Genetic approaches reveal a healthy population and an unexpectedly recent origin for an isolated desert spring fish.

Foskett Spring in Oregon's desert harbors a historically threatened population of Western Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys klamathensis). Though recently delisted, the dace's recruitment depends upon regular removal of encroaching vegetation. Previous studies assumed that Foskett Dace separated from others in the Warner Valley about 10,000 years ago, thereby framing an enigma about the population's surprising ability to persist for so long in a tiny habitat easily overrun by plants. To investigate that persistence and the effectiveness of interventions to augment population size, we assessed genetic diversity among daces inhabiting Foskett Spring, a refuge at Dace Spring, and three nearby streams. Analysis revealed a robust effective population size (Ne) of nearly 5000 within Foskett Spring, though Ne in the Dace Spring refuge is just 10% of that value. Heterozygosity is slightly lower than expected based on random mating at all five sites, indicating mild inbreeding, but not at a level of concern. These results confirm the genetic health of Foskett Dace. Unexpectedly, genetic differentiation reveals closer similarity between Foskett Dace and a newly discovered population from Nevada's Coleman Creek than between Foskett Dace and dace elsewhere in Oregon. Demographic modeling inferred Coleman Creek as the ancestral source of Foskett Dace fewer than 1000 years ago, much more recently than previously suspected and possibly coincident with the arrival of large herbivores whose grazing may have maintained open water suitable for reproduction. These results solve the enigma of persistence by greatly shortening the duration over which Foskett Dace have inhabited their isolated spring.

Effects of high dose corticosteroids in open rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Although some studies about the effects of steroids on surgical trauma in closed or combined (closed and open together) rhinoplasty have been reported in the literature, still more information is needed in order to enlighten rhinoplasty surgeons. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of steroids administered in high doses to prevent and decrease periorbital ecchymosis and oedema in patients who underwent open rhinoplasty with osteotomies by the same surgeon. This is the first study in open rhinoplasty alone. METHODS: The study was performed on 40 patients, under general anaesthesia. Patients were divided randomly into five groups (eight patients in each group); the groups comprised: a single 250 mg dose of methylprednisolone (Group I), a single 500 mg dose of methylprednisolone (Group II), four 250 mg doses of methylprednisolone (Group III), four 500 mg doses of methylprednisolone (Group IV) and placebo (Group V). Digital photographs were taken of each patient on the first, third and seventh postoperative days. Scorings of eyelid swelling and ecchymosis were evaluated separately using a graded scale from 0 to (+) 4 by three observers, independently. Additionally, blood samples were taken for the evaluations of C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) on the same days. RESULTS: Clinically and statistically significant difference was observed in the decrease of both ecchymosis and oedema, between the placebo and high dose methylprednisolone groups, which is effective to prevent and to decrease both the ecchymosis and oedema in open rhinoplasty with osteotomies. CRP was the most sensitive acute phase reactant among CRP, ESR and WBC. No complication was observed due to steroid usage. CONCLUSIONS: We can confidently say that high dose methylprednisolone is effective in preventing and reducing both the periorbital ecchymosis and oedema in open rhinoplasty with osteotomies and it can be used safely for this purpose.

Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) characterization and panton-valentine leukocidin gene occurrence for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Turkey, from 2003 to 2006.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cause serious community-acquired and nosocomial diseases all over the world. We determined the SCCmec types and occurrence of the PVL gene by using TaqMan real-time PCR method, and correlated these with phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility patterns for MRSA strains collected from Gulhane Military Medical Academy Hospital (GMMAH) during 4 years study period. To our knowledge, this is the first report from Turkey of molecular SCCmec typing analysis of MRSA stains. A total of 385 clinical MRSA isolates collected in the clinical and Microbiology Laboratory at GMMAH between 2003 and 2006 were included in the study. Overall, SCCmec types-I, II, III, IV, V, nontypeable and PVL occurrence were detected in 11 (2.8%), 3 (0.8%), 316 (82.1%), 20 (5.1%), 20 (5.1%), 15 (3.9%) and 5 (1.3%) isolates, respectively. A total of 330 (85.5%) were SCCmec-I/II/III and 40 (10.3%) were SCCmec IV/V. SCCmec-I/II/III isolates were recovered more from patients with serious infections in surgical departments especially those with intensive care units than the SCCmec-IV/V isolates (chi(2) = 13.560, P < 0.001). SCCmec-I/II/III MRSA strains were predominantly recovered from blood stream (53.0%, P = 0.014), while SCCmec-IV/V strains were predominately isolated from skin and soft tissue and abscess (55.0%, P < 0.001). The PVL gene was detected in 10.0% of SCCmec-IV/V isolates in contrast to 0.3% in SCCmec-I/II/III (chi(2) = 25.164, P < 0.001). SCCmec-I/II/III MRSA strains were more resistant to clindamycin (chi(2) = 5.078, P = 0.024), amoxicillin-clavulanate (chi(2) = 84.912, P < 0.001), erythromycin (chi(2) = 4.651, P = 0.031), gentamicin (chi(2) = 24.869, P < 0.001), and rifampin (chi(2) = 18.878, P < 0.001) than SCCmec-IV/V MRSA strains. This data indicates that SCCmec-III MRSA strains that do not carry the PVL gene are the predominant MRSA strains in our hospital setting in Ankara, capital of Turkey and that SCCmec-I/II/III MRSA strains may cause serious infections in surgical departments especially those with intensive care units.

Molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal isolates from Turkey.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonize most frequently in the anterior nares of the nose and cause serious infections all over the world. The aim of this study was to determine the nasal carriage rate of S. aureus and MRSA strains in Turkish elementary school children. We also analyzed molecular characterizations of MRSA strains by using pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multi locus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) typing, and detection of the Panton-valentine leucocidin (PVL) gene. The nasal swabs were obtained from 4,050 children during a 4 month period in Ankara. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing to 1 mug oxacillin and 30 mug cefoxitin was determined by a disk diffusion method. We found that the 1,001 of 4,050 (24.7%) children were colonized with S. aureus. Three S. aureus strains were resistant to oxacillin and cefoxitin. The rate of MRSA among all children was 0.07%. The MRSA strains revealed three different PFGE pattern. All MRSA isolates by harbored the SCCmec type IV element, but not the PVL gene. The two MRSA isolate belonged to sequence type (ST) 30, whereas the other one was a unique type. The results of this study demonstrated that S. aureus nasal carriage rate was consistent with previous studies. However, MRSA carriage rate was low. This study also indicated that the ST30-type IV without PVL gene MRSA clone may be expected to spread in Turkish community.

Acinetobacter septicus sp. nov. association with a nosocomial outbreak of bacteremia in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Acinetobacter species other than Acinetobacter baumannii have rarely been reported to be associated with nosocomial outbreaks of bloodstream infections. Within a period of 1 week, seven Acinetobacter-like isolates were recovered from peripheral blood and catheter specimens of five patients at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a tertiary hospital in Turkey. All five patients had placement of central venous catheters and had received total parenteral nutrition before the onset of bacteremia. Two of the five patients died. Medical devices, tap water, aerators, water samples, various surfaces, intravenous fluids, and the hands of health care workers in the NICU were sampled and were culture negative for the bacterium. All seven of the isolates had identical biochemical reactions, antimicrobial susceptibility results, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns, indicating a clonal nosocomial outbreak. A panel of standard biochemical reaction profiles and three phenotypic commercial identification systems failed to identify these isolates. Phenotypically, the isolate differed from Acinetobacter ursingii by its hemolysis on sheep blood agar and its negative citrate utilization. Sequences of the full 16S rRNA gene, which contained at least three different gene copies with polymorphic sequences between nucleotide positions 70 and 206, were determined from the first recovered isolate. The complete 1,529- to 1,531-bp 16S rRNA gene sequences and partial 801-bp rpoB gene sequences had similarities of 99.5% and 97.2%, respectively, to an A. ursingii isolate. The DNA-DNA similarities of the strain against the type strain of A. ursingii were 64.7 and 68.7%, which were lower than the recommended threshold value of 70% for the definition of bacterial species. These data indicate that a novel Acinetobacter organism caused the nosocomial outbreak of bacteremia in the NICU unit. We propose the designation of Acinetobacter septicus sp. nov. for these isolates, with isolate AK001 as the type strain.

Nosocomial outbreak of Sphingomonas paucimobilis bacteremia in a hemato/oncology unit.

