Detection of microplastics in patients with allergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between microplastics, which are a worldwide health and environmental issue, and their relationship to allergic rhinitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 66 patients participated in this prospective study. The patients were divided into two groups. While there were 36 patients with allergic rhinitis in group 1, there were 30 healthy volunteers in group 2. The participants' age, gender and Score for Allergic Rhinitis results were noted. Microplastics were examined in the nasal lavage fluids of the patients and their numbers noted. The groups were compared on these values. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of age and gender. There was a significant difference between the allergic rhinitis group and the control group in terms of the Score for Allergic Rhinitis results (p < 0.001). In the allergic rhinitis group, the microplastic density in the nasal lavage was significantly higher than in the control group (p = 0.027). Microplastics were detected in all participants. CONCLUSIONS: We found more microplastics in allergic rhinitis patients. According to this result, we can say that there is a relationship between allergic rhinitis and microplastics.

Adverse effect of VEGFR-2 (rs1870377) polymorphism on the clinical course of COVID-19 in females and males in an age-dependent manner.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people worldwide with varying clinical presentations ranging from mild to severe or fatal, and studies have found that age, gender, and some comorbidities can influence the severity of the disease. It would be valuable to have genetic markers that might help predict the likely outcome of infection. For this objective, genes encoding VEGFR-2 (rs1870377), CCR5Δ32 (rs333), and TLR3 (rs5743313) were analyzed for polymorphisms in the peripheral blood of 160 COVID-19 patients before COVID-19 vaccine was available in Türkiye. We observed that possession of the VEGFR-2 rs1870377 mutant allele increased the risk of severe/moderate disease in females and subjects ≥65 years of age, but was protective in males <65 years of age. Other significant results were that the CCR5Δ32 allele was protective against severe disease in subjects ≥65 years of age, while TLR3 rs5743313 polymorphism was found to be protective against severe/moderate illness in males <65 years of age. The VEGFR-2 rs1870377 mutant allele was a risk factor for severe/moderate disease, particularly in females over the age of 65. These findings suggest that genetic polymorphisms have an age- and sex-dependent influence on the severity of COVID-19, and the VEGFR-2 rs1870377 mutant allele could be a potential predictor of disease severity.

Investigation of immunity against Bordetella pertussis in pregnant women and an overview of the vaccination schedule in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Pertussis caused by Bordetella pertussis, is a disease leading to significant morbidity and mortality in neonates and infants. Direct protection of the infant may be achieved by maternal and neonatal vaccination. Despite primary vaccination, infants under six months pose the greatest risk of infection with pertussis. Maternal immunization provides a high level of infant protection from birth until immunity is achieved by active vaccination. There is no routine Tdap vaccination recommendation for pregnant women in Turkey. This study was carried out to determine pertussis antibody levels in pregnant women and provide data for improving vaccine planning. METHODS: The study was carried out with 133 pregnant women in Turkey. Antibody titers to pertussis toxin (anti-PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (anti-FHA) were measured by the commercially available ELISA. RESULTS: Among 133 participants, 93 (69.9%) were found to be immune according to anti-PT IgG antibody levels. According to anti-FHA IgG antibody levels, 123 (92.5%) participants were considered to be immune. A positive correlation was observed between PT and FHA and the findings were statistically significant (P < 0.001, r = 0.343). In the study group, the ages of the participants varied between 17 and 44 years. The mean age of those who were immune was 27.3±5.6, the mean age of non-immune patients was 29.1±6.2 and the difference was not statistically significant (P= 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal that approximately one-third of pregnant women were not immune to pertussis, reflecting many young infants to be vulnerable to pertussis infection until the onset of primary vaccinations, although childhood pertussis vaccination coverage has been high for a long time. We conclude that Tdap vaccine recommendation for pregnant women regardless of previous immunization history may be beneficial for the protection of infants in their first six months.

