing the excitotoxicity via the regulation of calcium and glutamate levels.

[Epidemiological and microbiological evaluation of nosocomial infections caused by Candida species]. / Candida Türlerine Bagli Nozokomiyal Enfeksiyonlarin Epidemiyolojik ve Mikrobiyolojik Açidan Degerlendirilmesi.

Nosocomial infections due to candida species are increasingly gaining importance. In this study, we aimed to determine the risk factors associated with nosocomial candida infections and also to determine the species and antifungal sensitivity of candida strains. Candida spp. strains isolated from the clinical specimens of 92 patients who were hospitalized in Ankara Research and Training Hospital between May 2008 and September 2009 were prospectively included in the study. The demographic features, clinical and laboratory findings of the patients were recorded. Identification and antifungal sensitivities of the candida species were determined by VITEC 2 Compact System (BioMeriéux, France). Invasive candida infection was determined in 79 (85.9%) and candida colonization was found in 13 (14.1%) of the patients. Types of candida infections were as follows; urinary tract infection in 57 (72.1%), candidemia in 26 (32.9%), surgical site infection in 6 (7.5%) and intraabdominal infection in 3 (%3.8) patients. According to the univariate analysis, being female gender, duration and rate of hospitalization in the intensive care unit, use of linezolid, prolonged duration of urinary catheterization and total parenteral nutrition and the duration of central venous catheterization were found significantly higher in the urinary tract infection group. In candidemia group, carbapenem use, rates and periods of central venous catheterization and total parenteral nutrition were detected higher which were statistically significant. In multivariate analysis for urinary tract infections female gender (Odds ratio: 3; 95% CI: 1.25-7.17) and prolonged stay (p= 0.031) in intensive care unit; for candidemia use of total parenteral nutrition (OR: 16.25; 95% CI: 2.07-127.35) were found as independent risk factors. A total of 114 Candida spp. Strains were isolated from the clinical specimens. The most common isolated species were C.albicans (n= 62, 54.4%), C.glabrata (n= 16, 14%) and C.tropicalis (n= 13, 11.4%). While the resistance rates of Candida spp. To fluconazole and flucytosine were 2.6% and 1.7% respectively, there was no resistance to voriconazole. The rate of isolates with amphotericin B MIC values > 1 µg/ml was 4.4%. Consequently, the restricted use of central venous catheter and shortening the length of stay in intensive care unit may prevent the development of invasive candida infections. The local surveillance of antifungal resistance in candida strains might aid to the decision of empirical antifungal therapy.

[Evaluation of vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolide and tigecycline susceptibilities of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus strains by E-test]. / Hastane Kaynakli Metisiline Dirençli Stafilokok Suslarinda Vankomisin, Teikoplanin, Linezolid ve Tigesiklin Duyarliliginin E-Test Yöntemiyle Degerlendirilmesi.

The aim of this study was to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of vancomycin, teicoplanin, tigecycline and linezolid in 100 methicillin-resistant staphylococci [21 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 79 methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococcus (MR-CNS)] isolated as agents of nosocomial infection from patients at Ankara Training and Research Hospital between June 2005-March 2007. The MIC values for vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid and tigecycline were tested by E-test method (AB Biodisk, Sweden). For 21 MRSA strains MIC50 and MIC90 values were as follows: vancomycin 0.125 µg/ml and 1 µg/ml; teicoplanin 0.5 µg/ml and 3 µg/ml, linezolid 0.047 µg/ml and 0.19 µg/ml; tigecycline 0.094 µg/ml and 0.5 µg/ml, respectively. For 79 MR-CNS strains MIC50 and MIC90 values were as follows: vancomycin 0.5 µg/ml and 2 µg/ml; teicoplanin 2 µg/ml and 4 µg/ml; linezolid 0.125 µg/ml and 0.25 µg/ml; tigecycline 0.38 µg/ml and 0.5 µg/ml, respectively. No resistance to vancomycin, teicoplanin, tigecycline and linezolid were determined in methicillin-resistant staphylococcus strains isolated from the inpatients in our hospital. Among glycopeptides, MIC50 and MIC90 values of vancomycin were found to be lower than that of teicoplanin.

