An evaluation of a Stenotrophomonas maltophilia outbreak due to commercial arterial blood gas collection kit.

Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a gram-negative bacterium that can cause hospital infections and outbreaks within hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate an outbreak of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, caused by ready-to-use commercial syringes containing liquid lithium and heparin for arterial blood gas collection in a university hospital.

Methods: Upon detecting an increase in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia growth in blood cultures between 15.

Surveillance of carbapenem-resistant and in perianal swab samples.

Our study aimed to detect carbapenem-resistant (CRKP) and/or carbapenem-resistant in perianal swab samples, exploring their link to bloodstream infections (BSIs) in a tertiary-care university hospital. CRKP-related BSIs ranged from 3.7% to 9.

The effect of exosomes released from apheresis platelet concentrates under the impact of gamma irradiation and storage time upon platelet aggregation and hemostasis.

Background: Blood components should be gamma-irradiated (γ-IR) in order to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of γ-IR and storage time on the exosomes released from apheresis platelet concentrates (aPC) and to investigate their impact on the maximum platelet aggregation (MPA) and hemostasis.

Materials And Methods: Eight units of aPC were included in this study.

Tocilizumab treatment in COVID-19: A prognostic study using propensity score matching.

Background: The potential role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia provides the rationale for investigating IL-6 signaling inhibitors.

Objectives: To evaluate and report treatment responses to tocilizumab (TCZ) in COVID-19 patients and compare mortality outcomes with those of standard care.

Material And Methods: Patients hospitalized with a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, diagnosed with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) between March 2020 and April 2021, were enrolled in this single-center retrospective cohort study.

Association of SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold (Ct) values with clinical course and serum biomarkers in COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: Our knowledge has gaps regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication levels and its association to severity of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of SARS-CoV-2 viral load with disease severity and serum biomarkers in COVID-19 patients.

Methodology: Viral load was determined via cycle threshold (Ct) values of SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 214 adult patients.

Prognostic factors for COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: Determining prognostic factors in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can have great impact on treatment planning and follow-up strategies. Herein, we aimed to evaluate prognostic factors and clinical scores for confirmed COVID-19 patients in a tertiary-care hospital in the Bursa region of Turkey.

Methodology: Patients who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 microbiologically and/or radiologically between March and October 2020 in a tertiary-care university hospital were enrolled retrospectively.

Healthcare-Associated Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Bacteraemia: Retrospective Evaluation of Treatment and Outcome.

Introduction (SM) is one of the common gram-negative pathogens that cause nosocomial infections. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the treatment and outcome of SM bacteraemia. Materials and Methods We retrospectively evaluated antimicrobial treatment in adult patients with nosocomial SM bacteraemia, with the 14th and 30th-day mortality as the outcome.

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.

Molecular Identification of HIV-1 in the Presence of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Co-infections.

Background: Because of their similar modes of transmission, the simultaneous infection of viral hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus are increasingly seen as a big problem related to human health.

Aims: To determine the drug mutations in hepatitis B virus and/or hepatitis C virus co-infected human immunodeficiency virus-1 patients in Turkey.

Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

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.

Effect of the Use of Buzzy during Phlebotomy on Pain and Individual Satisfaction in Blood Donors.

Phlebotomy causes pain and discomfort to adults. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of Buzzy on phlebotomy satisfaction and pain relating to the phlebotomy process in healthy adult blood donors voluntarily donating blood. This was a prospective, randomized, controlled experimental study.

Effect of storage period of red blood cell suspensions on helper T-cell subpopulations.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the immunological alterations that occur during the storage of erythrocyte suspensions which may lead to transfusion-related immunomodulation following allogeneic blood transfusion.

Materials And Methods: One part of the erythrocyte suspensions obtained from donors was leucoreduced while the other part was not. The leucoreduced (LR) and non-leucoreduced (NL) erythrocyte suspensions were then further divided into three equal amounts which were stored for 0, 21 or 42 days prior to measurements, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, of cytokine levels in their supernatants.

