An epidemic caused by measles virus type D6 in Turkey.

In this study, the extent of measles outbreak was investigated in the Idil and Cizre counties of Sirnak Province. New cases determined in patients who applied to primary care clinics and those detected during home visits were evaluated. In 2001, a total of 2,143 cases reported in Sirnak Province were signified as a probable outbreak. Three hundred and thirty-three patients in Cizre and 219 patients in Idil applied to the primary care clinics. Of the cases, in Cizre 8.4% (n=28) and in Idil 6.4% (n=14) were infants aged nine months and younger who had not yet been vaccinated. Totally, 17 new cases (8 in Cizre and 9 in Idil) in the exanthema phase were determined during home visits and these were considered as outbreak cases. Virus isolation was achieved in 12 cases. All isolates were sent to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for genotyping and classified as D6 group. In conclusion, measles epidemics are still seen in our country. Therefore, measles outbreaks necessitate intensive intervention by physicians who are employed in primary health care services.

Acute accidental exposure to chlorine gas in the Southeast of Turkey: a study of 106 cases.

The present study reports a thorough investigation of the sociodemographic characteristics, clinical findings, and treatment of persons affected acutely by chlorine gas exposure from a chlorine tank belonging to the municipality of Diyarbakir. One hundred six persons were assessed. In this cross-sectional study, 58 patients were male and 48 were female. Children and adolescents younger than 18 years constituted more than half of the patients (60 cases, 56.6%). The age of patients ranged between 3 months and 75 years. Among the cases evaluated in emergency rooms, 7 patients had mild poisoning and were discharged after first examinations and symptomatic treatments, 62 patients were moderately affected and were taken under observation, and the remaining 37 were severely affected and were hospitalized. In physical examinations, 29 patients had expiratory wheezing, and 1 had tachycardia and extrasystoles. There were no deaths among these patients, acute chlorine intoxication affected mostly children. Respiratory tract findings were predominant in most of the patients. Steroid and bicarbonate applications were inadequate supportive therapies. Humidified O(2) and beta-agonist applications were most useful in the therapy of acute chlorine intoxication.