[Evaluation of oxacillin resistance screening agar and chromogenic MRSA agar media for the detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates]. / Staphylococcus aureus klinik izolatlarinda metisilin direncinin saptanmasinda oksasilin direnci tarama agar ve kromojenik MRSA agar besiyerlerinin degerlendirilmesi.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains which are the most frequent causes of hospital acquired infections, are also currently encountered with increasing frequency in community acquired infections. Therefore rapid and accurate identification of MRSA strains is essential in both implementation of infection control measures and prevention of the nosocomial spread of this microorganism. The aim of this study was to determine the specifisity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values of two commercial media, one was Oxacillin Resistance Screening Agar Base (ORSAB; Oxoid, England) and the other was chromogenic MRSA agar (BBL CHROMagar MRSA; BD, Paris, France), for the identification of MRSA strains. A total of 175 clinical S. aureus isolates, of which 45 were MRSA, and 130 were methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), whose susceptibility to methicillin were determined by disk diffusion method using oxacillin and cefoxitin disks in Mueller-Hinton agar medium, were included in the study. When oxacillin disk diffusion test was accepted as the reference method, the specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values of ORSAB were found as 97.7%, 40%, 36.5% and 98.1%, respectively; while these values were detected as 95.5%, 37.6%, 35.7% and 96.1% for CHROMagar MRSA, respectively. These results indicated that both media may be used in laboratories where work load is high and the number of personnel is inadequate especially in screening studies together or in addition to another medium (mannitol-salt agar). However, since these methods exhibit low specifity (high false positive results), positive results should be confirmed using other methods such as disk diffusion, E-test or microdilution susceptibility testing.

[Peritonitis due to Kocuria rosea in a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis case]. / Sürekli ayaktan periton diyalizi yapilan bir olguda Kocuria rosea'ya bagli peritonit.

Micrococcus strains which are the normal flora members of skin, mucosa and oropharynx, may lead to infections associated with intravenous catheter, chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, venticular shunt and prosthetic valve. In this paper, a case of peritonitis due to Kocuria rosea of Micrococcea family, in a patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), was presented. Fiftysix years old female patient was admitted to the hospital by complaints of abdominal pain, nausea and fever. The patient was undergoing CAPD due to chronic renal failure for one and a half year and turbidity was detected in the peritoneal fluid during dialysis. Examination of the peritoneal fluid revealed 1800 cells/mm3, with no evidence of bacteria in Gram and Ziehl-Neelsen stained smears. No bacterial growth was detected in conventional culture media, however, bacteria was isolated from the peritoneal fluid culture on second day by Bactec (Becton Dickinson, USA) automated blood culture system. By means of API identification system (bioMerieux, USA), the causative agent was identified as Kocuria rosea. The patient was successfully treated with intraperitoneal teicoplanin (4 x 40 mg) for 14 days. In conclusion, in patients undergoing CAPD, rare pathogens should be considered in case of peritonitis and peritoneal fluid samples should be inoculated into automated culture systems.

Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in blood donors in Ankara, Central Anatolia, Turkey.

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies among blood donors and to examine the epidemiological characteristics of C. bumetii infection in Ankara, Turkey. A total of 601 serum samples were collected from blood donors aged 18-61 years. Donor samples were stratified by age, sex, and residence (rural or urban). IgG and IgM antibodies to the C. bumetii phase II antigen were determined using a commercial ELISA. Blood samples reactive in the ELISA were also analysed using a commercial indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The prevalence of anti-phase II IgG was 32.3%, and 17 (2.8%) were IgM positive. Seropositivity in men was higher than in women (33.2% vs. 21.7%, OR:1.88; 95% CI: 0.88-4.14) and the difference in seroprevalence rates between genders was not related to occupational exposure to domestic animals. 87.6% of seropositive donors reported no contact with farm animals. Our results revealed that C. burnetii infection is highly endemic in Ankara and that the majority of seropositive cases are not linked to specific occupational exposure in this area. In conclusion, the high rate of C. burnetii phase II antibodies among blood donors is a reflection of the high prevalence of Q fever in this area of Turkey and indicates the need for further studies, not only to determine the risk of transfusion-transmitted Q fever, but also to elucidate the epidemiology of Q fever in Turkey. These studies should be conducted through improved collaboration between the veterinary and medical services.

