Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii strains similar to Africa 1 genotype in Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoon parasite that has a worldwide dissemination. It can cause serious clinical problems such as congenital toxoplasmosis, retinochoroiditis, and encephalitis. Currently, T. gondii genotypes are being associated with these clinical presentations which may help clinicians design their treatment strategy. CASE REPORTS: Two T. gondii strains named Ankara and Ege-1 were isolated from newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis in Central and Western Anatolia, respectively. Ankara and Ege-1 strains were isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of newborns. According to microsatellite analysis, Ankara and Ege-1 strains were sorted as Africa 1 genotype. CONCLUSION: T. gondii strains isolated in Turkey were first time genotyped in this study. Africa 1 genotype has previously been isolated in immunosuppressed patients originating from sub-Saharan Africa. The reason of detecting a strain mainly detected in Africa can be associated with Turkey's specific geographical location. Turkey is like a bridge between Asia, Europe and Africa. Historically, Anatolia was on the Silk Road and other trading routes that ended in Europe. Thus, detecting Africa 1 strain in Anatolia can be anticipated. Consequently, strains detected mainly in Europe and Asia may also be detected in Anatolia and vice versa. Therefore, further studies are required to isolate more strains from Turkey.

Analysis of naturally acquired antibody responses to the 19-kd C-terminal region of merozoite surface protein-1 of Plasmodium vivax from individuals in Sanliurfa, Turkey.

Plasmodium vivax is the second most prevalent global Plasmodium species causing malaria after P. falciparum. These two Plasmodium spp. co-exist in most endemic areas, apart from west and central Africa, which has only P. falciparum. However, southeastern Turkey is one of the exceptional regions with the sole presence of P. vivax infection, where a thorough epidemiologic survey has not been performed. Here, we report for the first time the identification of naturally acquired antibodies against the 19-kd C-terminal region of the merozoite surface protein-1 of P. vivax (PvMSP1(19)), using ELISA, from residents in the Sanliurfa region of southeastern Turkey. Among the 82 samples from patients with patent P. vivax malaria, 85% of the individuals were sero-reactive to PvMSP1(19). Particularly, 69.5% of the subjects were positive for IgM, 53.6% were positive for IgG (predominantly IgG1 and IgG3), and 7.3% were positive for IgA.

Differentiation of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar by PCR: a preliminary study in Izmir, Turkey.

The causative agent of amoebiasis is currently attributed to two distinct species (E. histolytica and E. dispar). The aim of this study was to differentiate these species by PCR in stool samples. Isolated genomic DNA was amplified by PCR and band products of 101 bp (E. dispar) were obtained. All seven stool samples were found to be E. dispar, not E. histolytica. Our results demonstrated the significance of E. histolytica/dispar differentiation in the diagnosis of amoebiasis. This study is preliminary to our current research project entitled "Investigation of the prevalence of amoebiasis and Entamoeba species in Izmir and its hinterland".

Incidence of cyclosporiasis in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms in western Turkey.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate the distribution of cyclosporiasis between October 2003 and October 2004 and the relationship between Cyclospora infection and seasonal as well as patient factors in western Turkey. MATERIAL/METHODS: Stool samples from 4660 immunocompetent patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and 326 immunocompetent patients with allergic symptoms from western Turkey were examined between October 2003 and October 2004 using wet preparation, formalin-ethyl acetate concentration, Trichrome stain, and modified Kinyoun's acid-fast staining methods. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were found to be infected with Cyclospora oocysts. Parasites such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Blastocystis hominis and others were also observed. The incidence of cyclosporiasis was higher in summer and early autumn and most of the Cyclospora-infected patients were without diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians with patients from Turkey and abroad who have intestinal symptoms after visiting the country should be aware that Cyclospora infections could be considered as a possible cause of gastrointestinal symptoms in the absence of diarrhea in immunocompetent patients during the summer period in Turkey.

[Cellular immune response of patients with anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sanliurfa]. / Sanliurfa'da antroponotik kutanöz leishmaniasis hastalarinin hücresel immun cevabi.

Patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) have strong delayed-type hypersensitivity and in vitro proliferative responses to leishmanial antigens during active and cured diseases. To define the T cell response in patients with antroponotic CL infected with L. tropica is important to clarify the immunopathologic nature of the disease. T cell responses of acute and of already healed CL patients were defined using IFN-gamma, IL-5, IL-4, IL-10 cytokine measurement assays. In this study, while Th2 cell response was found to be dominant in active CL cases, Th1 cell response was more distinctive in the group of already healed CL cases. Differentiation of cellular response in the different stages of infection might be helpful in understanding the prognosis of leishmaniasis.