Molecular Epidemiology of HIV-1 Subtypes and Primary Antiretroviral Resistance Profiles in Northern Cyprus: First Data Series.

The distribution of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) subtypes indicates difference from region to region and in risk groups acquiring the disease worldwide. Although subtype C is more in terms of total cases, subtype B is dominant in certain regions, especially in western and central Europe. Molecular epidemiological studies are essential for the control, effective treatment, and understanding in transmission routes of HIV-1 infection. This study aims to determine the molecular epidemiology and antiretroviral drug resistance profiles of HIV-1 in northern Cyprus. The study involved 71 naive HIV-positive patients diagnosed in northern Cyprus between 2016 and 2022. HIV-1 subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) were identified by phylogenetic analysis (neighbor-joining method) of pol gene sequences. Drug resistance mutations were analyzed using the World Health Organization (WHO) lists of mutations for surveillance. The Stanford University HIVdb program was used to interpret drug resistance mutations. In our study, 40 of 71 samples were successfully sequenced. Subtype B of HIV-1 was dominant with a rate of 52.5%, followed by CRF02_AG (20%) and G (7.5%) subtypes. The rate of subtype B (71.4%) in northern Cyprus was significantly higher than in the other country of origin (p = .028). Antiretroviral drug resistance was found in 15% of the sequenced serum samples. Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), non-nucleoside nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), and protease inhibitor (PI) resistance rates were 10% (4/40), 7.5% (3/40), and 2.5% (1/40), respectively. According to the results, it is noteworthy that the dominant subtype circulating in northern Cyprus is the B subtype, and CRFs were detected at a higher rate than expected.

Assessment of UTI Diagnostic Techniques Using the Fuzzy-PROMETHEE Model.

Accurate diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) is important as early diagnosis increases treatment rates, reduces the risk of infection and disease spread, and prevents deaths. This study aims to evaluate various parameters of existing and developing techniques for the diagnosis of UTIs, the majority of which are approved by the FDA, and rank them according to their performance levels. The study includes 16 UTI tests, and the fuzzy preference ranking organization method was used to analyze the parameters such as analytical efficiency, result time, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Our findings show that the biosensor test was the most indicative of expected test performance for UTIs, with a net flow of 0.0063. This was followed by real-time microscopy systems, catalase, and combined LE and nitrite, which were ranked second, third, and fourth with net flows of 0.003, 0.0026, and 0.0025, respectively. Sequence-based diagnostics was the least favourable alternative with a net flow of -0.0048. The F-PROMETHEE method can aid decision makers in making decisions on the most suitable UTI tests to support the outcomes of each country or patient based on specific conditions and priorities.

Altered expression levels of TAS1R2 and TAS1R3 genes among SARS-CoV-2 variants of concerns.

BACKGROUND: The most common symptoms of coronavirus infections are fever, cough, shortness of breath, headache, ache of joints, a loss of smell and loss of taste, and etc. Early studies suggested that smell and taste receptors were associated with pathogenic detection and immunity. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the expression profile of gene receptors that are related to taste, smell, and appetite control in COVID-19 patients and their putative correlation with SARS-CoV-19 variants. METHOD: Gene expression levels of TAS1R2, TAS1R3, TAS2R38, OR51E1, LEPR, GHRL were analyzed in 100 COVID-19 patients and 100 SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR negative group. RESULTS: The expression levels of TAS1R2 and TAS1R3 genes were significantly decreased in COVID-19 patients who were infected with Delta variant. However, the TAS2R38 gene expression level was significantly lower when compared to the control group. The TAS1R2 gene expression was positively correlated with TAS1R3, and TAS2R38 genes (p = 0.001, p = 0.025, respectively). CONCLUSION: TAS1R2, TAS1R3, and TAS2R38 gene expression levels were decreased in the Delta variant compared to the Omicron BA.1 variant in the studied groups. These results provided a significant clue for the temporary taste loss, especially in patients infected with the Delta variant, which is the most disruptive and symptomatic variant causing hospitalizations, and deaths compared to other variants may be because ACE2 is expressed in the taste buds and high replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the infected gustatory cells in the taste bud generates inflammation and then could eventually destroy the cells. This gustatory cell damage may cause malfunction of the gustatory system.

Long-COVID-19 in Asymptomatic, Non-Hospitalized, and Hospitalized Populations: A Cross-Sectional Study.

