Mehmet Baysallar

Assessment of the bacterial contamination on hands of hospital food handlers

This study was performed in order to determine the level of bacterial contamination on the hands of food handlers (n=30) who work in the kitchen of a military training hospital. A total of 180 samples were collected from bare and gloved hands before and during food preparation. n nA total of 16 different bacteria were isolated, of which the most common was Staphylococcus aureus (126/180; 70%), followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci (102/180; 56.7%), diphtheroid bacilli (39/180; 21.7%), Bacillus spp. (19/180; 10.5%), and Escherichia coli (14/180; 7.8%). Fifty-one of 60 (85%) gloved hand samples were collected during work, 57 (95%) of the bare hand samples were collected before work all of the bare hand samples collected during work were positive. Poor hand hygiene was indicated by high levels of S. aureus and E. coli on samples taken from bare and gloved hands. Although bacterial loads on gloved hand samples were found to be significantly lower (p<0.05) than ungloved hand samples, these loads were not within acceptable limits. These results show that the hands of food handlers are an important contamination source in this establishment. In this study, 203 bacterial isolates were from right hand samples while 166 bacterial isolates were from left hand samples (χ2=1.913; p<0.05). All of the food handlers were right-handed. Bacterial load isolated from the inexperienced food handlers was higher than those from experienced ones (χ2=2.024; p<0.05). n nAs a result, the poor hand hygiene and improper glove use by the food handlers was emphasized and we concluded that the training in personal hygiene and food safety should be improved, and inexperienced personnel should not be employed in kitchens without being well trained. On the other hand, if glove use principles are performed correctly, it may be efficacious for decreasing of bacterial load on hands, particularly, establishments where hand hygiene control can not performed properly or inexperienced personnel are employed.

Bacterial reduction by extensive versus conservative root canal instrumentation in vitro

Objective. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that aggressive dentin removal through greater-tapered instrumentation reduces the intracanal bacteria more effectively than conservative dimension instrumentation. Material and methods. Twenty extracted human lower premolar teeth were used. After extirpation of the pulps, the teeth were autoclaved and immersed in a broth inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis and incubated for 7 days to allow infection of the dentinal tubules. The teeth were divided into 2 experimental groups, each comprising 10 teeth. The teeth were instrumented either with ProTaper or with Hero Shaper nickel-titanium rotary instrumentation techniques. It was calculated that ProTaper theoretically has the potential to remove at least twice the dentin volume compared with Hero Shaper. The apical preparation was standardized to file size 30. Saline solution was used for irrigation. Bacteriological samples were taken before and after instrumentation and plated onto tryptic soy agar, and the reduction in numbers was calculated. Results. Both instrumentation techniques significantly reduced the number of bacteria in the root canal (p<0.05). Reduction in absolute bacterial numbers was up to 98%. There was no statistically significant difference between the two techniques. Conclusions. Preparation with an instrumentation technique removing substantial amounts of dentin did not reduce the intracanal bacteria more effectively than a more conservative instrumentation technique.

The First Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolate Co-Producing OXA-48 and NDM-1 in Turkey

the test results were interpreted by using the CLSI criteria. The Modified Hodge test (MHT) was used to screen for the production of carbapenemase, and carbapenem-resistant isolates were examined by using real-time polymerase chain reaction for the expression of blaKPC, blaNDM-1, and blaOXA-48 [5, 6]. The nucleotide sequences were then analyzed by using an Applied Biosystems sequencer (ABI Prism 310 genetic analyzer; PE Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). Multiple alignments were performed by using DNAMAN 4.1 software (Lynnon BioSoft, Quebec, Canada) for isolates producing NDM-1. Forty-nine of the 887 Enterobacteriaceae isolates (5.52%) were resistant to ≥1 of the three carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem), and MHT revealed that all 49isolates were strong carbapenemase producers. No isolates harbored blaKPC, although 48 harbored blaOXA-48, and 1 K. pneumoniae isolate that was recovered from a patient’s urine sample was positive for both blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1. This patient was a 75-yr-old woman who was living in Sanliurfa (on the southeastern border of Turkey) and was diagnosed as having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and hypotension. In 2013, she was transferred to the Pulmonary Diseases Department of a hospital in the central region of Turkey with severe shortness of breath, sluggishness, reduced consciousness, and weakness in her legs and arms. On the day after her admission, she developed severe respiratory fail

Neisseria meningitidis W135, Turkey

We describe the first case of Neisseria meningitidis W135 meningitis in Turkey. The strain was genotypically unrelated to the clone (W)ET-37, isolated from Hajj pilgrims in 2000.

