Publications by authors named "Fethiye Akgul"

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is an important public health problem due to its diverse clinical presentations, diagnostic complexities, and significant impact on patient outcomes and public health. Our study aimed to understand the sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics as well as diagnostic and treatment modalities of adult patients with EPTB. This is a multicentric retrospective study that covers patients with EPTB cases followed up from January 2015 to December 2022 among tuberculosis (TB) dispensaries and Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology clinics of 15 hospitals located in various regions of Turkey.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections. Although culture is the gold standard diagnostic method, bacterial growth in blood cultures may not always occur due to various factors. We aimed to investigate demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings that may have predictive significance for bacteremia in brucellosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: To identify possible drug-drug interactions in patients taking medications for other comorbidities while on antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: The study enrolled patients with chronic hepatitis B aged ≥60 years who were treated with antiviral therapy in five hospitals in Turkey between January 1 and March 1, 2023. The Lexicomp® Drug Interactions program was used to identify possible drug-drug interactions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The detrimental mental health effects which emerged from COVID-19 have profoundly affected healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of traumatic stress and loneliness on the fears of contracting and dying from COVID-19, and anxiety and depression of HCWs during the pandemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by HCWs in a province of Turkey.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) is the peri-operative administration of antimicrobial agents. Compliance rates vary worldwide from 15% to 84.3%, with studies in Turkey not exceeding 35%.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The uncertain treatment duration for nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is an important problem for both patients and physicians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the determinants of virologic relapse (VR) and the optimum time of treatment discontinuation in the follow-up of CHB patients who voluntarily discontinued treatment after virological suppression was achieved under NA use.

Methods: Data from 138 patients from 11 centers were included in this registry-based study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The genito-urinary system is one of the most common areas of involvement in brucellosis. To present the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients with testicular involvement associated with brucellosis, together with the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Methodology: Patients followed up for brucellosis-related testicular involvement between January 2012 and November 2022 were included in the study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: To have country-wide information about multidrug resistance (MDR) in isolates from community-acquired urinary tract infections (CAUTI) of Turkey, in terms of resistance rates and useful options.

Methods: We used a geocode standard, nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS), and a total of 1588 community-acquired isolates of 20 centres from 12 different NUTS regions between March 2019 and March 2020 were analysed.

Results: Of the 1588 culture growths, 1269 (79.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on the effectiveness and safety of TAF (tenofovir alafenamide) for chronic hepatitis B over 12 months in a real-life setting across 14 centers in Turkey, involving 480 patients.
  • It found that TAF treatment led to a notable increase in undetectable HBV DNA levels among patients, although the normalization of alanine transaminase (ALT) was not significantly different for those switching from another antiviral drug.
  • The results also indicated significant improvements in kidney and bone function shortly after switching to TAF, suggesting overall benefits for patients receiving this therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To evaluate the maternal and fetal clinical outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women during the whole period of the pandemic in a single province in the southeast of Turkey.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who were screened from the medical registration system and found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus during pregnancy. The demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological features of all the patients were obtained and compared between groups classified as severe-critical and mild-moderate disease severity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Protective long-term immunity following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. The study evaluated the relationship between the vaccination status and risk factors in the re-infection of patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 who reported to the Public Health Management System in a province in south-eastern Turkey.

Methods: Patients with positive results for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test in respiratory samples were defined as confirmed cases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: It is increasingly important to identify risk factors for COVID-19-associated mortality to provide access to early treatment. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 severity and laboratory data and demographic characteristics of hospitalized patients and to identify factors predicting mortality in COVID-19.

Materials And Methods: The study is a retrospective and single-center study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To describe the change in the epidemiology of health care-associated infections (HAI), resistance and predictors of fatality we conducted a nationwide study in 24 hospitals between 2015 and 2018. The 30-day fatality rate was 22% in 2015 and increased to 25% in 2018. In BSI, a significant increasing trend was observed for Candida and Enterococcus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Infection control is a top priority for hospitals, especially in intensive care units (ICU). In intensive care units, prevalence of infection is estimated to be 30% worldwide, which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Many factors are known to increase the risk of infection in ICU patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) has been known as a nosocomial pathogen, both for the last 10 years in Turkey and for 20 years worldwide. Due to limited treatment options and high mortality rates, despite improvements in the field of medicine at the present time, CRKP is still a big threat for public health. This study was carried out between the dates of January 2010 and September 2014.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF