Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccine in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Aim: The aim was to compare SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels in chronic hepatitis B patients and healthcare personnel selected as the control group and to determine factors such as age, gender, vaccine type, and number of vaccines that may affect the antibody levels.

Materials And Methods: 87 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients followed in Ankara Training and Research Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic and Mamak State Hospital Infectious Diseases outpatient clinic and 89 healthcare personnel selected as the control group were included in the study.SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels in the serum samples of patients and healthcare personnel who received the COVID-19 vaccine were studied with the ELISA method in the Microbiology Laboratory of Ankara Training and Research Hospital, using a commercial ELISA kit (Abbott, USA) in line with the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Headache caused by the use of personal protective equipment in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Objective: Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19), the cause of the ongoing pandemic, is an acute respiratory tract infection, which has made it necessary for healthcare personnel to use protective equipment such as N95 masks, protective goggles and visors. External compression headaches caused by the compression of the pericranial soft tissues by wearing hats, helmets, or goggles (worn during swimming or diving) have been previously described. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the presence and characteristics of personal protective equipment-associated headaches in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic period and to determine the effects of such headaches.

Assessment of Pulmonary Arterial Hemodynamic and Vascular Changes by Pulmonary Pulse Transit Time in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a well-known association. Pulmonary pulse transit time (pPTT) is a recent echocardiographic marker that might be used for evaluation of pulmonary arterial stiffness (PAS) in patients with HIV infection. We aimed to investigate whether pPTT elevated in patients with HIV infection compared to healthy controls and its association with echocardiographic indices of right ventricular functions.

Changes in antimicrobial resistance and outcomes of health care-associated infections.

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.

Temporal Trends in the Epidemiology of HIV in Turkey.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the temporal trends of HIV epidemiology in Turkey from 2011 to 2016.

Methods: Thirty-four teams from 28 centers at 17 different cities participated in this retrospective study. Participating centers were asked to complete a structured form containing questions about epidemiologic, demographic and clinical characteristics of patients presented with new HIV diagnosis between 2011 and 2016.

Current status of HIV/AIDS-syphilis co-infections: a retrospective multicentre study.

Objective: Treponema pallidum and HIV are transmitted frequently through sexual contact, these agents with epidemiological similarities co-infect the same host. The current number of HIV-infected cases in Turkey is increasing. For this reason, we aimed to reveal the characteristics of syphilis in HIV/AIDS cases.

Investigation of risk factors for community-acquired urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and species.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for community-acquired urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing and species.

Materials And Methods: The patients diagnosed with CA-UTIs caused by or spp. were included in the study.

Are there predictors that can determine neoadjuvant treatment responses in rectal cancer?

Background/aims: This study aimed to determine a predictive bioindicator that would detect the treatment response of patients diagnosed with rectal cancer and treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).

Materials And Methods: The data collected from 37 patients receiving nCRT were retrospectively evaluated. The p53 score and gene instability in MLH1 and MSH2, which are among the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes, were evaluated using immunohistochemical methods.

Rapid emergence of colistin resistance and its impact on fatality among healthcare-associated infections.

This article describes the emergence of resistance and predictors of fatality for 1556 cases of healthcare-associated Gram-negative bloodstream infection in 2014 and 2015. The colistin resistance rate in Klebsiella pneumoniae was 16.1%, compared with 6% in 2013.

Healthcare-associated Gram-negative bloodstream infections: antibiotic resistance and predictors of mortality.

This article describes the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and predictors of mortality for healthcare-associated (HA) Gram-negative bloodstream infections (GN-BSI). In total, 831 cases of HA GN-BSI from 17 intensive care units in different centres in Turkey were included; the all-cause mortality rate was 44%. Carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae was 38%, and the colistin resistance rate was 6%.

Evaluation of Risk Factors for Antibiotic Resistance in Patients with Nosocomial Infections Caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Background. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is resistant to various antibiotics and can cause serious nosocomial infections with high morbidity and mortality.

Work-related injuries sustained by emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Turkey.

Background: Evaluated in the present study were locations, descriptions, and results of work-related injuries (WRIs) sustained by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics in Turkey's most crowded city, İstanbul.

Methods: After the present study had been accepted by the urban health authority, a questionnaire was emailed to the healthcare personnel of İstanbul's 195 ambulance stations.

Results: Included in the present study were the responses of 901 members of staff (660 EMTs and 241 paramedics), with a mean age of 29.

The Reliability of Turkish "Basic Life Support" and "Cardiac Massage" Videos Uploaded to Websites.

Objective: In this study, the reliability of Turkish cardiac massage and Basic Life Support (BLS) videos, which have already been downloaded from three website such as YouTube, Google, Yahoo following the publication of 2010 cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guideline and their suitability to the same guideline were researched.

Materials And Methods: The videos uploaded to the three web-site to search videos on internet were queried by using the keywords "cardiac massage" and "basic life support". Videos that had been uploaded between January 2011 and July 2014 were analyzed and scored by two experienced emergency specialists.

Evaluation of hepatitis B virus transmission and antiviral therapy among hepatitis B surface antigen-positive pregnant women.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the potential risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vertical transmission among Turkish parturient women and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antiviral agents.

Material And Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from 114 HBV-infected pregnant women and their infants in eight health institutions in Turkey.

Results: The baseline characteristics of the women were: mean age, 28.

Comparison of colistin monotherapy and non-colistin combinations in the treatment of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter spp. bloodstream infections: a multicenter retrospective analysis.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of colistin (COL) monotherapy versus non-COL based combinations in the treatment of bloodstream infections (BSIs) due to multidrug resistant Acinetobacter spp.(MDR-A).

Materials And Methods: Retrospective data of 107 MDR-A BSI cases from 27 tertiary centers in Turkey were included.

Relation of age and sex with carotid intima media thickness in healthy children.

Background/aim: To investigate the age- and sex-associated carotid intima media thickness (clMT) changes in healthy children to determine the age- and sex-specific normal range of values for childhood.

Materials And Methods: This study examined 91 healthy school-age children aged 7-15 years prospectively. Standardized sonographic cIMT measurements and analyses were performed.

Sonographic findings in patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

Objectives: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) has been endemic in Turkey since 2002. Some radiologic findings are considered common by clinicians and radiologists. In this regard, we aimed to assess the sonographic findings in patents with CCHF in a pilot study to obtain basic knowledge for planning further controlled studies.

A case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever with normal laboratory findings.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease caused by Nairovirus, of the family Bunyaviridae. This is the first case report of a confirmed CCHF case without laboratory abnormality. A 36-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic with the complaints of fever, chills, myalgia and vomiting.