Nosocomial Sphingomonas paucimobilis infections can arise from contaminated water and the contaminated hands of hospital staff. Within a 1-month period, we isolated six S. paucimobilis strains, including four from blood cultures of four patients and two from hospital environment specimens including tap water and a bathtub in a hemato/oncology unit. We described here these strains' molecular epidemiological analyses by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antibiotic susceptibilities by E-test. Although clinical and environmental isolates yielded three different antibiotic resistances and PFGE patterns, all four clinical strains had an identical pattern by both methods. Thus, the isolated clinical strain clone could be traced neither to health care workers nor to environmental samples. It was concluded that S. paucimobilis strains can cause outbreaks in hemato/oncology units. We did not demonstrate genetic relatedness between clinical and environmental isolates by PFGE, but did find PFGE a useful identification technique for epidemiological investigation.

Comparative sporicidal effects of disinfectants after release of a biological agent.

Because of spore formation, Bacillus anthracis is considered the most resistant biological warfare agent known. The present study aimed to assess and compare well-known decontamination routes to inactivate the spores on daily-use environmental tools contaminated previously. To simulate the agent, Bacillus atrophaeus was used. Various environmental samples (such as tile, fabric clothing, wood, protective suit, glass, paper, soil, water, plastic, and metal) that may be contaminated after a biological incident were used as test carriers and inoculated with B. atrophaeus. Sodium hypochlorite, free chlorine, autoclaving, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet irradiation, and boiling decontaminated the samples. Glutaraldehyde (2%) and free chlorine solution (10,000 mg/L) were also found to be effective in decontaminating the samples and are recommended as alternatives to the use of sodium hypochlorite solution. Soil, tile, paper, and metal were determined to be the most difficult materials to decontaminate. It was concluded that 5% hypochlorite adjusted with acetic acid might also be used for decontamination. Decontamination strategies to reduce contamination of the environment by biological warfare agents need to be applied to mitigate the number of victims, in terms of prominent characteristics like cost-effectiveness and user-friendliness.

Beneficial effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rat skin flaps.

BACKGROUND: Reperfusion injury is a phenomenon that occurs when tissues are subjected to ischaemia for a variable period of time, after which they are reperfused. Many factors have been implicated in the cause of reperfusion injury including free radicals and neutrophils. Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an active component of propolis from honeybee; it has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, and protective effects against ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. We investigated the effects of CAPE on the survival of skin flaps in the rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen Wistar rats were used, and randomly divided into three groups (n=6 rats each group): the control group (Group 1), ethanol group (Group 2), and CAPE group (Group 3). A caudally based rectangular flap, 3x10 cm in size, was elevated on the back of the rat, according to the method described by Khouri and colleagues. The flap was sutured back into its original place. In the control group, saline 0.2 ml/day was given intraperitoneally (i.p.). Five percent ethanol 0.2 ml/day was administered i.p. in the ethanol group, and CAPE 50 micromol/kg/day i.p. in the CAPE group. To observe the effects of CAPE, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured from extracted skin tissue. Flap viability was evaluated seven days after the initial operation, measuring necrotic areas of flaps and total flap areas. RESULTS: MDA and NO levels were significantly decreased in CAPE group; and however, GSH, GSH-Px, and SOD enzyme activities were significantly increased in CAPE group. We believed that the CAPE had beneficial effects to improve the survival of skin flaps since it has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, and protective effects against I/R injury.

Augmentation mentoplasty with diced high-density porous polyethylene.

BACKGROUND: Augmentation mentoplasty is a common procedure, applied especially in conjunction with rhinoplasty. Although various materials have been used for this procedure, diced high-density porous polyethylene (Medpor) has not been used so far. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of diced high-density porous polyethylene in chin augmentation. METHODS: A subperiosteal pocket is prepared through submental incision. A high-density porous polyethylene block is diced into 1 x 1.5-mm pieces, to be placed into the subperiosteal pocket as much as needed by wrapping into oxidized cellulose (Surgicel). Immediately after the incision is closed, shaping with external massage is performed and an external bandage is applied. RESULTS: This procedure was performed in 20 patients, in addition to rhinoplasty, with a mean follow-up of 14 months (range, 8 to 20 months). Five to 14 mm of augmentation was achieved. There were no complications, except for early seroma formation in three patients, which required aspiration by syringe. It is easy to give shape to diced high-density porous polyethylene by means of massage 3 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Diced high-density porous polyethylene in augmentation mentoplasty is cheap, easy to insert, and moldable by external massage, and has flexibility in conforming to the shape of the mandible. It also avoids all the disadvantages of monobloc implants, allowing postoperative ingrowth of fibrous tissues, precluding late displacement, and giving a natural feel to the reconstructed area.

