[Role of Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis spp. in Irritable Bowel Syndrome]. / Irrite Bagirsak Sendromunda Dientamoeba fragilis ve Blastocystis spp.'nin Rolü

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the prevalence of Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis spp. in IBS patients and evaluated whether there was a possible link between IBS and these parasitic infections. METHODS: Stool specimens collected from 55 IBS patients, 80 patients with gastroenteritis as control group 1 (CG-1) and 50 healthy volunteers as control group 2 (CG-2) were included the study. Samples were examined by direct microscopy, trichrome staining and culture methods. RESULTS: While there was no significant difference in the prevalence of Blastocystis spp. between IBS patients and CG-1 (p > 0.05), a significant difference was found between IBS and CG-2 (p < 0.05). Patients with IBS were found to have five or more Blastocystis spp. per field than control groups. After eradication, all symptoms were cured in four patients, there were only constipation problems left in eleven patients and there were no changes in clinical findings in three patients. D. fragilis was not found in any of the samples. CONCLUSION: The reason we did not find any D. fragilis may be due to the low infection rate in the region. However, significantly having five or more Blastocystis spp. per field (X40) in IBS patients and regression of IBS symptoms after treatment in most of the patients suggested a possible link between IBS and Blastocystis spp.

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.

[Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii proteins from various strains]. / Toxoplasma gondii'nin çesitli suslarinin proteinlerinin karakterizasyonu.

OBJECTIVE: Toxoplasma gondii the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is a worldwide intracellular protozoan parasite that infects all warm blooded animals including humans. It can be devastating to immunocompromised humans and congenital transmission may result in severe clinical spectrum. It causes economic losses due to abortus in animals. Toxoplasmosis diagnosis depends on direct and indirect methods. Besides the Sabin-Feldman test, which is accepted to be the reference test, serologic tests such as ELISA and immunofluorescence antibody tests are means of indirect diagnosis. As detected antibodies in serologic tests are correlated with antigens that cause their synthesis, it is important to know different proteins of different strains. In this study RH, Ankara and TS-4 strains were used and differences between their proteins were examined. METHODS: RH and Ankara strains were inoculated into the peritoneal cavity of mice. TS- 4 strain was produced in Vero cell culture. Tachyzoites collected by peritoneal wash were lysed and lyophilised. This was run on SDS-PAGE gel and protein bands were compared with a standard protein ladder after staining with polychromatic silver stain. RESULTS: It was observed that, while Ankara and RH strains had dense bands between 60-70 kDa and at 15 kDa, the most prominent bands of TS-4 strain were 60 ve 115 kDa bands. CONCLUSION: RH and Ankara strains have the same protein bands while TS-4 strain has different and fewer protein bands than the others.

[Evaluation of Sabin-Feldman test results of Ankara University Medical Faculty Medical Parasitology laboratory between 1997-2007]. / Ankara Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi Tibbi Parazitoloji Bilim Dali Laboratuvarinda 1997-2007 Yillari Arasinda Yapilan Sabin-Feldman Test Sonuçlarinin Degerlendirilmesi.

OBJECTIVE: Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan infection which has a worldwide distribution. Sabin-Feldman is considered as a reference test among serologic methods for its high sensitivity and specificity and has a role for the confirmation of the suspected results of the commonly used ELISA tests. Few laboratories perform this test as it enrolls the live tachyzoites.The aim of this study was to report the results of Ankara University Medical Faculty Parasitology laboratory which is the first lab to perform this test in Turkey. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated anti-Toxoplasma antibody positivities and titers of 678 sera obtained from 648 patients who applied to our laboratory between January 1997 and December 2007 with a prediagnosis of toxoplasmosis. RESULTS: Among 648 patients (490 (75.62%) female and 158 (24.38%) male), 318 (46.90%) were seropositive with titers of 1:16 or higher. The titers were 1:16 in 93, 1:64 in 134, 1:256 in 53, 1:1024 in 28 and 10 patients with higher titers. Seven patients (1.08%) seroconverted or had a 4 fold increase in antibody titers in their sera taken 3 weeks apart and were considered as acute toxoplasmosis. There was no statistically significant difference between the seropositivity rates of female and male patients (p=0.078). CONCLUSION: Sabin-Feldman Test still has an important role in seroprevalence studies both in humans and animals and confirmation of the tests used in routine diagnosis.

Evaluation of antibodies against hydatid cyst fluid antigens in the post-treatment follow-up of cystic echinococcosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the metacestode stage of Echinococcus granulosus, is one of the most important zoonoses worldwide. Long post-treatment follow-up is required because of possible relapse. The objective of this study was to determine the values of different antigenic fractions of sheep hydatid cyst fluid in the follow-up of CE patients after treatment. MATERIAL/METHODS: After gradient gel electrophoresis of sheep hydatid cyst fluid, 45 post-treatment (1 month -16 years) serum samples of CE patients treated with PAIR (puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration) and five post-treatment (1 month) sera of operated CE patients were studied using Western blot. Twenty healthy individuals and five patients infected with other helminths served as controls. RESULTS: Antigens with molecular weights of 6.5-8, 14, 20, 29, 45, 50, 66, 116-120, 205, and 215 kDa were identified. The bands detected at the highest frequency were 29 kDa (10.4%), 45 kDa (17.2%), and 66 kDa (12.8%). Sera of the 20 healthy controls recognized no specific bands. All of the sera of the five patients with other parasitic diseases recognized one or more hydatid cyst fluid antigen. There was a statistically significant difference between the time after treatment and band weights (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The protein bands of 29 and 205-215 kDa may be valuable in the follow-up of cystic echinococcosis patients as they disappear one year and six months, respectively, after therapy.