Cumhur Artuk

First molecular characterization of a Turkish orf virus strain from a human based on a partial B2L sequence

Cases of orf virus infection in human in Turkey have been reported for many years. Scab material from a man was found positive by PCR using pan-parapox-specific primers for parapoxvirus infection. The amplicon was purified and sequenced. The present study provides for the first time a phylogenetic analysis of parapoxviruses from Turkey. The partial B2L gene sequence of a Turkish orf virus from a human presented here may be useful for characterization of parapoxvirus infections in Turkey based on the phylogenetic analysis studies.

Oropharyngeal tularemia cases admitted to a military hospital in Ankara, Turkey.

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to review the possible sources of infection of 16 oropharyngeal tularemia hospital cases, and to document their epidemiological and demographical characteristics, laboratory findings, treatment methods, and treatment results. METHODOLOGY Sixteen cases from a Turkish military hospital between January 2011 and December 2012 were retrospectively evaluated. The age, sex, occupation, place of residence, symptoms, duration of symptoms, laboratory results, treatment and duration, and treatment results were recorded. Tularemia was diagnosed through tularemia-specific tests once the other conditions that may have caused lymphadenopathy were excluded. RESULTS Twelve of the patients included in this study were males. The average age of the patients was 32.1 ± 17.2 years. Sore throat, fatigue, and fever were the most frequent symptoms. The mean duration of symptoms was 21.6 ± 6.9 days. All the patients had been treated for tonsillopharyngitis in primary healthcare institutions previously. However, despite the treatment, cervical lymphadenopathy had developed in these cases. Patients were given streptomycin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin monotherapy or in combination. Ten of the cases fully recovered, while five required surgical lymph node drainage. Spontaneous drainage occurred in the single remaining case. CONCLUSIONS Turkey is considered to be an endemic country with regards to tularemia. Prompt diagnosis and proper treatment of the disease is imperative in providing cure. Since it can be potentially confused with tuberculous lymphadenitis, differential diagnosis is vital. Patients presenting with a condition of tonsillopharyngitis in endemic areas must be carefully monitored.

Is occult Hepatitis B virus infection with detectable anti-HBs infectious or not?

In the recent issue of Middle East Journal of Digestive Diseases, we read with great interest the article by Bahari et al. 1 , “Significance of response to hepatitits B vaccine in subjects with isolated antibody to hepatitis B core antigen”. We wanted to specify some important matters related to the article.

Could mean platelet volume be a useful marker for infectious diseases? a review of literature -

Mean platelet volume (MPV), a parameter of complete blood count analysis, measures the average size of platelets. The alterations of MPV levels have been described as a diagnostic or prognostic predictor in patients with infectious diseases including sepsis, infective endocarditis, pneumonia, brucellosis, cellulitis, acute pyelonephritis, ascites fluid infection, hepatitis B or hepatitis C in recent studies. Although some matters still remain unclear, it can be said that MPV, especially in a score system, may be a cost-effective and useful marker for monitoring and predicting outcomes in patients with some infectious diseases in the future.

Perinatal Hepatitis B Virüs Bulaşı

Hepatit B virus (HBV) tasiyiciligi prevelansinin yuksek oldugu ulkelerde bulasin en onemli sekli perinatal anneden cocuga bulastir. Perinatal bulas intrauterin bulas, dogum sirasinda bulas ve postpartum bulas olmak uzere uc sekilde gerceklesebilir ve yuksek oranda enfeksiyonun kroniklesmesi ile sonuclanmaktadir. Bu nedenlerden HBV enfeksiyonunun perinatal bulasinin onlenmesi onemlidir. Dogumda uygulanan hepatit B immunglobulini (HBIG) ve ilk doz HBV asilamasi sonucunda ozellikle dogum sirasinda bulas ve postpartum bulas engellenebilirken intrauterin bulasa etki yoktur. Dogum sonrasi dogru bir sekilde uygulanan HBIG ve asiya ragmen devam eden perinatal bulas reziduel riski nedeniyle, diger stratejiler (antiviral profilaksi, anneye HBIG uygulanmasi, dogum sekli vb.) ile ilgili bircok calisma yapilmaktadir.