A substantial proportion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors continue to suffer from long-COVID-19 (LC) symptoms. Our study aimed to determine the risk factors for LC by using a patient population from Northern Cyprus. Subjects who were diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in our university hospital were invited and asked to fill in an online questionnaire. Data from 296 survivors who had recovered from COVID-19 infection at least 28 days prior the study was used in the statistical analysis. For determination of risk factors for "ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 (OSC)" and "Post-COVID-19 (PSC)" syndromes, the patient population was further divided into group 1 (Gr1) and group 2 (Gr2), that included survivors who were diagnosed with COVID-19 within 4-12 weeks and at least three months prior the study, respectively. The number of people with post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection was 266 (89.9%). B.1.617.2 (Delta) (41.9%) was the most common SARS-CoV-2 variant responsible for the infections, followed by BA.1 (Omicron) (34.8%), B.1.1.7 (Alpha) (15.5%), and wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (7.8%). One-hundred-and-nineteen volunteers (40.2%) stated an increased frequency of COVID-19-related symptoms and experienced the symptoms in the week prior to the study. Of those, 81 (38.8%) and 38 (43.7%) were from Gr1 and Gr2 groups, respectively. Female gender, chronic illness, and symptomatic status at PCR testing were identified as risk factors for developing OSC syndrome, while only the latter showed a similar association with PSC symptoms. Our results also suggested that ongoing and persistent COVID-19-related symptoms are not influenced by the initial viral cycle threshold (Ct) values of the SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 variant as well as vaccination status and type prior to COVID-19. Therefore, strategies other than vaccination are needed to combat the long-term effect of COVID-19, especially after symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their possible economic burden on healthcare settings.

Evaluation of lateral flow and ELISA techniques for detecting IgG and IgM antibodies in COVID-19 cases in Türkiye.

Background: Antibody testing can complement molecular assays for detecting COVID-19. Aims: We evaluated the concurrence between lateral flow assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods: The study was conducted at Kocaeli University, Türkiye. We used a lateral flow assay and ELISA to test serum samples from COVID-19 cases, confirmed by polymerase chain reaction assays (study group) and pre-pandemic stored serum samples (control group). We used Deming regression to evaluate the antibody measurements. Results: The study group included 100 COVID-19 cases, and the control group included pre-pandemic samples from 156 individuals. The lateral flow assay detected immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG) antibodies in 35 and 37 study group samples. ELISA detected IgM nucleocapsid (N) antibodies in 18 samples, and IgG (N) and IgG spike 1 (S1) antibodies in 31 and 29 samples, respectively. None of the techniques detected antibodies in the control samples. Strong correlations were found between lateral flow IgG (N+ receptor-binding domain + S1) and ELISA IgG (S) (r = 0.93, P < 0.01) and ELISA IgG (N) (r = 0.81, P < 0.01). Weaker correlations were seen between ELISA IgG S and IgG N (r = 0.79, P < 0.01) and lateral flow assay and ELISA IgM (N) (r = 0.70, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Lateral flow assay and ELISA techniques gave consistent results for IgG/IgM antibody measurements towards spike and nucleocapsid proteins, suggesting that both methods can be used to detect COVID-19 where access to molecular test kits is difficult.

Sex and ABO Blood Differences in SARS-CoV-2 Infection Susceptibility.

Data consisting of millions of cases cannot still explain the immunopathogenesis mechanism between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and host cell for ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemics. Epidemiological studies among different populations suggested different impacts of ABO and Rh antibodies on the COVID-19 susceptibility. Thus, the ABO blood group and the SARS-CoV-2 infection paradox remain unclear. Therefore, the present retrospective case-control study aimed to investigate the possible association between ABO blood groups and Rh blood types on SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Turkish Cypriot population. A total of 18,639 Turkish Cypriot subjects (297 SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 patients and 18,342 healthy) were included in this study. Personal and clinical characteristics including age, gender, SARS-CoV-2 infection status, the ABO blood group and Rh blood types were evaluated and compared between two groups. As a result, ABO blood group was shown to be associated with a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as with male sex ( p = 0.018). There was no association between Rh blood type and COVID-19. Overall, this study is the first largest sample group study to show the distribution of ABO blood group and Rh blood types in the healthy Turkish Cypriot population. Based on the current evidence, there are insufficient data to guide public health policies regarding COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Strong Association between Vitamin D Receptor Gene and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 Infectious Variants.

A coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has created significant concern since December 2019 worldwide. The virus is known to be highly transmissible. Heterogenic clinical features even vary more among SARS-CoV-2 variants from asymptomatic forms to severe symptoms. Previous studies revealed an association between COVID-19 and vitamin D deficiency resulting from its low levels in COVID-19 patients. To our knowledge, there is no scientific investigation that evaluates the direct association between SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and vitamin D receptor ( VDR ) gene markers in Cyprus. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the putative impact of VDR gene polymorphisms on SARS-CoV-2 infection among different variants. The nasopharyngeal swabs were taken from a total number of 600 patients who were admitted to Near East University Hospital COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Diagnosis Laboratory for routine SARS-CoV-2 real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) test. The RT-qPCR negative resulting samples were taken as control samples ( n = 300). On the contrary, the case group consisted of patients who were SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR positive, infected with either SARS-CoV-2 Alpha ( n = 100), Delta ( n = 100), or Omicron ( n = 100) variants. Two VDR gene polymorphisms, Taq I-rs731236 T > C and Fok I-rs10735810 C > T, were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The mean age of the COVID-19 patient's ± standard deviation was 46.12 ± 12.36 and 45.25 ± 12.71 years old for the control group ( p > 0.05). The gender distribution of the patient group was 48.3% female and 51.7% male and for the control group 43% female and 57% male ( p > 0.05). Significant differences were observed in genotype frequencies of FokI and TaqI variants between SARS-CoV-2 patients compared to the control group ( p < 0.005). Furthermore, the risk alleles, FokI T allele and TaqI C, were found to be statistically significant (odds ratio [OR] = 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42-2.29, OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.27-2.05, respectively) in COVID-19 patients. The highest number of patients with wild-type genotype was found in the control group, which is 52.9% compared with 17.5% in the case group. Moreover, most of the COVID-19 patients had heterozygous/homozygous genotypes, reaching 82.5%, while 47.1% of the control group patients had heterozygous/homozygous genotypes. Our results suggested that patients with FokI and TaqI polymorphisms might tend to be more susceptible to getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. Overall, findings from this study provided evidence regarding vitamin D supplements recommendation in individuals with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in the peri- or post-COVID-19 pandemic.

Contribution of genotypes in Prothrombin and Factor V Leiden to COVID-19 and disease severity in patients at high risk for hereditary thrombophilia.

Thrombotic and microangiopathic effects have been reported in COVID-19 patients. This study examined the contribution of the hereditary thrombophilia factors Prothrombin (FII) and Factor V Leiden (FVL) genotypes to the severity of COVID-19 disease and the development of thrombosis. This study investigated FII and FVL alleles in a cohort of 9508 patients (2606 male and 6902 female) with thrombophilia. It was observed that 930 of these patients had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19. The demographic characteristics of the patients and their COVID-19 medical history were recorded. Detailed clinical manifestations were analyzed in a group of cases (n = 4092). This subgroup was age and gender-matched. FII and FVL frequency data of healthy populations without thrombophilia risk were obtained from Bursa Uludag University Medical Genetic Department's Exome Databank. The ratio of males (31.08%; 27.01%) and the mean age (36.85 ± 15.20; 33.89 ± 14.14) were higher among COVID-19 patients compared to non-COVID-19 patients. The prevalence of FVL and computerized tomography (CT) positivity in COVID-19 patients was statistically significant in the thrombotic subgroup (p < 0.05). FVL prevalence, CT positivity rate, history of thrombosis, and pulmonary thromboembolism complication were found to be higher in deceased COVID-19 patients (p < 0.05). Disease severity was mainly affected by FVL and not related to genotypes at the Prothrombin mutations. Overall, disease severity and development of thrombosis in COVID-19 are mainly affected by the variation within the FVL gene. Possible FVL mutation should be investigated in COVID-19 patients and appropriate treatment should be started earlier in FVL-positive patients.

Dynamics of Rilpivirine Resistance-Associated Mutation: E138 in Reverse Transcriptase among Antiretroviral-Naive HIV-1-Infected Individuals in Turkey.