Evaluation of the BacT/ALERT and BACTEC 9240 automated blood culture systems for growth time of Brucella species in a Turkish tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: The isolation of Brucella species from blood may be achieved by using classic culture techniques, but detection of the organism is difficult due to its slow growth. The time-to-detection of Brucella can take up to 30 days using the Castaneda blood culture method. Automated blood culture systems have reduced the growth time of Brucella. MATERIAL/METHODS: In this report we would like to contribute our experience on detection time in the isolation of Brucella species from 33,039 blood culture sets using BacT/ALERT between 1995 and 2000 (13 isolates) and thereafter using both the BACTEC and BacT/ALERT systems (17 isolates). RESULTS: Thirty Brucella spp. (17 by both systems and 13 by BacT/ALERT only) were isolated from 33,039 blood culture sets between 1995 and 2002. Brucellae were recovered between 1.8 and 3.7 days (mean: 2.5 days) in the BacT/ALERT blood culture system and between 2.1 and 3.8 days (mean: 2.8 days) in BACTEC 9240 system. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the mean time-to-detection could be

The protective effect of melatonin on ischemia-reperfusion injury in the groin (inferior epigastric) flap model in rats.

Inadequate blood perfusion and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in the surgical skin flap are believed to be the major factors that cause harmful changes within the tissue and vasculature, resulting in flap necrosis. Reactive oxygen radical species (ROS), in part, are believed to play an important role in this injury. Melatonin, in many physiological conditions, has been shown to have direct and indirect antioxidative effects and free-radical-scavenging properties. Therefore, it may have a beneficial effect on I/R-induced flap injury. In this study, the possible protective effects of melatonin were investigated in I/R injury of rat epigastric (axial pattern) flaps. Ischemia was achieved for 12 h by occlusion of inferior epigastric artery. Melatonin or vehicle was administered 1 h before flap elevation and was continued for 6 days after ischemia. I/R injury elevated malondialdehyde (MDA), an end product of lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide (NO) levels while the glutathione (GSH) content was reduced. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, which is known to be related to tissue neutrophil accumulation, was found to be statistically higher in the I/R group when compared with the sham group. Administration of melatonin significantly decreased MDA, NO and MPO levels and elevated the GSH content. Moreover, melatonin reduced the flap necrosis area, which was determined using a planimetric method. In conclusion, melatonin, a potent scavenger of free radicals, plays a major role in preventing the inferior epigastric arterial I/R-induced flap necrosis, based on planimetric flap survival and biochemical results. The beneficial effects of melatonin in I/R injury implies the involvement of free radicals in flap damage.

Effects of different corticosteroids on edema and ecchymosis in open rhinoplasty.

A double-blind, randomized trial with placebo control was planned to evaluate the effects of corticosteroids (betamethasone, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone) in approximately equivalent doses (8 mg dexamethasone/day), and to compare their effects with that of tenoxicam, an antiinflammatory drug, on both the edema and ecchymosis in open rhinoplasty with osteotomies. For this study, 40 patients were divided randomly into five groups of 8 patients each, which received, respectively, betamethasone (group 1), dexamethasone (group 2), methylprednisolone (group 3), tenoxicam (group 4), and placebo (group 5). Open rhinoplasty with osteotomies was performed by the same surgeon with the patient under general anesthesia. Drugs were administered just before the induction of anesthesia and continued for 3 days. Only acetaminophen was used to control postoperative analgesia. Digital photographs of each patient were taken on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7. Scoring was performed separately for eyelid swelling and ecchymosis by three observers independently using a graded scale from 0 to 4. No statistically significant differences existed among the five groups in terms of age, sex, duration of surgery, amount of bleeding, and intravenous fluid administration during the surgery. On postoperative days 1, 3, and 7, no differences in the levels of ecchymosis or edema among the steroid groups, the tenoxicam group, and the control groups were observed. In conclusion, the authors observed no significant differences among the different kinds of steroids administered in equivalent doses (8 mg dexamethasone/day). Steroids used in these doses were not effective in preventing or reducing edema and ecchymosis after open rhinoplasty with osteotomies. Tenoxicam also was not effective. No complications caused by the use of steroids were observed during the 6-month follow-up period.