Intramyocardial Transplantation of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Chronic Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: A Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial (HUC-HEART Trial).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The HUC-HEART Trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02323477) was a controlled, prospective, phase I/II, multicenter, single-blind, three-arm randomized study of intramyocardial delivery of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (HUC-MSCs) combined with coronary artery bypass-grafting (CABG) in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (CIC). The trial aimed to assess (i) the safety and the efficacy of cell transplantation during one-year follow-up, (ii) to compare the efficacy of HUC-MSCs with autologous bone-marrow- derived mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) in the same clinical settings. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-four patients who were randomized to receive HUC-MSCs (23×106) (n=26) or BM-MNCs (70×107) (n=12) in combination with CABG surgery. The control patients (n=16) received no cells/vehicles but CABG intervention. All patients were screened at baseline and 1, 3, 6, 12 months after transplantation. Forty-six (85%) patients completed 12 months follow-up. No short/mid-term adverse events were encountered. Decline in NT-proBNP (baseline∼ 6 months) in both cell-treated groups; an increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (5.4%) and stroke volume (19.7%) were noted (baseline∼6 or 12 months) only in the HUC-MSC group. Decreases were also detected in necrotic myocardium as 2.3% in the control, 4.5% in BM-MNC, and 7.7% in the HUC-MSC groups. The 6-min walking test revealed an increase in the control (14.4%) and HUC-MSC (23.1%) groups. CONCLUSIONS: Significant findings directly related to the intramyocardial delivery of HUC-MSCs justified their efficacy in CIC. Stricter patient selection criteria with precisely aligned cell dose and delivery intervals, rigorous follow-up by detailed diagnostic approaches would further help to clarify the responsiveness to the therapy.

Transmission dynamics of Covid-19 in Italy, Germany and Turkey considering social distancing, testing and quarantine.

INTRODUCTION: There are significant differences in the active cases and fatality rates of Covid-19 for different European countries. METHODOLOGY: The present study employs Monte Carlo based transmission growth simulations for Italy, Germany and Turkey. The probabilities of transmission at home, work and social networks and the number of initial cases have been calibrated to match the basic reproduction number and the reported fatality curves. Parametric studies were conducted to observe the effect of social distancing, work closure, testing and quarantine of the family and colleagues of positively tested individuals. RESULTS: It is observed that estimates of the number of initial cases in Italy compared to Turkey and Germany are higher. Turkey will probably experience about 30% less number of fatalities than Germany due its smaller elderly population. If social distancing and work contacts are limited to 25% of daily routines, Germany and Turkey may limit the number of fatalities to a few thousands as the reproduction number decreases to about 1.3 from 2.8. Random testing may reduce the number of fatalities by 10% upon testing least 5/1000 of the population. Quarantining of family and workmates of positively tested individuals may reduce the total number of fatalities by about 50%. CONCLUSIONS: The fatality rate of Covid-19 is estimated to be about 1.5% based on the simulation results. This may further be reduced by limiting the number of non-family contacts to two, conducting tests more than 0.5% of the population and immediate quarantine of the contacts for positively tested individuals.

Cardioprotective Effect of Paricalcitol on Amitriptyline-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Rats: Comparison of [99mTc]PYP Cardiac Scintigraphy with Electrocardiographic and Biochemical Findings.

Taking an overdose of AMT, a commonly prescribed tricyclic antidepressant drug, has an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. The cardiotoxicity of amitriptyline (AMT) is a commonly observed toxicity with high morbidity and mortality rates in emergency departments (ED). Nevertheless, there are still no effective treatment options for AMT-induced cardiotoxicity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of paricalcitol (PRC), a Vitamin D receptor agonist, using electrocardiographic (ECG), biochemical, and scintigraphic methods. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: untreated control (CON), amitriptyline-induced cardiotoxicity (AMT), paricalcitol (PRC), and amitriptyline + paricalcitol (AMT + PRC). Cardiotoxicity was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of a single-dose AMT (100 mg/kg). PRC was administered as 10 µg/kg (i.p.) after the injection of AMT. We examined ECG, biochemical, and scintigraphic results of PRC administration on AMT-induced changes. Cardiotoxicity of AMT was characterized by conduction abnormalities (increased QRS complex, T wave, and QT interval duration and elevation of ST segment amplitude), elevated 99mTechnetium Pyrophosphate ([99mTc]PYP) uptake, and increased cardiac troponin T (cTnT) levels. Treatment with PRC significantly decreased all AMT-associated conduction abnormalities in ECG (p < 0.001), and decreased [99mTc]PYP uptake (p < 0.001) and serum cTnT level (p < 0.001). The present study indicated that the vitamin D receptor agonist paricalcitol could decrease the AMT-induced cardiotoxicity. This suggests [99mTc]PYP as a non-invasive method for the evaluation of myocardial injury induced by AMT. According to the results of the present study, PRC has beneficial effects on AMT-induced cardiotoxicity.

