Mental health service utilization among patients followed up in tertiary HIV/AIDS clinics in Turkey: A need for integrated care.

Objectives: Mental health (MH) care for people living with HIV (PLWH) emerges as an important unmet need, yet there are no integrated HIV-MH clinics in Turkey. Our aim is to determine MH service use and its associated factors in PLWH followed up in the HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in Istanbul/Turkey.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics of the Infectious Diseases (ID) departments in hospitals affiliated with the ACTHIV-IST Study Group.

Development of pseudotyped VSV-SARS-CoV-2 spike variants for the assessment of neutralizing antibodies.

Serological studies with pseudotyped viruses offer a safer alternative to live SARS-CoV-2 in evaluating neutralizing antibodies, enabling research in standard labs. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike pseudotyped vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudoviruses were generated using Spike of Wuhan strain and two variants (B.1.

Resistance Genes and Mortality in Carbapenem-resistant Bacteremias: Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Emerging carbapenem-resistant () (CRKP) bacteremias are presenting significant public health risks due to limited treatment options and increased mortality. isolates exhibit carbapenem resistance rates that vary from 25% to 50% throughout the European continent, including our country.

Aims: To assess the characteristics of CRKP bacteremia, a condition that has recently demonstrated an increasing prevalence in our center.

Urinary tract infections in older adults: associated factors for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase production.

Objective: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing and are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Identifying associated factors for ESBL production may contribute to more appropriate empirical treatment.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective observational study.

Bone Metabolism in Men who Live with HIV Aged 50 years and Over: Impact of Infection Duration.

Background: Early diagnosis and effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) lead to similar life expectancy in people living with HIV (PLWH) compared to the general population. This population faces problems such as decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in men aged 50 years and over who were PLWH and to determine risk factors and changes in bone metabolism with bone turnover markers.

Performance of noninvasive fibrosis indices in chronic hepatitis B during pretreatment and post-treatment periods.

Pretreatment and post-treatment performances of noninvasive fibrosis indices were determined in patients with chronic hepatitis B. This was a retrospective, single-center study. The best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values were detected for aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio (0.

Talaromyces marneffei infection in an HIV infected patient with hematological malignancy - first report from Turkey.

T.marneffei, encountered mostly in Southeast Asia, leads to a systemic infection, especially in immunocompromised individuals such as HIV-infected patients with low CD4 level. A 32-year-old male patient, residing in Hong Kong for the last two years, admitted with fever, cough, weakness, and weight loss.

Discontinuation of Nucleos(t)ide Analog treatment in HBeAg-Negative Non-Cirrhotic Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: Real-Life Data of 20 Years.

Background/aims: Discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analog is controversial in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients not achieved HBsAg loss. We aimed to evaluate re-treatment rates and risk factors in non-cirrhotic HbeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients for whom nucleosi(t)ides analogs were discontinued.

Materials And Methods: Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data before and at the end after discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analogs were collected retrospectively.

Factors Influencing HIV Infection in Children Born to HIV-Infected Mothers in Turkey.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is still a challenge for children. About 15 to 45% of the HIV positive pregnant women can transmit the virus to their children during pregnancy, delivery and/or breastfeeding. The risk of transmission can be decreased my several measures.

Comparison of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Terms of Disease Course According to the Presence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms Before and After Admission.

Background: This study aimed to find the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and to investigate the effects of gastrointestinal symptoms on the course of the disease during hospitalization.

Methods: Patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 were included in this retrospective study. The diagnostic method of COVID-19 was either a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test or a typical finding in chest computed tomography.

Association of SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody Levels with Clinical/Laboratory Characteristics in COVID-19 Patients: Data from a Turkish Study.

Background: COVID-19 causes clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic infection to multi-organ failure. It is reported that those with severe disease have higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers compared to asymptomatic or mild cases. We evaluated the correlation of antibody responses with laboratory and clinical indicators in COVID-19 patients.

Heterologous booster COVID-19 vaccination elicited potent immune responses in HCWs.