Correction of the crooked nose using custom-made high-density porous polyethylene extended spreader grafts.

Correction of the crooked or deviated nose, a complex cosmetic and functional problem, is a big challenge for the rhinoplasty surgeon. Although corrections using a wide range of surgical techniques to straighten the nose and maximize nasal function have been proposed, recurrence is very common because of cartilage memory and scar contracture. Therefore, to prevent recurrence and to maintain the correction of the septum, a permanent support that is stable and strong, with the ability to maintain its given shape after placement on one or both sides of the septum, is needed. For this purpose, the authors planned to use a pair of custom-made high-density porous polyethylene (HDPP) extended spreader grafts. In this study, the concept and technique of HDPP, composed of a nonresorbable alloplastic material for correction of the crooked nose, and the authors' experience using it, are presented. Currently, HDPP is readily available on the market as a thin plain sheet (0.85 x 38 x 50 mm) that can be cut to an appropriate size for spreader grafts. Ingrowths of fibrous tissue inside and around HDPP stabilize the upper lateral cartilages and septum in their new corrected position and maintain the corrected/straightened position. This material was used in 20 patients with crooked noses (9 with C-type and 11 with S-type noses). During a mean follow-up period of 18 months (range, 8-30 months), there were no complications, recurrences, or extrusions. Functional evaluation was performed using a visual analog scale before surgery and 6 months after surgery. Patients were asked to score their nasal breathing on a scale ranging from 0 to 100. The mean preoperative value was 32.50% +/- 11.18%, and the postoperative value was 88.75% +/- 8.71%. In conclusion, the use of custom-made HDPP extended spreader grafts is a safe, effective, reliable, and permanent method for correction of the crooked nose. In the long term, the authors believe that custom-made HDPP extended spreader grafts provide functional recovery and increased strength against further trauma or forces of scar contracture, and have the ability to prevent recurrence attributable to cartilage memory.

Clinical presentations of chlamydial and non-chlamydial reactive arthritis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the triggering micro-organisms and the clinical as well as laboratory differences between Chlamydial and non-chlamydial reactive arthritis (ReA) in a prospective study on 98 patients with acute/subacute arthritis. An inciting organism was found in 42 patients. Eighteen of these were chlamydial. Fifty-seven percent of all ReA patients were carriers for HLA-B27, which increased to 67% in the chlamydial group. Chlamydial ReA patients had more urethritis (P<0.05) with a longer period between arthritis and inciting infection, significantly lower CRP levels, and involved joint counts (P<0.05). Additionally, sacroiliitis was more frequent besides extra-articular manifestations in chlamydial ReA group. This study shows that chlamydial ReA differs in some points from non-chlamydial ReA, which in turn may affect the evaluation of an arthritic patient. ReA due to chlamydia more frequently encompasses a monoarticular or oligoarticular clinical picture with predominant distal extremity involvement. Non-chlamydial ReA presents higher joint counts and may involve upper extremity joints.

Evaluation of blood culture bottles seeded with X-V factors for the detection of Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the ability of seeded and not-seeded commercial pediatric blood culture bottles to support the growth of the most frequently responsible microorganisms for bacterial meningitides (Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae). Tests have been carried out with an automated colorimetric pediatric blood culture system, BacTAlert, Organon Teknika. Bottles were inoculated with X-V factors and serial dilutions of the each bacterium in six times (10(1)-10(6) colony forming unit [CFU]/ml). The bottles, which were supplemented with X-V factors, proved to be effective and time to detection (TTD) was shorter than the un-seeded bottles (p0.05). Time difference between seeded and not-seeded bottles was getting greater at high dilutions of both bacteria. We consider that in presence of a few bacteria, the seeding of bottles with X-V factors is very critical obtaining N. meningitidis, and H. influenzae as the causative agents of meningitidis. The recovery rate of the microorganisms, which were isolated from cerebrospinal fluid by using the X-V factor-seeded blood culture bottles, is therefore higher than with the conventional culture methods.

