Betigül Öngen

Comparison of In Vitro Activity of Trovafloxacin, Ciprofloxacin and Ceftazidime on Clinical Isolates

Trovafloxacin is a new trifluoronaphthyridone with an extended spectrum of antibacterial activity that includes Enterobacteriaceae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Legionella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonasmaltophilia,ciprofloxacin-susceptible and -resistant staphylococci, streptococci, most enterococci, Leuconostoc spp., lactobacilli, Listeria spp., Corynebacterium spp., Gardnerella vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Helicobacter pylori, Mycoplasma spp. and most clinically significant anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium, Propionibacterium, Clostridium and Peptostreptococcus species. [1-4] Its enhanced activity against anaerobes and Grampositive micro-organisms, including Streptococcus pneumoniae, gives trovafloxacin a special position among the numerous quinolones. [4] Shortly before the marketing of trovafloxacin in Turkey, its activity on some bacterial strains was compared with that of 2 antibacterials that have been used in this country for a long time.

External decontamination of wild leeches with hypochloric acid.

BackgroundMedicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, has been used in plastic and reconstructive surgery, to relieve venous congestion and to improve the microrevascularization of flaps. In many countries, wild leeches are still provided from local markets and utilised with antibiotic prophylaxies. In this research, results of identification of bacteria in the transport fluid is reported, oral and intestinal floras and the antibiograms of the identified microorganisms are investigated. Also, to avoid possible infections, the ability of hypochloric acid, a disinfectant, to suppress the relevant microorganisms without changing the life style and behavior of leeches in terms of sucking function, is investigated.MethodsBacterial identifications and antibiograms of oral and intestinal flora and transport medium were performed for 10 leeches. The optimum concentration of hypochloric acid which eliminated microorganisms without affecting the viability and sucking function of the leeches were determined by dilution of hypochloric acid to 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 ppm concentrations in different groups of 25 leeches. Finally, 20 leeches were applied atraumatically to the bleeding areas of rats, the duration of suction was determined and compared statistically between the leeches treated and not treated with hypochloric acid solution.ResultsAeromonas hydrophilia was the most commonly identified microorganism and found to be resistant to first generation cephalosporins, frequently used in prophylaxis at surgical wards. In the next stages of the study, the leeches were subjected to a series of diluted hypochloric acid solutions. Although disinfection of the transport material and suppression of the oral flora of hirudo medicinalis were successful in 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 ppm concentrations; 12.5 ppm solution was the greatest concentration in which hirudo medicinalis could survive and sucking function was not affected significantly.ConclusionsExternal decontamination of wild leeches with 12.5 ppm hypochloric acid enables bacterial suppression without causing negative effects on leech sucking function and life.

Group A beta hemolytic streptococcal infections and obsessive‐compulsive symptoms in a Turkish pediatric population

Abstract  The purpose of the present study was to evaluate obsessive‐compulsive disease (OCD) in Turkish Children who had group A beta hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infections and those who had not. Thirty‐one children and adolescents (the study group) were compared with 28 children and adolescents. The Childrens Yale‐Brown Obsessive‐Compulsive Scale (CY‐BOCS) scores were rated between study group and control group. The mean score, obsession and compulsion scores of CY‐BOCS in the study group were significantly higher than they were in the control group (P < 0.05). The GABHS infections should be assessed in the etiology of OCD in children. Considering GABHS infections may help the treatment of OCD.