The objective of our study was to evaluate the antibody responses of health care workers (HCWs) who were vaccinated with booster dose BNT162b2 6 months after 2 doses of the CoronoVac vaccine. The study included 318 HCWs vaccinated with inactive CoronaVac SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in 2 doses. Anti-spike/RBD IgG levels were measured immediately before and 1 month after the booster dose.

Long-term follow-up of treatment-naïve HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background/aims: We aimed to explore long-term results of oral antiviral agents in treatment-naïve "HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB)" and determine the factors affecting the complete virological response.

Method: Patients with HBeAg-negative CHB who used oral antiviral agents for at least 3 years were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: A total of 173 patients were recorded.

SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody Levels After Inactivated Vaccine (CoronaVac) among Elderly.

We aimed to describe the antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 after inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in elderly individuals. SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured in the blood samples of 126 volunteers over the age of 60. The antibody positivity rate was 42.

Incidence, Risk Factors, and Prognosis of Bloodstream Infections in COVID-19 Patients in Intensive Care: A Single-Center Observational Study.

Background: Critically ill COVID-19 patients are prone to bloodstream infections (BSIs).

Aim: To evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of BSIs developing in COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Patients staying at least 48 h in ICU from 22 March 2020 to 25 May 2021 were included.

Waning immunity to inactive SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in healthcare workers: booster required.

Aims: Despite high vaccination rates, increasing case numbers continue to be reported with the identification of new variants of concern, and the issue of durability of the vaccine-induced immune response remains hot topic. Real-life data regarding time-dependent immunogenicity of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are scarce. We aimed to investigate the changes in the antibody at the different times after the second dose of the CoronaVac vaccine.

A pan-resistant Myroides odoratimimus catheter-related bacteremia in a COVID-19 patient and review of the literature.

Myroides spp. are opportunistic environmental Gram-negative bacteria. These affect mostly immunocompromised hosts and generally lead to soft tissue, and urinary tract infections.

Effectiveness and safety of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate single-tablet combination among HIV-infected patients in Turkey: results from a real world setting.

Background: Efficacy of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil (E/C/F/TDF) in treatment-naïve and experienced patients with HIV infection was demonstrated in phase 3 trials. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate effectiveness and safety of E/C/F/TDF in real world settings.

Methods: Retrospective, observational data collected by the Turkish ACTHIV-IST study group between May 2015 and December 2016 were analysed.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 impairs sumoylation.

During infection, the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) manipulates host cell mechanisms to its advantage, thereby controlling its replication or latency, and evading immune responses. Sumoylation is an essential post-translational modification that controls vital cellular activities including proliferation, stemness, or anti-viral immunity. SUMO peptides oppose pathogen replication and mediate interferon-dependent anti-viral activities.

Predictors of Long-term Outcomes in the Older Adults with Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Introduction: We aimed to determine the indicators for poor long-term outcome in older adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methodology: Patients with CAP requiring hospitalization were included in this retrospective study. The long-term mortality was defined as all-cause 1-year mortality following hospital admission.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Upper Respiratory Swap Samples by Pooling Method.

Background: Widespread and effective use of molecular diagnostic tests is indispensable for protecting public health and containing the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. More than 1 year into the pandemic, as resources have reached a point of depletion, grouping samples in pools of certain sizes appears to be a reasonable method to reduce both the costs and the processing time without necessitating additional training, equipment, or materials.

Aims: To assess whether the pooling strategy that was used in past outbreaks and is used in blood tests prior to transfusion for screening large populations can also be used in SARS CoV-2 tests.

Inactive SARS-CoV-2 vaccine generates high antibody responses in healthcare workers with and without prior infection.

Background And Objectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs) were among the first groups to be vaccinated in Turkey. The data to be obtained by the vaccination of HCWs would guide wide spread vaccination programs.

Materials And Methods: The study included 330 HCWs working at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty Hospital and vaccinated with inactive CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences, China) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in two doses (28 days apart).

Dermatological lesions among people living with HIV in Turkey.

This study aimed to document the dermatoses and their relationships with CD4 T lymphocyte counts and clinical stages of disease among people living with HIV followed by our Clinical Department, to investigate the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on findings and to compare with real-world data. Medical records of people living with HIV were analyzed retrospectively in our outpatient clinic from January 2005 to June 2017. A total of 500 patient files were examined.