Brucellosis: a retrospective evaluation of 164 cases.

Introduction: Brucellosis is a public health problem that is prevalent in several developing countries.

Methods: The clinical and laboratory characteristics of 164 cases of brucellosis in Bursa, Turkey, were retrospectively evaluated.

Results: The ages of the 164 patients ranged from 15-85 years.

Nosocomial Acinetobacter pneumonia: Treatment and prognostic factors in 356 cases.

Background And Objective: Acinetobacter baumannii and A. baumannii/calcoaceticus complex are commonly encountered pathogens in nosocomial infections. This study aimed to evaluate the treatment and prognostic risk factors in nosocomial pneumonia caused by these microorganisms.

The features of infectious diseases departments and anti-infective practices in France and Turkey: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to assess the infectious diseases (ID) wards of tertiary hospitals in France and Turkey for technical capacity, infection control, characteristics of patients, infections, infecting organisms, and therapeutic approaches. This cross-sectional study was carried out on a single day on one of the weekdays of June 17-21, 2013. Overall, 36 ID departments from Turkey (n = 21) and France (n = 15) were involved.

Analysis of appropriate tetanus prophylaxis in an Emergency Department.

Background: In this study, our aim was to identify the validity of the prophylaxis indications for patients who received tetanus prophylaxis, determine the ratio of high-risk wounds to the number of patients with immunity, and to evaluate the tetanus immunity of specific age groups.

Methods: Patients who applied to the Emergency Department (ED) between September 2009 and May 2010 and who were considered for tetanus prophylaxis by his/her primary care physician were included in the study.

Results: A total of 320 patients were evaluated.

Brucella abortus L7/L12 recombinant protein induces strong Th1 response in acute brucellosis patients.

Background: Because of high morbidity of the brucellosis in humans and the potential use of the microorganism as an agent of biologic warfare, protection of effective vaccines and specific diagnostic reagents become necessary to eradicate brucellosis.

Objective: In this study we aimed to investigate the cytokine responses and changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subgroups of acute brucellosis patients in response to L7/L12 and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) recombinant proteins derived from Brucella abortus.

Methods: levels of IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 secreted from PBMCs of 25 acute brucellosis patients and 15 healthy controls, stimulated with Phytohemagglutinin (PHA), L7/L12 or GAPDH were measured by ELISA.

Epidemiology of nosocomial candidaemia in a university hospital: a 12-year study.

The incidence of nosocomial candidaemia was evaluated in a retrospective study in a Turkish tertiary-care hospital. Over a 12-year period (1996-2007), a total of 743 episodes of candidaemia occurred in 743 patients, accounting for an average incidence of 1.9 episodes/1000 admissions and 2.

Multiple intracranial abscesses due to Cryptococcus neoformans: an unusual clinical feature in an immunocompetent patient and a short review of reported cases.

We present a case of multiple intracranial abscesses caused by Cryptococcus neoformans in a patient who presented with no symptoms of immunodeficiency.

[Investigation of the presence of HBV-DNA in isolated anti-HBc positive cases and their importance in blood banking].

Despite the decrease in transfusion-transmitted hepatitis B virus (HBV), it is still one of the main problems in transfusion medicine. Recent studies have shown that HBV is transmissible to recipients from HBsAg negative donations. This study was aimed to detect anti-HBc, anti-HBs and HBV-DNA positivity in HBsAg negative cases and to determine whether a reconsideration is required for HBV screening policies in blood banking.

Nosocomial diarrhea and Clostridium Difficile associated diarrhea in a Turkish University Hospital.

Background: Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a well-established cause of nosocomial diarrhea. The aim of our study was to define the incidence of nosocomial diarrhea in our hospital and to determine the role of C.

Risk factors in community-acquired/onset urinary tract infections due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

We investigated the risk factors for community acquired/onset urinary tract infections due to extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae in 62 patients who were followed-up from August 1, 2003 to September 1, 2006. Sixty patients with community-acquired urinary tract infections caused by ESBL-negative E. coli or K.