Quantitative Color Doppler Ultrasonography Measurement of Thyroid Blood Flow in Patients with Graves' Disease.

BACKGROUND: Graves' Disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by increased levels of thyroid hormones correlated with increased thyroid blood flow. Thyroid scintigraphy is an important and conventional method. However, it has limited accessibility, has ionizing radiation, and is expensive. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the thyroid blood flow in patients with Graves' Disease by color Doppler Ultrasonography and a newly developed software Color Quantification. METHODS: Forty-one consecutive subjects with GD and 41 healthy controls were enrolled. Color Doppler ultrasonography parameters of the thyroid arteries and Color Quantification values of the gland were measured by a radiologist. The correlations between thyroid blood flow parameters, levels of 99mTechnetium pertechnetate uptake, thyrotropin, and free thyroxine were evaluated. The diagnostic performances of these parameters were investigated. RESULTS: The peak systolic-end diastolic velocities of thyroid arteries and Color Quantification values were increased in the study group (p < 0.05 for all). We observed negative correlations between thyrotropin levels and peak-systolic and end-diastolic velocities of superior thyroid arteries and Color Quantification values. There were positive correlations between 99mTechnetium uptake levels and thyroid blood flow parameters (p < 0.05 for all). In the diagnostic performance of thyroid blood flow parameters, we observed utilities significantly in peak-systolic and end-diastolic velocities of thyroid arteries and Color Quantification values (p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: The increased peak-systolic and end-diastolic velocities of thyroid arteries, and increased Color Quantification values might be helpful in the diagnosis of Graves' Disease.

Beneficial effects of edaravone in experimental model of amitriptyline-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

Amitriptyline (AMT) cardiotoxicity is commonly seen with high morbidity and mortality rates in emergency departments. Nevertheless, there are still no effective treatment options for amitriptyline-induced cardiotoxicity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of edaravone, a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, in rats by electrocardiographic (ECG), biochemical, and scintigraphic methods. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups as untreated control (CON), amitriptyline-induced cardiotoxicity (AMT), edaravone treatment (EDO), and amitriptyline + edaravone treatment (AMT+EDO). Cardiotoxicity was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a single-dose amitriptyline (100 mg/kg). Edaravone was administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg (i.p.) after amitriptyline injection. ECG, biochemical, and scintigraphic changes due to edaravone were analyzed. AMT cardiotoxicity was characterized with conduction abnormalities (increased QRS complex, T wave, and duration of QT interval and elevation of ST segment amplitude), elevated 99mTechnetium Pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) uptake level, and increased cardiac troponin T level (cTnT). Edaravone treatment significantly decreased all amitriptyline-associated conduction abnormalities in ECG (p < 0.001), 99mTc-PYP uptake (p < 0.001), and serum cTnT level (p < 0.001). 99mTc-PYP scintigraphy can show amitriptyline cardiotoxicity as well as ECG abnormalities and increased values of cTnT. According to the results of the present study, edaravone has strong beneficial effects on amitriptyline-induced cardiotoxicity.

Comparison of Mean Platelet Volume, Platelet Count, Neutrophil/ Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratio in the Euthyroid, Overt Hypothyroid and Subclinical Hyperthyroid Phases of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid hormones are essential for the normal development, differentiation, metabolic balance and physiological function of all tissues. Mean platelet volume (MPV) indicates mean platelet size and reflects platelet production rate and stimulation. Increased platelet size has been observed in association with known cardiovascular risk factors. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are known markers of the systemic inflammatory response. This study aimed to investigate the effect of thyroid hormone changes by comparing platelet count, MPV values, NLR and PLR in thyroid papillary carcinoma. METHODS: Forty-nine females and nine males comprising a total of 58 patients were included in the study. Clinical and laboratory parameters of patients were recorded in the following three phases of the disease: euthyroid phase (before thyroid surgery), overt hypothyroid (OH) phase (before radioactive iodine [RAI] treatment) and subclinical hyperthyroid (SCH) phase (six months after RAI treatment). RESULTS: The mean thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) values of the patients in the euthyroid, OH and SCH phases were 1.62±1.17, 76.4±37.5 and 0.09±0.07 µIU/mL, respectively. The mean MPV values of the patients in the euthyroid, OH and SCH phases were 9.45±1.33, 9.81±1.35 and 9.96±1.21 fL, respectively. MPV was significantly higher in the SCH phase than in the euthyroid phase (p=0.013). Platelet count, NLR and PLR were not statistically different between the euthyroid, OH and SCH phases. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that the levels of MPV increased significantly in the SCH phase in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and increased MPV values contributed to increased risk of cardiovascular complications. These findings suggest that MPV can be a valuable, practical parameter for monitoring the haemostatic condition in thyroid disorders. No significant difference was observed in platelet count, NLR and PLR in all stages of PTC.

