Cytokines and Other Laboratory Parameters of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients that Predict Intensive Care Unit Admission.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the roles of cytokines and other laboratory parameters in determining the need for intensive care in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters of the patients were evaluated.

The antimicrobial efficacy of shielded ultraviolet germicidal irradiation in CT rooms with intense human circulation.

Purpose: Computed tomography (CT) premises are one of the strategic points in the spread of hospital-acquired infections. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is an effective method that could potentially be used to purify the ambient air in them. However, it cannot be directly used in the presence of humans and, therefore, it is not operationally suitable in such units with continuous human circulation.

[Cutaneous infection caused by Alternaria alternata in an immunocompetent host].

Human infections caused by Alternaria alternata are more frequently reported in immunosupressive hosts. In this report, a rarely seen cutaneous infection, caused by A. alternata in an immunocompetent patient was presented.

[Investigation of the agents and risk factors of dermatophytosis: a hospital-based study].

The aims of this study were the detection of distribution of dermatophyte species isolated from the clinical samples of patients with dermatophytosis and the evaluation of risk factors for the development of dermatophytosis. A total of 441 skin, nail and scalp/hair specimens obtained from 301 patients (151 were male; age range 2 months-80 years, median 42 years) and 884 foot and hand skin and nail specimens obtained from 221 control subjects (110 were male; age range 5-75 years, median 36 years) were included to the study between the period of January to December 2005. All the samples have been evaluated by direct microscopic (DM) examination and by culture.

[Investigation of tularemia seroprevalence in the rural area of Thrace region in Turkey].

The first published tularemia epidemic in Turkey had been reported in 1936 from Luleburgaz (located in European part-Thrace region-of Turkey), and the second was in 1945 again in the same province. Following a long period of time without any tularemia report from Thrace region, in 2005 another epidemic occurred in a village of Edirne, another province located in the same region. Since there is presumptive evidence of circulation of the infectious agent, Francisella tularensis in Thrace region of Turkey, a large scale seroepidemiological study is needed.

[Aspergillus spp. isolations from respiratory tract samples in Trakya University Hospital].

The characteristics of cases diagnosed as aspergillosis and Aspergillus spp. strains isolated from the respiratory tract samples in Mycology Laboratory of Trakya University Hospital between January 2002 and May 2006 were investigated. In this period, 137 bronchoalveolar lavages, 95 sputum, nine tracheal aspirates, three lung biopsies and one bronchial biopsy of 85 patients were processed.