Evaluation of Screening Results for Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci: Three-Year Surveillance.

Background: Enterococci are facultative anaerobic, binary, or chained Gram-positive cocci. The gastrointestinal colonization of hospitalized patients is the most important reservoir of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. We aimed to evaluate retrospectively the screening results of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, studied by the simultaneous (real-time) polymerase chain reaction method on rectal swabs of adult and pediatric patients hospitalized in our hospital in 2019-2021. Methods: Adult and pediatric patients were included in our study between Jan 2019 and Dec 2021. The results of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, studied with the real-time polymerase chain reaction method from rectal swabs sent from intensive care units and services, were analyzed retrospectively. Isolation of the samples was performed using the Fluorion VRE QLP 1.0 real-time polymerase chain reaction kit (Iontek, Turkey), and detection was performed with the Fluorion Detection System (Iontek, Turkey) real-time polymerase chain reaction device. Results: Overall, 31,725 patients were included in our study. When evaluated in order of years, in 2019, 379 (7%) of 5,389 adults, 322 (7.4%) of 4,003 children, 234 (5.5%) of 4,185 adults in 2020, 157 (2.4%) of 6,499 children, and in 2021, vancomycin-resistant enterococci were detected in 469 (7.5%) of 6,232 adults and 224 (4.1%) of 5,417 children. Conclusion: The prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci is greater in adults, particularly in intensive care units, compared to children. Infection control precautions and training be augmented in high-risk clinics, while the unnecessary utilization of glycopeptides should be limited.

An unusual case of Brucella melitensis-related wound infection.

Background: Brucellosis is an anthropo-zoonotic infectious disease caused by various Brucella species. It is usually transmitted through contact with infected animals or consumption of contaminated animal products. Brucellosis most commonly affects the musculoskeletal and reticuloendothelial system with additional involvement observed in gastrointestinal system, urinary tract, reproductive system, central nervous system, and cardiovascular system. Skin involvement is extremely rare in brucellosis. Here, we report a rare case of Brucella melitensis infection developing in a back wound following a lumbar disc herniation surgery over 14 years ago. Case: A 34-year-old male patient, who had a herniated disc surgery 14 years ago, was admitted to the hospital with complaints of joint pain, sweating and discharge at the surgery site. Wound culture revealed the presence of Gram negative cocobacilli which was identified as Brucella melitensis. The subsequent diagnostic tests, including the Rose-Bengal and Brucella Capture test positivity at a titer of 1/320 confirmed the diagnosis. The patient received six weeks of doxycycline (200 mg/day, orally) and rifampin (600 mg/day orally) treatment, accompanied by wound care procedures. Daily cleaning, sterile dressing, and wound debridement were employed. Following treatment, the patient's condition improved, and wound discharge ceased. Continuous monitoring showed no signs of relapse, achieving complete remission. Conclusion: Brucella spp. should be considered as a potential cause of wound infections developing after surgery or trauma in brucellosis-endemic areas. This report also emphasizes the importance of promptly determining the cause of infection before initiating antibiotic treatment.

Retrospective Evaluation of Cases with the Pre-diagnosis of Cystic Echinococcosis Admitted to the Microbiology Laboratory of Diyarbakir Health Sciences Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital Between 2014 and 2017.

OBJECTIVE: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease, which leads to morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the presence of anti-Echinococcus granulosus immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, which were detected by indirect fluorescent antibody test in the samples that were transferred to the Microbiology Laboratory of University of Health Sciences Turkey, Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital with the pre-diagnosis of CE. Moreover, gender differences with respect to positivity rates of anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies were investigated. METHODS: Anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies, which were detected in the samples of cases with the pre-diagnosis of CE between January 2014 and December 2017, were retrospectively evaluated. Gender difference with respect to positivity rates was investigated by applying the chi-square test in cases with positive anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies. RESULTS: Out of the 829 serum samples, 222 (26.7%) were found to be positive for E. granulosus IgG antibodies, among which 40 (27.2%), 56 (25.5%), 51 (23.3%) and 75 (30.6%) were found to be positive in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. No significant difference was found between genders amongst the cases with positive anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Since CE is a major public health problem, evaluation of the presence of anti-E. granulosus IgG antibodies would be important to understand the positivity rate at the regional level.

Eight-year seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV in Diyarbakir training and research hospital.

Distribution of HBV, HCV and HIV results of the inpatients or outpatients, who had been treated for various diagnoses in Diyarbakir Training and Research Hospital between 2005 and 2012, among years was investigated. Files of the patients, who had been treated as inpatient or outpatient 992. to any diagnosis between 01/01/2005 and 31/12/2012 in the clinics or policlinics of Diyarbakir 581 due Training and Research Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed using patient file database. Serum samples (235.534 for HBsAg, 196.727 for Anti-HBs antibody, 98.497 for HBeAg, 97.417 for Anti-HBe antibody, 225.483 for HCV and 138.923 for HIV) of these patients, which had been processed in microbiology laboratory, were studied by chemiluminescence technique using Roche E-170 (Modular Analytics System) device. Prevalence rates between 2005 and 2012 were as follows: 15.9%-9% for HBsAg, 32.9%-52.3% for Anti-HBs, 2.5%-1.8% for HBeAg, 30.4%-25.2% for Anti-HBe, 1%-0.7% for Anti-HCV, and 0.1%-1% for Anti-HIV. Increase in Anti-HBs prevalence is the successful outcome of routine immunization in population. This suggests that, governmental policies focused on this subject have resulted in successful outcomes and that people also take care about this. A prevalence rate decreasing to 9% from 15.9% for HBsAg and prevalence rate increasing to 52.3% from 32.9% for Anti-HBs antibody positivity in 8-year period in our region is quite meaningful. Such favorable developments in our region are of great valuable in terms of indicating to what extent could struggle against HBV is controlled by education and awareness.