The Role of Bone Scintigraphy in Determining Spinal Fusion after Spinal Stabilisation Surgery.

AIM: To evaluate the usefulness of bone scintigraphy in spinal fusion surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 21 patients who had undergone previous anterior or posterior spinal fusion procedures, or both. Implant failure, fusion failure and adjacent segment disease were the evaluated pathological parameters. Scintigraphic data from all patients were evaluated with intraoperative observational data, radiological data and clinical data. RESULTS: Radiological evaluation revealed adjacent segment disease in 5 patients (23.8%), implant failure in 2 (9.5%), and fusion failure in 1 (4.8%). Scintigraphic evaluation of operating segments revealed pseudo-fusion in 3 patients (14.3%) and fusions in 18 (85.7%). Reoperations were performed in 9 patients (42.9%): in 5 (23.8%) because of adjacent segment disease, and in 4 (19.0%) because they requested removal of the implants. Two patients (9.5%) with implant failure did not undergo reoperation because their scintigraphic data were consistent with fusion and they were almost symptom free, with lower Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores. The VAS scores of the rest of the patients were significantly reduced after the reoperations (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Bone scintigraphy may be helpful for surgeons in planning appropriate surgical revision strategy by giving proper data about spinal fusion at least one year after the initial surgery.

The Protective Effects of Pulsed Magnetic Field and Melatonin on Testis Torsion and Detorsion Induced Rats Indicated by Scintigraphy, Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Histopathological Methods.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to show the protective effect of pulsed magnetic field (PMF) application and melatonin administration on damage in testis in a one-sided torsion detorsion induced rat model using testicular scintigraphy with 99mTc pertechnetate, PET/CT with 18F-FDG and histopathological methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty male rats were used in the study; 30 rats were randomly divided into five groups for one day applications of sham control, torsion, melatonin, pulsed magnetic field (PMF) and melatonin plus PMF. Similarly, for one week group, the other 30 rats were divided into the same five group (n=6), but the animals were sacrificed after one week. Rats were exposed to 50 Hz, 1 mT PMF for two hours. PET/CT with 37 MBq 18F-FDG and testicular scintigraphy with and 37 MBq 99mTc pertechnetate examinations were carried out, and testicular tissue was examined using histopathological methods.  Results: In one day treatment, melatonin administration significantly increased perfusion and glucose metabolism compared to torsion group (p<0.01). Perfusion and glucose metabolism was also higher in the PMF and melatonin plus PMF groups than torsion group (p<0.01). In one week treatment, melatonin administration resulted in a significant higher perfusion rate and glucose metabolism rate compared to torsion group (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively). In addition, perfusion and glucose metabolism significantly increased in PMF and melatonin plus PMF groups compared to torsion group (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively). Furthermore, caspase-3 immunoreactivity and pathological changes increased in the torsion group (p<0.05). Melatonin and melatonin plus PMF treatment reduced the rate of immunoreactivity and pathological findings compared to the torsion group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: According to these results it can be concluded that PMF application had a therapeutic benefit as effective as melatonin administering. In addition, it was indicated that PET/CT with 18F-FDG and testicular scintigraphy with 99mTc pertechnetate could be efficiently used in determining the treatment efficiency in testicular torsion.

Potential Drug-Drug Interactions with Antimicrobials in Hospitalized Patients: A Multicenter Point-Prevalence Study.