Rilpivirine, one of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors class anti-HIV agents, is used as an alternative drug to treat HIV-1-positive individuals according to current antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines. Mutation in the position E138 in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) leads to resistance to rilpivirine, alone reducing its susceptibility two to threefolds. The main aim of this study was to determine the dynamics of E138 mutation in the RT domain of the HIV-1 pol gene; in 6398 newly diagnosed and treatment-naive individuals in Turkey from 2013 to 2021. Rilpivirine-associated mutations were found among 424 (6.6%) out of 6398. Individuals with the E138 mutation had significantly higher HIV-1 RNA load than individuals without the E138 mutation (p = .044). The E138 mutation was mainly observed in the B subtype (40%) of HIV-1 compared to the non-B subtypes (26.9%) and the circulating recombinant forms (33.1%) (p < .001). Most E138 mutations were E138A (80%), followed by E138G (16.5%). This study uncovered the dynamics of rilpivirine-associated mutations over a long period and a large patient population. Before administering ART regimens consisting of rilpivirine, resistance monitoring is highly recommended for effective patient management in the treatment-of naive HIV-1-infected individuals.

The "vaccine" hubbub: Viral load comparisons of SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants against different vaccine-booster vaccine combinations.

There is a significant body of evidence showing that efficient vaccination schemes against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is helping control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, this goal cannot be achieved without real world data highlighting the impact of vaccines against viral spread. In this study, we have aimed at differentially investigating the impact of COVID-19 vaccines (CoronaVac, Pfizer/BioNTech, Astra/Zeneca Oxford, Janssen) used in North Cyprus in limiting the viral load of Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-COV-2. We have utilized real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction cycle threshold values (Ct values) as a proxy of viral load of the two SARS-CoV-2 variants. Our results indicate that the administration of at least two doses of the messenger RNA-based Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine leads to the lowest viral load (highest Ct values) obtained for both Omicron and Delta variants. Interestingly, regardless of the vaccine type used, our study revealed that Delta variant produced significantly higher viral loads (lower Ct values) compared with the Omicron variant, where the latter was more commonly associated with younger patients. Viral spread is a crucial factor that can help determine the future of the pandemic. Thus, prioritizing vaccines that will play a role in not only preventing severe disease but also in limiting viral load and spread may contribute to infection control strategies.

Investigation of Brucella canis and Brucella abortus Seropositivity by In-House Rapid Slide Agglutination Test and In-House ELISA in Northern Cyprus.

The incidence of Brucella canis (B. canis) in humans is unknown in Northern Cyprus. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of B. canis and Brucella abortus (B. abortus) infection in human sera and evaluated the results obtained by agglutination-based techniques using standardized antigens made from B. canis comparatively. All of the subjects were negative in terms of Rose-Bengal plate test. Undiluted serum samples were initially screened by rapid slide agglutination test (RSAT), and those which were found positive were retested in the dilution of 1/25-1/200. Confirmation of the positive results was performed by using 2-mercaptoethanol standard agglutination test (SAT). The test antigen was prepared from the less mucoid M (-) variant of B. canis, and 1/1,048 titered dog antiserum was used as positive control. In 225 serum samples, 3.6% (8/225) was positive by B. canis M (-) RSAT, 4.4 % (10/225) was positive by B. canis M (-) indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). 5.3% (12/225) was positive by B. abortus S99 RSAT and 9.8% (22/225) was positive by B. abortus S99 iELISA. Nine samples were positive by both B. abortus S99 RSAT and B. abortus S99 iELISA. Seven samples were positive by both B. canis M (-) RSAT and B. canis M (-) iELISA. One patient was positive by all methods. It is important to evaluate patient samples with RSAT and iELISA. Until the notification system gives better results to the Ministry of Health, in order to reach the real data for Northern Cyprus, multicenter prevalence determination studies should be done for future.

The role of Mediterranean diet and gut microbiota in type-2 diabetes mellitus associated with obesity (diabesity).

The human body is made up of 10¹4 human cells and 10¹5 bacterial cells, forming a combined structure that is described as a "superorganism". Commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms in the human body, many of which are located inside the intestine, affect health conditions and diseases. An important factor contributing to the development of chronic diseases is dysbiosis, which occurs when the number of pathogenic microorganisms increases. Dysbiosis is associated with increased intestinal permeability, endotoxemia (increased LPS), pro-inflammatory cytokine release, energy harvest, and adiposity, thus being involved in the pathogenesis of disorders like diabetes and obesity. Nutritional habits are the most important environmental factor that affects intestinal microbial composition. A dietary pattern that was proven successful in regulating gut microbiota is the renowned Mediterranean diet, which is characterized by high plant-based foods consumption, moderate fish and dairy products consumption, and low red meat consumption. There is an inverse relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. In addition to the direct effects of the Mediterranean diet on the pathogenesis of these diseases, it can also be effective in preventing these diseases due to its effects on the intestinal microbiota. It is noted that the number of Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides increases the longer one's eating habit adhere to the Mediterranean diet, and the number of Firmicutes decreases, accordingly, thus supporting the symbiotic distribution in the intestinal microbiota.

