Can imaging modalities be used as follow-up criteria after brucellar sacroiliitis treatment?

Introduction: This study aimed to identify a follow-up modality that can be used to evaluate therapeutic responses in patients receiving treatment for brucellar sacroillitis and to determine whether antibiotherapy can be stopped.

Methodology: A total of 32 patients with sacroiliac joint involvement demonstrated via magnetic resonance imaging or bone scintigraphy were followed up and treated. Patients received 200 mg/day of doxycycline and 600-900 mg/day of rifampicin for 3-21 months, and 1 g/day of streptomycin for 21 days.

A strategical re-thinking on National Blood Donor Pool: Anti-HBc positivity related re-entry mechanisms.

Background And Objectives: Screening of blood donations for antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) is used to prevent transfusion transmitted hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In this study, we studied the magnitude of blood donor gain by using a re-entry mechanism in our Blood Bank of Gulhane Military Academy of Medicine.

Materials And Methods: Between January and May 2013, 5148 voluntary blood donors were screened by ELISA method for HBsAg, anti-HBc total and other screening markers, prospectively.

In vitro efficacy of frozen erythrocytes: implementation of new strategic blood stores to alleviate resource shortage (issue revisited).

Background/aim: Currently, the provision of blood products largely depends on walking blood banks and limited amounts of stored blood with short shelf lives. We aimed to compare the efficacy of erythrocyte concentrate (ECs) by pre- and postfreezing in vitro tests.

Materials And Methods: In our study, 10 ECs were glycerolized, frozen, thawed, and then deglycerolized using the Naval Blood Research Laboratory method.

Freezing of Apheresis Platelet Concentrates in 6% Dimethyl Sulfoxide: The First Preliminary Study in Turkey.

Objective: Transfusion of platelet suspensions is an essential part of patient care for certain clinical indications. In this pioneering study in Turkey, we aimed to assess the in vitro hemostatic functions of platelets after cryopreservation.

Materials And Methods: Seven units of platelet concentrates were obtained by apheresis.

[Investigation of the association between paraoxonase-1 gene polymorphisms and response to therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients].

Liver-derived paraoxonase-1 (PON1) enzyme that is found in the circulation is bound to high-density lipoproteins and reduces the amount of oxidized lipids with its antioxidant effect. Humans have at least three different PON gene regions which are adjacent to the other on the 7th chromosome. It has been shown that PON1 gene and its polymorphisms are related with various diseases.

Brucellar epididymo-orchitis: a retrospective multicenter study of 28 cases and review of the literature.

Objective: To review retrospectively the clinical symptoms, laboratory findings and treatment outcomes of patients with Brucellar epididymo-orchitis.

Material And Method: Retrospective data of 28 patients with Brucellar epididymo-orchitis who admitted to four medical centers between 2005 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Positive blood culture, positive Rose Bengal test results or high agglutination titres of ≥ 1/160 with the positive clinical and ultrasonographic findings of orchitis were accepted as the main criteria for Brucellar epididymo-orchitis.

Comparison of probe disinfection procedures in routine ultrasonography: hot water versus antiseptic wiping.

Objective: It is commonly known that ultrasonography (US) transducers function as both a reservoir and means of transfer for hospital infections. The current study aimed to compare the antimicrobial effectiveness of using >80 °C water versus antiseptic wipes to disinfect US transducers.

Methods: Subsequent to abdominal inspections in three groups of 20 patients, a swab culture was taken from the transducer in each case.

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.

A case of mucosal leishmaniasis: Mimicking intranasal tumor with perforation of septum.

A 79-year-old male suffering from nasal congestion was referred to our hospital. Endoscopic examination revealed a hyperemic mass obstructing the left nasal passage. The lesion's surface was smooth.

Adult onset Still's disease as a paraneoplastic syndrome--a case report and review of the literature.

Adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disease with unknown etiology and characterized by evanescent salmon pink rash, sore throat, liver dysfunction, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, arthritis, and leukocytosis. It is a diagnosis of exclusion; however, there are case reports in the literature about patients with malignancies and AOSD-like signs and symptoms. Here we report a patient with AOSD seems to be associated with sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma.

The role of human leukocyte antigen tissue groups in hepatitis B virus vaccination in Turkey.

Background/purpose: Between 5% and 10% of the vaccinated population responds less well to standard vaccination schedules irrespective of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination. This manuscript aims at describing possible correlation of different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class-I and MHC Class-II haplotype to anti-HBV humoral responsiveness following HBV vaccination.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted on 944 vaccinated hospital staff members and concentrated on the 38 nonresponders as defined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results.

