HPV genotype distribution among women with normal and abnormal cervical cytology in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution and to investigate the relationship between HPV genotypes and cervical cytology in women with HPV infection. METHODS: In this study, 493 women who were admitted to the obstetrics clinic between 2007 and 2015 years and had HPV positivity were examined retrospectively. RESULTS: The median age of women included in the study was 37.3 ±10.6. The positivity of single and multiple HPV genotypes was 64.1% and 35.9%, respectively. HPV16 was the most common genotype in women with normal and abnormal cytology. The incidence of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (chi-square:8.32 p=0.04) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (chi-square:13.75 p<0.001) with HPV16 was significantly higher than in other HPV genotypes. In additional, abnormal cytology results in the group 1 (includ-ed HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59) and group 4 (included HPV40, 42, 54, 55, 61, 62, 81, 83, 84) were significantly higher than other groups (chi-square:23.15 p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Group 1 genotype ratios were found to be quite high among women with abnormal cytology and women with normal cytology. For this reason, close follow-up is very important in addition to cytological findings along with genotyping, especially from an early age. We were found that multiple HPV infection was not related to the grades of cytological abnormalities. Although abnormal cytology results in group 4 were significantly higher than the other groups, it was not possible to comment on the relationship between these genotypes and cervical cancer since more than one HPV genotype was found in most of these women.

Comparison of culture, microscopic smear and molecular methods in diagnosis of tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVE: Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem worldwide, with the highest mortality . The development of nucleic acid-based tests for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) has significantly increased sensitivity compared to conventional smear microscopy and provides results within a matter of hours compared to weeks for solid culture, which is the current gold standart. The aim of this study was to compare the culture, microscopic smear and molecular method in the diagnosis of TB. METHODS: Seven hundred ninety specimens belonging to clinically suspected cases of TB were studied retrospectively. The specimens were grouped as respiratory and non-respiratory and the groups were compared for mycobacterial detection assays. The culture and the molecular diagnostic GeneXpert MTB/RIF (GX) assay method were compared. RESULTS: When culture was used as the reference standart, 32 (4.05%) specimens were positive for MTBC. Of the 32 culture positive clinical specimens 24 (3.03%) were respiratory and 8 (1.01%) were non-respiratory specimens. All 24 of the 24 respiratory specimens were positive by the GX test, Seven of the eight non-respiratory specimens positive for culture were positive by GX assay. Five of the seven hundred fifty-eight samples of culture negative were positive with GX assay. Sensitivity and specificity of GX were found to be 96.8 % and 99.3 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular methods to acquire time in diagnosis as well as the increase in linearity gives a different perspective to the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The GX assay has a diagnostic utility for rapid diagnosis of TB.

Immunity to diphtheria in Izmir, Turkey.

In order to assess immunity to diphtheria in Izmir, Turkey, a total of 743 persons 1-70 years of age were selected with cluster sampling. The information on socio-demographic characteristics, vaccination status and diphtheria history was gathered for each participant. Diphtheria antitoxin levels were measured qualitatively by using micro-enzyme immune assay. Of studied population, 79.1% had fully protective antitoxin levels (> or = 0.1 IU/ml). Diphtheria protection rates showed a gradual age-related decrease, reaching minimum in the 30-44 age group, in which 40.2% of these subjects had antibody titre below the full protective level. The diphtheria antitoxin geometric mean titer was highest in the 5-9 year age group (1.05 IU/ml). Then, geometric mean titer decreased with increasing age, and reached the minimum level in the 30-44 age group (0.19 IU/ml). These results suggest that in Izmir, Turkey, full serological protection against diphtheria is only detectable in 60% of the adult population. The enhancement of diphtheria immunity by booster vaccinations in adolescents and adults should be considered in Turkey.