[Molecular analysis of vancomycin-resistant enterococci isolated from clinical samples]. / Klinik örneklerden izole edilen vankomisin dirençli enterokoklarin moleküler analizi.

Enterococcus species are the inhabitants of gastrointestinal flora and can cause endocarditis, urinary tract infections, and bacteremia. In recent years, infections caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have increased in our country. The infections caused by VRE are treated with glycopeptide antibiotics like vancomycin and teicoplanin. Although seven different resistant genes have been described in VRE, VanA is the most frequently detected one in Turkey. The aim of this study was (i) to genotype four vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains isolated in our hospital, by using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE); and (ii) to detect the type of Van gene by using polymerase chain reaction. Three of the strains were isolated from blood cultures and one from cerebrospinal fluid of the hospitalized patients between the years 2000-2004, and identified by both conventional methods and commercial kits. By using PFGE, we detected that isolates were different according to Tenover criteria and they had VanA genes. As a result, VanA carrying VRE cause sporadic infections in our hospital. The molecular epidemiologic investigation of resistant microorganisms is important in terms of infection control and epidemiology.

Rapid and quantitative detection of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus by one-step real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR.

In this article, the development of a new TaqMan-based one-step real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for detection and quantification of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) RNA is described. Selected oligos targeting the highly conserved S region of CCHFV were designed by using our oligo design and analysis software, Oligoware 1.0. None of the primer sequences showed genomic cross-reactivity with other viruses or cells in a BLAST (NCBI) search analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of the primers and the probe were tested using 18 serum samples from patients from East Anatolian who were suspected of having CCHFV, including 2 samples that had already been confirmed to be positive for CCHFV. Among the 16 previously unconfirmed samples, 5 were positive by TaqMan-based one-step real-time RT-PCR and 1 was positive by non-nested RT-PCR, and these results were confirmed with DNA sequencing analysis. The 2 previously confirmed CCHFV RNA samples were also positive by both TaqMan-based one-step real-time RT-PCR and non-nested RT-PCR tests. To ensure the quantitative reproducibility of TaqMan-based one-step real-time RT-PCR, the procedure was repeated several times and the same results were obtained (SD = 0.84 [maximum value]). The developed assay was able to sensitively quantify the concentration of CCHFV RNA, which ranged from 10(2) to 10(7) copies/ml per reaction, using plasmid standards generated from the CCHFV RNA (correlation coefficiency = 0.989). The results of the one-step real-time RT-PCR assay were more sensitive than those of the non-nested RT-PCR assay. It can be concluded that our one-step real-time RT-PCR assay is a reliable, reproducible, specific, sensitive and simple tool for the detection and quantification of CCHFV.

The continuing scourge of congenital syphilis in 21st century: a case report.

Although the rate of congenital syphilis is declining in developed countries, a significant increase has been observed in the underdeveloped countries. Unfortunately, little concern is raised about the increasing numbers of babies born with congenital syphilis. The procedure to prevent congenital syphilis through antenatal screening and treatment is well established. But implementation of effective programs has proved very difficult especially in resource--poor settings. Congenital syphilis, if not treated promptly and adequately, may result in significant physical and emotional squeal in children. A case of complicated late congenital syphilis is reported in order to emphasize that syphilis is still present nowadays, and re-emerging many countries even some of the industrialized ones. Most of the cases can not be prevented by routine antenatal screening. Thus it is essential to develop strategies to prevent sexually transmitted disease from being a hidden and neglected problem.

A transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap for reconstruction of a large deformity in the buttock: a new indication for a TRAM flap.

A rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap has been used to repair the abdominal wall, chest wall, sternum, breast, and groin. We describe a patient in whom a large deformity in the buttock caused by a road crash was repaired with a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap. Distally-based TRAM flaps provide a good and reliable way of reconstructing the buttock. Its advantages are a long arc of rotation and well-vascularised bulky tissue that serve as a partition and promote quick healing of the defect. However, the flap is not the first choice for traumatic and infected wounds where fatty tissue is not desired.