[Retrospective evaluation of the alveolar echinococcosis cases between 1980-2010 in Erciyes University Hospital].

Objective: Alveolar echinococcosis is an uncommon parasitic disesae confined to the Northern Hemisphere. There is limited data regarding the incidence of the disease in Kayseri.

Methods: Clinicopathologic features of the cases with the diagnosis of alveolar echinococcosis reviewed between 1980-2010.

[Investigation of cytomegalovirus positivity in the peripheral blood samples of risky patients by shell-vial cell culture, antigenemia test and real-time polymerase chain reaction].

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in immunocompromised patients and congenital infections in infants have high morbidity and mortality while it may lead to asymptomatic infections in immunocompetent subjects. Serological tests, culture methods, antigenemia tests and molecular methods are applied in the diagnosis of CMV infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of CMV in peripheral blood samples of patients who were at risk for CMV disease by shell vial cell culture, antigenemia test and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods.

[Investigation of respiratory syncytial virus by three different methods in children with lower respiratory tract infection].

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most important viral agent leading to lower respiratory tract infection in infants and children. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of RSV by direct immunofluorescence antibody (DFA), cell culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in children with lower respiratory tract infection. Nasotracheal aspirate specimens collected from 80 hospitalized patients aged between 0-24 months and clinically diagnosed as lower respiratory tract infection, during November 2005-May 2006 period, were included to the study.

Comparison of real-time, and qualitative polymerase chain reaction assays in detection of cytomegalovirus DNA in clinical specimens.

Objective: To compare the real-time (RT), and qualitative (Q) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for detection of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA.

Methods: The study took place in the Department of Microbiology, Erciyes University, Kayseri, and in Iontek Laboratory, Istanbul, Turkey, from August to December 2006. One hundred and seven clinical specimens from 67 patients were included in the study.