Can chitotriosidase be a surrogate marker for invasive fungal disease?

Background: Chitotriosidase (CHT) enzyme has been known to be secreted from the activated macrophages. We infer with these data that CHT activity is an indicator for the defence.

Methods: In this study, we evaluated CHT levels in both neutropenic and non neutropenic patients.

[Comparison of endotracheal aspiration and mini-BAL culture results in the diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia].

The objective of this study was to compare the results of cultures obtained by mini-bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and endotracheal aspiration (ETA) techniques, used for rapid and accurate determination of pathogens causing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in intensive care units. Of the 92 patients on mechanical ventilation followed at the emergency intensive care unit of our hospital between June 2010 and June 2011, 30 (32.2%) patients were diagnosed as VAP and they were included in this study.

War and infection in the pre-antibiotic era: the Third Ottoman Army in 1915.

Background: The aim of this study, which evaluated historical data, was to delineate the probable impacts of infectious diseases on human populations under extraordinary circumstances. The second goal was to disclose the mortality rates for infectious diseases in the absence of antibiotics.

Methods: The Third Ottoman Army records at the Turkish General Staff Military History and Strategic Study Directorate were studied retrospectively for the period between March 1915 and February 1916.

Evaluating the validity of serum neopterin and chitotriosidase levels in follow-up brucellosis patients.

Objective: Due to its high morbidity rates brucellosis, a systemic inflammatory disease, is still an important health problem, particularly in Mediterranean regions. One-third of the patients are characterized with musculoskeletal involvement. Principally in chronic cases, there are difficulties in the follow-up of therapy success.

[Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in an elderly patient with no obvious immunosuppression].

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) which is a severe demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), is caused by a human polyomavirus known as JC virus (JCV). PML is seen primarily in immunosuppressed (AIDS, organ transplant or malignancy) patients. In this report, a case of PML that developed in a 75-years-old female patient with no known immunosuppression was presented.

Analysis of an outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis by repetitive-sequence-based PCR and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate a large food-borne outbreak associated with eggs contaminated by Salmonella Enteritidis in a military unit using pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and the Repetitive-sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) employing the DiversiLab system.

Materials And Methods: In mid-January 2008, a food-borne outbreak associated with S. Enteritidis occurred in a military unit located in the city centre of Isparta.

[Genotypic characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W-135 strains isolated as the agent of fatal meningitis in a military hospital].

The aim of this study was to describe the genetic characterization of a total of 6 Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W-135 strains isolated from patients with meningitis and carriers in a military hospital in 2007-2008. Suspected colonies on modified Thayer-Martin medium plates were screened for oxidase reactivity and Gram stain. If gram-negative diplococci were present, a biochemical profile by the API NH system was used for species confirmation.

[Investigation of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in patients with hepatitis B virus infection and the effect of interferon-alpha plus lamivudine combination therapy on oxidative stress].

The aim of our study is to determine the role of oxidative stress on hepatic damage in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the efficacy of antioxidant-enzyme system against oxidative stress. Furthermore, the effect of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) plus lamivudine therapy on oxidative stress was also investigated. Nineteen patients with acute hepatitis B virus (AHBV) infection, 17 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (CHBV) infection, 24 inactive HBsAg carriers and 21 healthy controls were included in the study.

[An outbreak of vanA genotype Enterococcus faecium in pediatric clinic of a training hospital].

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have been increasingly reported from most countries around the world following initial isolation from patients in United States and European countries. A vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) outbreak was determined by hospital infection control committee in the pediatric unit of Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey in the first week of March 2008. While one of the 4 VREF strains was isolated from urine culture of a patient with neuroblastoma, the remaining strains were isolated from cultures of urine and rectal swab samples of a patient with nephrotic syndrome and from the hospital room doorknob of this patient.

Stress-related Epstein-Barr virus reactivation.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) remains latent in 90% of the patients following primary infection. The infection might be reactivated due to various stress factors. We, therefore, examined the levels of stress hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol), viral capsid antigen (VCA) immunoglobulin Ig G, VCA IgM, EBV early antigen IgG, Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA) IgG, EBNA IgM antibody screening tests and performed EBV polymerized chain reaction (PCR) test and EBV DNA PCR in 100 draftees on their first day of recruitment and at the end of 1 month.

[A case of meningitis emerged as a complication of hidradenitis suppurativa].

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), which is characterized by the obstruction of the apocrine gland channels and development of secondary bacterial infections, is a rare clinical entity mostly seen in women. In this case report, a bacterial meningitis case, which emerged after HS in the gluteal region, was presented. To the authors' knowledge this is the first case in the literature.