[The Role of Anti-HBc Testing on Donor Selection and Its Contribution to Current Alghorithms; Can the Gülhane Experience Be a Model for Turkey?].

Additional or different test procedures can be applied to maximize transfusion safety by reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. Antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) is one of the most commonly used serologic marker in this context. The aim of the study was to analyse anti-Hbc test results performed within the scope of routine screening tests in our center and to examine the effect of the donor re-entry protocol established.

Relationship between chest computed tomography findings and clinical conditions of coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A multicentre experience.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the clinical and chest computed tomography (CT) features associated with clinical parameters for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the capital of Turkey, Ankara.

Materials And Methods: Epidemiological, clinical features, laboratory findings and radiological characteristics of 1563 hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in Ankara were collected, reviewed and analysed in this study. The risk factors associated with disease severity were investigated.

Evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of adding ivermectin to treatment in severe COVID-19 patients.

Background And Objectives: An effective treatment option is not yet available for SARS-CoV2, which causes the COVID-19 pandemic and whose effects are felt more and more every day. Ivermectin is among the drugs whose effectiveness in treatment has been investigated. In this study; it was aimed to investigate the presence of gene mutations that alter ivermectin metabolism and cause toxic effects in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, and to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ivermectin use in the treatment of patients without mutation.

Prevalence and Quantity of Parvovirus B19 DNA Among Blood Donors from a Regional Blood Center in Turkey.

Objective: Parvovirus B19 causes a range of diseases and morbidity in humans and is transmissible by transfusion of blood, blood components and plasma derivatives. The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence and quantity of B19 DNA among blood donors.

Method: Totally 1053 samples were collected from March to July 2016 at a blood bank for detection of Parvovirus B19 DNA and serological status of blood donors.

Evaluating the effect of donor anxiety levels and lifestyle characteristics on the activation of platelet concentrates.

Background: Smoking, alcohol use, performing regular physical exercise, dietary habits, and anxiety level may cause platelet activation. We aimed to evaluate the anxiety levels, smoking status, alcohol intake, and sportive habits of donors, and determine their impact on the quality of apheresis-platelets.

Methods: State and Transient Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to determine the level of donors' anxiety.

Bringing Packed Red Blood Cells to the Point of Combat Injury: Are We There Yet?

Objective: Hemorrhage is the leading cause of injury-related prehospital mortality. We investigated worst-case scenarios and possible requirements of the Turkish military. As we plan to use blood resources during casualty transport, the impact of transport-related mechanical stress on packed red blood cells (PRBCs) was analyzed.

Fecal microbiota transplantation is a rescue treatment modality for refractory ulcerative colitis.

Background: Fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) provides to replace beneficial bacteria with more favorable microbiomes in recipient with dysbiosis. The aim of the present study was to prospectively investigate the efficacy of FMT by assessing the clinical and endoscopic response in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who had failed anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods: In this prospective and uncontrolled study, 30 patients with UC were included.

Generation of Platelet Microparticles after Cryopreservation of Apheresis Platelet Concentrates Contributes to Hemostatic Activity.

Objective: In the last decade, substantial evidence has accumulated about the use of cryopreserved platelet concentrates, especially in trauma. However, little reference has been made in these studies to the morphological and functional changes of platelets. Recently platelets have been shown to be activated by cryopreservation processes and to undergo procoagulant membrane changes resulting in the generation of platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs), platelet degranulation, and release of platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs).

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.

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 polymorphism in ERAP1 is associated with susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis in a Turkish population.

We assessed the role played by the ERAP1 gene in Turkish patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in terms of disease susceptibility, clinical manifestations, and disease severity. We included 150 consecutive AS patients who met the modified New York classification criteria and 150 healthy controls. We documented the presence of 10 ERAP1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and HLA-B27 in these patients.

[Investigation of West Nile virus RNA in blood donors by real-time RT-PCR].

West Nile virus (WNV), a member of Flaviviridae family, is an enveloped, icosahedral symmetric RNA virus. Primary reservoir hosts of WNV are birds, but the virus can cause various infections in humans and other mammals. The most common and natural transmission way of WNV infections is mosquito bites, however, humans can be infected by different routes.

Management of neurobrucellosis: an assessment of 11 cases.

Objective: The central nervous system involvement of Brucellosis causes a hard to treat infection with multiple sequelae. The aim of this paper is to discuss the course of neurobrucellosis in response to therapy.

Patients And Methods: Patients with neurobrucellosis were evaluated.

Saccharomyces boulardii and infection due to Giardia lamblia.

Therapy with metronidazole is the recommended option in giardiasis. However, some clinical trial reports suggest the appearance of drug resistance to explain therapeutic failure. Several investigations have been carried out on the effect of probiotic microorganisms for preventing or treating gastrointestinal diseases, but little is known about their efficacy against protozoal infections.

A case of ventricular drainage infection with a rare pathogen in cerebrospinal fluid: vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.

The purpose of this study was to describe a patient, 7-month-old child with ventriculoperitoneal shunts for hydrocephalus with ventriculitis caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Two ventriculoperitoneal shunts were inserted just after birth and on the second month. On the sixth month, both shunts were removed because of dysfunction, and external drainage was inserted.

Prophylactic Saccharomyces boulardii in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a prospective study.

Background: Interest to probiotics for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea is increasing gradually. The most promising seems to be Saccharomyces boulardii . Using a double-blind controlled study, we investigated the preventive effect of S.

Rapid and quantitative detection of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus by one-step real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR.

In this article, the development of a new TaqMan-based one-step real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for detection and quantification of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) RNA is described. Selected oligos targeting the highly conserved S region of CCHFV were designed by using our oligo design and analysis software, Oligoware 1.0.

Outpatient prescription of oral antibiotics in a training hospital in Turkey: trends in the last decade.

Aim: The aim was to evaluate the changing trends in outpatient prescription of oral antibiotic forms at a Training Hospital in the last decade.

Material And Method: All the outpatient prescriptions during April and May 2004 were evaluated. The diagnosis, the department of the prescriber, the count and generic name of each prescribed antibiotic were all noted.