Fuzzy-Based PROMETHEE Method for Performance Ranking of SARS-CoV-2 IgM Antibody Tests.

Antibody tests, widely used as a complementary approach to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing in identifying COVID-19 cases, are used to measure antibodies developed for COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the different parameters of the FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibody tests and to rank them according to their performance levels. In the study, we involved 27 antibody tests, and the analyzes were performed using the fuzzy preference ranking organization method for the enrichment evaluation model, a multi-criteria decision-making model. While criteria such as analytical sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were evaluated in the study, the ranking was reported by determining the importance levels of the criteria. According to our evaluation, Innovita 2019-nCoV Ab Test (colloidal gold) was at the top of the ranking. While Cellex qSARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM Rapid Test and Assure COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Tester ranked second and third on the list, the InBios-SCoV 2 Detect Ig M ELISA Rapid Test Kit was determined as the least preferable. The fuzzy preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation, which has been applied to many fields, can help decision-makers choose the appropriate antibody test for managing COVID-19 in controlling the global pandemic.

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants on viral burden and cycle threshold in BNT162b2-vaccinated 12-18 years group.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to impact the medical, economic, social, and political areas worldwide. Although it has been claimed that children are the most responsible for the outbreaks as of September 2021, the statistics showed controversary. Although it showed no difference in viral load and Ct values between symptomatic children and symptomatic adults, or between asymptomatic children and asymptomatic adults, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of different strains on infection by comparing viral load levels in pediatric patients aged 12-18 years, infected with different variants of SARS-CoV-2, and vaccinated with full-dose BNT162b2. In this retrospective study, a total of 200 patients aged 12-18 years, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in our hospital, and vaccinated with full-dose BNT162b2, were analyzed according to their gender, age, viral load, and cycle threshold values. Viral RNA levels were evaluated using Ct values, a semi-quantitative proxy of viral load. While the findings did not show a significant difference between gender and age (P = 0.886 and P = 0.897, respectively), a significant difference was found between the Ct and viral load (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 viral load was higher in cases infected with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant than SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (mean Ct = 23.05 ± 4.06, viral load = 7.8 × 105 copies/ml and mean Ct = 28.04 ± 3.02, viral load = 7.8 × 103 copies/ml, respectively). These findings indicated that the Delta variant had high viral load and our result could be one of the causes the Delta variant was more effective in the pandemic severity than the other variants in the October-December periods when the Delta variant was dominant in Northern Cyprus. During the same period, the severity of the disease was higher, with higher hospitalization and death rates.

Designing In-House SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Assay for Variant of Concerns.

Variants (Alfa, Gamma, Beta, and Delta) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are circulating worldwide. These variants of concerns share some common mutations but they also have distinguishing mutations. These mutations affect transmissibility of virus and cause evasion from neutralizing antibodies. Monitoring and identification of circulating variants is of great importance for public health. In this study, an in-house SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) kit was designed to detect variants of concerns by the World Health Organization. Primer sets and probes were designed to target presence of virus along with mutations for identifying different variants (for N501Y, HV69-70del, K417N, and T478K). Reactions were set by using commercially available master mixes without a reference dye. The RT-qPCR conditions were optimized by using commercially available ribonucleic acid samples of wild-type, Alfa, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants. Several samples were also analyzed by the in-house kit after optimization studies. All Alfa variant and wild-type samples were also double confirmed with a commercially available variant detection kit demonstrating a 100% consistence with the in-house kit. Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants could not be confirmed with any other commercially available kits as there is not any available one in the market. SARS-CoV-2 variants are gaining importance during the pandemic and shaping the fight against the virus. RT-qPCR kits detecting different variants would provide a significant advantage while screening the population.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 N501Y mutation among SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern circulating in Northern Cyprus.

