Leishmaniasis in Turkey: molecular characterization of Leishmania from human and canine clinical samples.

Human leishmaniasis, both visceral and cutaneous, and canine leishmaniasis have been reported in Turkey for centuries. However, the advent of new diagnostic tools during the last 30 years has led to the recognition that leishmaniasis is an important public health problem throughout the country. In most disease foci both canine and human leishmaniases exist together and identification of parasite species causing these diseases is a pre-requisite for understanding disease epidemiology. A total of 109 samples obtained from human and canine leishmaniasis cases were examined using internal transcribed spacer 1 PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Our results indicate that two species, Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum, are primarily responsible for cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, respectively, in Turkey. However, a new focus of human cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. infantum in Hatay region is described. This finding further stresses the importance of Leishmania species molecular characterization in prescribing appropriate therapy and understanding the disease's transmission in different endemic foci.

[The serological and entomological survey of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in Ayvacik Region of Canakkale Province, Turkey]. / Canakkale Ili Ayvacik Bölgesinde Zoonotik Visseral Leishmaniasisin Serolojik ve Entomolojik Olarak Arastirilmasi.

The field studies were carried out in Ilyasfaki village belonging to Ayvacik town, Kalabakli village and center of Kepez town belonging to Canakkale province to determine the epidemiological situation of visceral leishmaniasis between June and August 2007. A total of 27 blood samples were taken from the dogs which are known as reservoir of Leishmania infantum causing visceral leishmaniasis in human and dogs. The dogs were also examined physically for clinical symptoms of the disease. A total of 789 sand fly specimens were collected using CDC miniature light traps and examined. Six Phlebotomus and one Sergentomyia species were identified as: Phlebotomus negletus, P. tobbi, P. simici, P. papatisi, P. perfiliewi, P. halepensis and S. theodori. Among these species P. neglectus, was found to be a dominant species in Ilyasfaki village by the rate of 94.4%, while P. tobbi was also found to be a dominant species in city center (including Kepez) and Kalabaki village by the rate of 50% and 48.1%, respectively. No seropositive dogs were found by IFA test. Seropositivity below cut-off level was only observed in two dogs from Kepez, in dilutions of 1/16 and 1/64. The risk level for human and canine visceral is found to be high and it requires more field studies on canine leishmaniasis in and around the area.

Investigation of the prevalence of amoebiasis in Izmir province and determination of Entamoeba spp. using PCR and enzyme immunoassay.

Amoebiasis is a common and life-threatening disease. The discrimination of the pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica from the non-pathogenic Entamoeba dispar could be done by advanced methods such as enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and PCR. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of amoebiasis in Izmir province, and differentiate the Entamoeba species by PCR and EIA. Stool samples of 2,047 individuals were examined by direct microscopy, formalin ethyl acetate concentration, trichrome staining and culture, and those found to be positive for E. histolytica/dispar by any of these methods were further analyzed by PCR and EIA for species identification. Fifty-nine of 2,047 (2.9%) stool samples were found to be positive for E. histolytica/dispar with microscopy and/or culture. Among these positive samples, E. histolytica was detected in 14 (23.7%) and 5 (8.5%) samples with PCR and antigen-specific ELISA (EIA), respectively. E. dispar was diagnosed in 31 (52.5%) and 52 (88.1%) of 59 samples with species-specific PCR and EIA, respectively. Risk factors related to infection with Entamoeba spp. and other intestinal parasites included living in shanty houses (p < 0.01), a history of recent immigration to Izmir (p < 0.01), having no social security (p < 0.05) and living with a crowded family (p < 0.01). The results demonstrated the significance of amoebiasis as a public health problem among people with low socio-economic status in Izmir province.

[Distribution of intestinal parasites detected in the parasitology laboratory of the Ege University Medical School Hospital, in 2005]. / Ege Universitesi Tip Fakültesi Hastanesi parazitoloji laboratuvarinda 2005 yili boyunca saptanan bagirsak parazitlerinin dagilimi.

The aim of this study was to determine the parasite frequency in 3925 patients during 2005 from January 1- December 31 in the parasitology laboratory of the Ege University Medicine School. During the laboratory investigation, 3925 fecal specimens and cellophane tapes from the patients were examined. After the microscope examination of 3925 feces samples, it was found that 590 (15.03%) of these samples contained one or more intestinal parasites. Blastocystis hominis (4.96%), Cyclospora spp. (1.91%), Enterobius vermicularis (1.86%), Entamoeba coli (1.78%) and Giardia intestinalis (1.78%) were the five most common parasites obtained during the examination.