[A rare cause of nosocomial bacteremia: Sphingomonas paucimobilis]. / Sphingomonas paucimobilis: nadir bir hastane kaynakli bakteriyemi etkeni.

Sphingomonas paucimobilis, is a yellow-pigmented, aerobic, non-fermentative, non-spore-forming, gram-negative bacillus. Infections by S. paucimobilis which is widely found in nature and hospital environments are rarely serious or life threatening. In this report we present a case of hospital acquired bloodstream infection due to S. paucimobilis. The patient had a history of hydrocephalus diagnosed at sixth months of his birth and had experienced two ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery. He was hospitalized and been treated for bronchopneumonia. On the 47th day of hospitalization, blood cultures (BACTEC, Becton Dickinson, USA) were taken because of a body temperature of 38.5 degrees C. One of the blood cultures was positive for gram-negative rods. After 48 h of incubation, the sub-cultures on blood agar medium yielded pure growth of a yellow, non-fermentative, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium. The microorganism was positive for oxidase, and esculin hydrolysis, while negative for urea and nitrate reduction and citrate utilisation. Motility was negative as well. The isolate has been identified as S. paucimobilis by using mini API (bioMerieux, France) system. The antibiotic susceptibility test was also performed with the same system and the strain was found susceptible to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefoperazone, cefepime, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, aztreonam, amikasin and gentamicin. Treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone (2 x 750 mg/day) was initiated. He responded well to the treatment and discharged on the tenth day. This case was reported to emphasize that S. paucimobilis should be kept in mind as a nosocomial infectious agent and the infections should be treated according to the sensitivity test results.

[A case of vancomycin resistant Leuconostoc meningitis]. / Vankomisine dirençli bir Leuconostoc menenjiti olgusu.

Although Leuconostoc species are rarely pathogenic for humans, they may sometimes give rise to serious infections. In this report, a case of meningitis caused by vancomycin resistant Leuconostoc spp. was reported. Fifty-seven years old female patient was admitted to the hospital with the complaints of headache and sudden onset of unconsciousness and hospitalized in the neurosurgery department because of subarachnoidal hemorrhage. Patient was followed up with dexamethasone treatment and daily lumbar puncture without any surgical intervention. The findings of hemorrhage were receded in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the consciousness of the patient improved gradually. However, on the ninth day of the hospitalization, the patient became febrile and confused; white blood cell count was 7920/mm3, protein level was 1952 mg/l in the CSF examination. Nosocomial meningitis was diagnosed and empirical treatment with ceftazidime (3 x 2 g/day) and vancomycin (4 x 500 mg/day) was started. CSF culture revealed growth of gram-positive cocci which were identified as Leuconostoc spp. by VITEK 2 Compact (Biomerieux, France) and Phoenix Instrument (Becton-Dickinson, USA) systems. Since the isolate was found susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, cefotaxime, cefepime, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin and linezolid, and resistant to vancomycin by disk diffusion and miniAPI ATB STREP 5 (Biomerieux, France) methods, the treatment was switched to linezolid (2 x 600 mg/day). Vancomycin and teicoplanin resistance was confirmed by E-test. The treatment was continued with linezolid and the patient's clinical condition improved after 14 days of treatment. The possible way of Leuconostoc transmission in this case was thought to be the lumbar punctures performed during the follow-up of subarachnoid hemorrhage. This presentation which demonstrated that Leuconostoc spp. might rarely lead to meningitis, also pointed out that when a vancomycin resistant gram-positive coccus was identified, Leuconostoc spp. should always be kept in mind.

[Comparison of the methods used for the detection of antinuclear antibodies]. / Antinükleer antikorlarin saptanmasinda kullanilan yöntemlerin karsilastirilmasi.