Aim: SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) carry signature mutations particularly in the spike protein. Most VOCs lineages that carry N501Y substitution have been reported to evade viral diagnostic tests and have impact on vaccine effectiveness. Therefore, monitoring the circulating variants represents a major requirement for a public health response worldwide. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of N501Y bearing SARS-CoV-2 samples in Northern Cyprus. Materials & methods: Reverse transcription quantitative PCR technique was used to identify N501Y mutation from 658 samples. Results: Our results indicate that the proportion of N501Y-bearing lineages increased significantly from January through May 2021 (45.2-75.5%) in the region. Conclusion: These results indicate that VOCs are dominant lineages in the country and highlight an alarming situation which require strict governmental measures to minimize COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.

The pediatric asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

BACKGROUND: While children were initially thought to have serious contributions to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission, recent studies suggest otherwise. However, the possible effect of asymptomatic pediatric spread still has not yet received enough attention. The aim of our study was to estimate asymptomatic infection rates among children in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, by using pediatric patients admitted to a university hospital without any COVID-19-associated symptoms. METHODS: Blood samples collected from 80 pediatric patients with no symptoms and history of COVID-19 infection, who were admitted to a university hospital between September 2020 and January 2021, were included in the retrospective study. Isolated serum samples were tested by Dia.Pro SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA assays. RESULTS: The patient group included 40 (50%) male and 40 (50%) female patients. The average age of children was 7.6 ± 4.0 years, with min-max ages ranging from 2 to 15 years. Among the 80 patients tested, only one (1.3%) was detected positive by the Dia.Pro IgG ELISA kit. CONCLUSIONS: The asymptomatic seropositivity reported in our study suggests the use of randomly performed serologic tests to monitor SARS-CoV-2 infection among the pediatric population in schools that would contribute to the public health fight against COVID-19.

Positive Anti-HIV ELISA Results in Pregnancy: Is It Reliable?

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be transmitted from mothers to their babies during pregnancy, delivery through vaginal fluids or breastfeeding. As false positivity anti-HIV results due to pregnancy could be detected and no relevant study have been reported in Northern Cyprus so far, we aimed to estimate the false anti-HIV positivity rate in pregnant women. METHODS: A total of 11.977 women admitted to Near East University Hospital between 2015 and 2018 were involved. The fourth generation anti-HIV-1/2 ELISA test was carried out by chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. Positive results were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR). SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) Demo Ver 22 program was used for statistical analysis and significance (p<0.05) was measured by Person Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact tests. RESULTS: Anti-HIV-1/2 ELISA test was positive in 7 (0.3%) of pregnant and 11 (0.1%) of non-pregnant women. HIV RNA was not detected in any pregnant however, was detected in 2 (0.02%) of non pregnant. S/Co titer of pregnant and non pregnant who have positive anti-HIV-test without viral load was x̄=2.68±1.64 (1.34-5.20) and x̄=8.63±7.68 (1.56-20.98) respectively. False positivity was significantly higher in pregnants compared to non-pregnants (p=0.033). CONCLUSION: False positivity can be encountered during pregnancy therefore, positive anti-HIV-1/2 ELISA results should be confirmed with molecular techniques before initiating antiretroviral treatment.

An Alternative Diagnostic Method for C. neoformans: Preliminary Results of Deep-Learning Based Detection Model.

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen with significant medical importance, especially in immunosuppressed patients. It is the causative agent of cryptococcosis. An estimated 220,000 annual cases of cryptococcal meningitis (CM) occur among people with HIV/AIDS globally, resulting in nearly 181,000 deaths. The gold standards for the diagnosis are either direct microscopic identification or fungal cultures. However, these diagnostic methods need special types of equipment and clinical expertise, and relatively low sensitivities have also been reported. This study aims to produce and implement a deep-learning approach to detect C. neoformans in patient samples. Therefore, we adopted the state-of-the-art VGG16 model, which determines the output information from a single image. Images that contain C. neoformans are designated positive, while others are designated negative throughout this section. Model training, validation, testing, and evaluation were conducted using frameworks and libraries. The state-of-the-art VGG16 model produced an accuracy and loss of 86.88% and 0.36203, respectively. Results prove that the deep learning framework VGG16 can be helpful as an alternative diagnostic method for the rapid and accurate identification of the C. neoformans, leading to early diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Further studies should include more and higher quality images to eliminate the limitations of the adopted deep learning model.