BACKGROUND Improper use of antimicrobials can cause adverse drug events and high costs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and potential drug-drug interactions associated with antimicrobials among hospitalized patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study was conducted on the same day in 5 different hospitals in Turkey. We included patients aged ³18 years who received at least 1 antimicrobial drug and at least 1 of any other drug. The Micromedex® online drug reference system was used to control and describe the interactions. Drug interactions were classified as contraindicated, major, moderate, and minor. RESULTS Potential drug-drug interactions with antimicrobials were 26.4% of all interactions. Five (42%) of 12 contraindicated interactions and 61 (38%) of 159 major interactions were with antimicrobials. Quinolones, triazoles, metronidazole, linezolid, and clarithromycin accounted for 173 (25.7%) of 673 prescribed antimicrobials, but were responsible for 141 (92.1%) of 153 interactions. In multivariate analysis, number of prescribed antimicrobials (odds ratio: 2.3001, 95% CI: 1.6237-3.2582), number of prescribed drugs (odds ratio: 1.2008, 95% CI: 1.0943-1.3177), and hospitalization in the university hospital (odds ratio: 1.7798, 95% CI: 1.0035-3.1564) were independent risk factors for developing drug interactions. CONCLUSIONS Due to risk of drug interactions, physicians should be more cautious when prescribing antimicrobials, particularly when prescribing quinolones, linezolid, azoles, metronidazole, and macrolides.

Caecum location in laboratory rats and mice: an anatomical and radiological study.

Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection is the most frequently used method for implementing parenteral therapies in rats and mice. Whether the caecum is located in the right caudal quadrant or left caudal quadrant in the abdominal cavity is not clear. For that reason, we have developed a method for identifying the location of the caecum in rats and mice and thus revealed the most reliable location for i.p. injection in these animals. Two hundred Wistar albino rats and 100 BALB/c mice were used. The location of the caecum was determined by revealing the intra-abdominal organs immediately following euthanasia, photographing the organs, and archiving the images. Both digital photographic images and computed tomographic (CT) sections were analysed in terms of caecum morphology and location. In both rats and mice, the caecum was most commonly located on the animal's left side. It was less frequently located on the right side or in the centre. The caecum was typically comma-shaped, but it was round or S-shaped in some animals. The direction of rotation of the caecum from the basis to the apex was mostly counterclockwise. Additionally, the apex showed a tendency to be evenly centred. This study demonstrated that the caecum was mostly located on the animal's left side; and for that reason, the most suitable location for i.p. injection in these animals was understood to be the right caudal quadrant. Furthermore, when we compared the CT images and autopsy findings, the caecum did not change location in the abdominal cavity postmortem.

A comparison of the recoverable proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from two different types of papers.

AIM: Paper is used for various purposes in hospitals. Generally, there are two different types of paper, which are commonly used in our facility: wood-free paper, and paper containing wood. We compared the recoverable proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; ATCC 43300) from the surface of such papers. METHOD: The papers were divided into two groups: Group 1: wood-free paper; Group 2: paper containing wood. The papers were contaminated in a standardized procedure with 0.1 mL of a 5×10(7) CFU MRSA/mL stock solution. RESULTS: The recoverable proportion of MRSA was higher in the wood-containing papers than in the papers without wood (P=0.043). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that if paper is purchased for healthcare facilities it should not contain wood, but rather wood-free paper types should be considered.

The diagnostic utility of scintigraphy in esophageal burn: a rat model.

BACKGROUND: Corrosive esophageal injury due to accidental ingestion is a serious clinical problem in children particularly in developing countries. The present study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic utility of technetium-99m-pyrophosphate ((99m)Tc-PYP) scintigraphy in the early stage of esophageal burns by using different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in an experimental rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 200-250 g, were used in the study. Esophageal burn model was created in 21 rats by gastrically infusion of various concentrations of NaOH. The rats were divided randomly into three groups: mild-burn group (n = 7) received 15% NaOH, moderate-burn group (n = 7) received 30% NaOH and severe-burn group (n = 7) received 45% NaOH. Seven rats were identified as control group and received normal saline. Three hours after burn injury, 1-mCi (99m)Tc-PYP was administered through tail vein. Two hours after (99m)Tc-PYP administration, static imaging with gamma camera was performed. Then, histopathologic assessment of esophageal samples was achieved properly. RESULTS: All NaOH-applied groups (mild, moderate, and severe) showed a significant higher uptake ratio when compared to control group (P < 0.005). NaOH-applied groups displayed important histologic alterations such as mucosal disintegration, edema, inflammation, and stromal damage when compared to control group. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between the (99m)Tc-PYP uptake ratio and histologic score (P < 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: The scintigraphic imaging may provide advantages in the early stage of esophageal burns in some patients whom endoscopic procedure is contraindicated because of its high risk of complications such as bleeding and perforation.