The production of one or more autoantibodies in the majority of rheumatic diseases is a common clinical finding. Indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test is the former and widely used method in detecting autoantibodies. Recently, commercial enzyme immunoassays (EIA) and immunoblot (IB) assays are available for the routine laboratories. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of these methods in 121 sera samples which were collected from 46 male and 75 female patients, of whom antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing were requested by clinicians. All the samples were simultaneously studied by IFA with HEp-2 and Crithidia lucillae cells, and by two different commercial kits of EIA and IB, and the results were evaluated. When IFA is accepted as reference method, the sensitivities and specificities of the other methods were found as follows, respectively; 82-100% and 84-100% for ANA-EIA, 48-54% and 98-100% for ANA-IB, 66-100% and 97-98% for anti-dsDNA-EIA, and 50-66% and 86-100% for anti-dsDNA-IB. The agreement rates of ANA-EIA, ANA-IB, anti-dsDNA-EIA and anti-dsDNA-IB methods with IFA were detected as 82-90%, 74%, 96-97%, and 84-98%, respectively. As a result, it may be concluded that IFA test should be used as a primarily test for the detection of ANA and anti-dsDNA autoantibodies, while EIA and IB methods are useful for antigen differentiation and confirmation of the results.

Concurrent assay for four bacterial species including alloiococcus otitidis in middle ear, nasopharynx and tonsils of children with otitis media with effusion: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVES: To detect the prevalences of Alloiococcus otitidis, as well as Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis in children with chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) and to simultaneously investigate the colonization of these bacteria in the nasopharynx and palatine tonsils of these patients. METHODS: The study included 34 pediatric patients with OME, and 15 controls without OME. In the study group, A. otitidis, H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, and M. catarrhalis were investigated in the samples obtained from middle ear effusions (MEE), nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) and tonsillar swabs (TS), using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and conventional culture methods. Only the samples obtained from NPS and TS were studied with the same techniques in the control group. RESULTS: A. otitidis was isolated only in MEE and only with multiplex PCR method. A. otitidis, S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis, H. influenzae were identified in 35%, 8.8%, 8.8%, and 2.9%, respectively, in 34 MEE. A. otitidis was not isolated in NPS or TS of the study and the control groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of A.otitidis is high in children with OME and A.otitidis doesn't colonize in the nasopharynx or tonsil.

Determination of Helicobacter pylori in patients with chronic nonspecific pharyngitis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine if there is a relationship between Helicobacter pylori colonization in the pharynx mucous membrane and chronic nonspecific pharyngitis. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective clinical study. METHODS: Seventy patients with chronic pharyngitis and 20 healthy control subjects were examined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture for H. pylori colonization in the pharynx mucous membrane between March 2008 and October 2008. Patients with pharyngitis were seperated into two groups (35 patients in each) by using C-14 urea breath test, according to the presence of gastric H. pylori infection. RESULTS: In the control group, none of the patients had H. pylori in the pharynx. In the chronic pharyngitis group, in 12 patients (34.3%) with gastric H. pylori infection and in seven patients (20%) without gastric infection, H. pylori colonization in pharynx mucosa was determined with the PCR method. In only two of chronic pharyngitis patients (5.8%), H. pylori infection was detected with culture. In the pharynx mucosa, the H. pylori infection rate was significantly higher in the chronic pharyngitis groups than in the control group (P = .002 between C-14 positive and control groups, P = .040 between C-14 negative and control groups). There was not a significant difference in H. pylori colonization in the pharynx of patients who had chronic pharyngitis with or without gastric ailments and H. pylori infection (P = .179). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic nonspecific pharyngitis without gastric H. pylori infection is significantly related to H. pylori colonization in the pharynx, and gastric involvement increases the rate of this spread. The gold standart for detection of H. pylori infection is the PCR method.

A rare cause of wound infection: Shewanella putrefaciens.

Shewanella putrefaciens has a wide geographical distribution, including all forms of sea water, fresh water, fish and soil. In humans, it is an unusual pathogen of wound infections. In this report, a wound infection was presented in a previously healthy man.