Development of resistance to imipenem among nosocomial isolates ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

Irnipenem was supplied in powder form by Merck Sharp and Dohme (USA), and a stock solution was prepared in accordance with NCCLS recommendations (3). One hundred nosocomial Pseudornonas aeruginosa strains collected from different clinical sites during the first six months of 1992 and 1994 were obtained from bacteriology laboratories (Department of Microbiology, G~Ihone Military Medical Academy). The patients from whom the cultures obtained were evaluated according to the CDC criteria for nosocomial infection (4). The bacteria were subcultured on sheep blood agar (5-7 %), maintained on Tripticase agar slants and tested for antibiotic susceptibility using Mueller-Hinton broth (Gibco BRL, UK).

Short-term quinolones for successful eradication of multiply resistant vibrio cholerae in adult patients

There has been an increasing multiple drug resistance problem in Vibrio cholerae biotype Eltor, the causative agent of 7th pandemic. The aim of this study was to show in vitro and in vivo susceptibility and effectiveness of quinolones in the treatment of endemic cholera cases. Excellent results were obtained in 53 bacteriologically confirmed cholera patients treated with short-term ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. To our knowledge, there has been no previous report on this subject in the international medical literature. Our results show that quinolones can be an alternative drug for the treatment of multiply resistant V. cholerae infections.

Simultaneous Bacillus anthracis Spores Detection via Aminated-Poly(vinyl chloride) Coated Piezoelectric Crystal Immunosensor

Bacillus anthracis spores are a potential threat to countries in the context of biodefense. We have already seen the destructiveness of the anthrax attacks in the recent past. This study presents an aminated-poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-NH2) coated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) immunosensor for simultaneous rapid detection of B. anthracis spores. PVC-NH2, synthesized in the laboratory, was used as an adhesive layer for monoclonal antibody immobilization on gold quartz crystal. The prepared QCM sensor was tested using a pathogen field strain of B. anthracis (GenBank number: GQ375871.1) under static addition and flow through procedures with different spore concentrations. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to characterize the surface of the sensor during the modification. Furthermore, a series of SEM micrographs were taken in order to investigate surface morphology and show the presence of the B. anthracis spores on the surface. It is concluded that B. anthracis spores can be accomplished by using amine functionalized polymer coated QCM sensors without requiring complicated immobilization procedures or expensive preliminary preparations.

Rapid Identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry and Detection of Meropenem Resistance by Flow Cytometric Assay.

The aim of this study was to develop a rapid detection method of carbapenem‐resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) strains both MALDI‐TOF MS and flow cytometry (FCM).

Comparison of Culture and PCR Methods in Detection of Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis in Children with Otitis Media with Effusion

Objective: The etiology and pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion (OME) is still unclear despite many studies within the last four decades. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based procedures are suggested for detection of the causative bacteria supposed to inflict multiple infections. In the current study, culture and PCR based approaches were used to detect the frequency of Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis, which have been known as common pathogens in middle ear effusions (MEE) of patients with otitis media. Material and Methods: The DNAs of these three bacteria were detected by standard and multiplex PCR techniques in MEE specimens and their diagnostic values were evaluated in comparison to the conventional culture method. Results: Samples from 67 OME suspected children were analysed retrospectively. Two H. influenzae and two M. catarrhalis isolates were recovered by conventional culture method (6.0%; 4/67). Out of the 67 samples, seven S. pneumoniae, nine H. influenzae, and eleven M. catarrhalis isolates were detected vith PCR. In five samples, two concurrent bacteria were detected in following combinations: two S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae, two S. pneumoniae and M. catarrhalis, and one H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value rates of the PCR technique were 100.0%, 71.4%, 18.2% and 100.0%, respectively. The difference between culture and PCR was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Although the specificity and positive predictive values are low, PCR, which allows rapid screening is feasible for detecting the most common fastidious bacteria that lead to OME.

Reduction in co-trimoxazole resistance inEscherichia coli isolates from urinary tract infections between 1995 and 2005: a multicenter study in Ankara, Turkey

Co-trimoxazole resistance inEscherichia coli isolates from urinary tract infections (UTI) was assessed in 382 strains from 1995 and 510 strains from 2005. The strains were collected from five microbiology laboratories in Ankara, Turkey. Documentation on patient gender, age and outpatient/inpatient status was collected in 2005, but not in 1995. The resistance percentages were 751% in 1995 and 55.5% in 2005. This reduction in resistance percentage was statistically significant, overall in all except two of the participating laboratories. The resistance percentage in 2005 was 61.1% for children (n=208) and 51.2% for adults (n=258), 53.7% for females (n=380) and 60.8% for males (n=130), and 55.3% for outpatients (n=400) and 56.4% for inpatients (n=110). The reduction in resistance is believed to be a consequence of reduced usage. Although decreased, the level of co-trimoxazole resistance remains high, and continued avoidance of its use for empiric treatment of UTI in Turkey appears to be an appropriate strategy.