Risk Factors for Colistin-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: A Multicenter Study from Turkey.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and risk factors due to colistin use in patients infected with multidrug-resistant pathogens. This multicenter, retrospective, observational study was conducted in Turkey, at 5 different research and university hospitals. Cox regression analyses were performed, to determine independent predictors of AKI. From April 2012 to July 2014, a total of 216 patients aged between 18-94 years, treated with colistimethate sodium (CMS) were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 60.3 ± 20.1 years. The overall incidence of AKI was 34.3% (74/216) at any time during treatment. Concomitant use of loop diuretics, baseline creatinine level, and CMS dosage were independently associated with AKI. According to our results, patients with higher baseline creatinine levels, or patients who had to use concomitant loop diuretics may need to be monitored more closely, and dose adjustment should be done promptly. More comprehensive studies are, however, still needed to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose colistin since higher doses tend to increase the risk of AKI.

Procalcitonin Level and Its Predictive Effect on Mortality in Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Patients.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a potentially fatal disease which is endemic to Turkey. We aimed to investigate the procalcitonin levels and their prognostic value over fatality in CCHF patients. The sera were harvested from patients who were diagnosed with CCHF within the first 2 days of the onset of their symptoms. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their survival status: fatal or non-fatal. The biochemical and hematological parameters were studied in the Biochemistry Laboratory of Sorgun City Hospital. The sera were stored at -80℃ until testing for procalcitonin, and the procalcitonin levels were assayed by ELISA at the Biochemistry Laboratory of Kirikkale University. Forty- eight patients were included in the study, with 8 and 40 patients in the fatal and non-fatal groups, respectively. While the procalcitonin level was high in all patients in the fatal group, the same was observed in 30 patients in the non-fatal group (75%). The mean value of procalcitonin was 1.12 ng/ml in the fatal group and was 0.21 ng/ml in the non-fatal group (P = 0.003). According to the results of our study, the procalcitonin levels in the first 2 days of the onset of the symptoms might be helpful for predicting fatality in CCHF patients.

[The epidemiology of malaria in Adana between 2002 and 2012]. / Adana'da 2002-2012 Yillari Arasinda Sitma Epidemiyolojisi.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the epidemiological data of malaria cases in Adana province of Turkey, between 2002 and 2012. METHODS: Active and passive surveillance results collected by the Malaria and Tropical Diseases Education and Research Center of the Adana Public Health Directorship were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were evaluated according to age group, gender, months, malaria species, and whether imported cases or not. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-two patients were diagnosed with malaria during a period of 11 years. Among these patients, 148 (58.7%) were male and 104 (41.3%) were female. Plasmodium vivax was detected in 229 (90.9%) patients, and P. falciparum was detected in 23 (8.1%) patients. All P. falciparum cases and six of the P. vivax cases were of foreign origin. When the patients were evaluated according to age group, 203 (80.5%) were over 15 years of age, and it was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Çukurova is an endemic region for malaria, and Adana is the largest city in the region. We believe that surveillance studies conducted without any interruption may prevent malaria from becoming a reemerging problem in this region.

Seroprevalence of brucellosis among children in the Middle Anatolia Region of Turkey.

Brucellosis is an important public-health problem in Turkey. Children may constitute 20 to 30% of all brucellosis cases in the world, especially in the endemic regions. Data on the seroprevalence of brucellosis in childhood are very limited. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of brucellosis among a child population. One thousand one hundred and ten subjects were included in the study. Blood samples were collected and tested with Rose Bengal (RB) and standard tube agglutination test (SAT). RB test results were positive for 6 patients, and SAT was negative for all patients. Our findings suggest that seroprevalence of brucellosis is decreasing in Middle Anatolia due to a new cattle vaccination and eradication programme which was initiated in 2009.