[Pertussis seroprevalence and vaccination status in three selected provinces of Turkey].

The aim of this community-based seroepidemiological survey was to assess the immune status against pertussis among the healthy population in three selected provinces with different geographical and socioeconomical status (Antalya, Diyarbakir and Samsun, located at Mediterrenean, Southeast Anatolia and Black Sea regions of Turkey, respectively) in relation with DwPT (whole cell pertussis vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids) vaccination status. A total of randomly selected 2085 subjects ages between 6 months to > 50 years were included to the study. Serum samples have been screened for the presence of pertussis antibodies by an in house ELISA method with the use of pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) antigens.

Tetanus immunization status among women of childbearing age in Turkey.

In order to assess the effect of the neonatal tetanus elimination program in Turkey, tetanus antibody prevalence among women of childbearing age from three selected provinces was evaluated in relation to vaccination doses of the single-type tetanus vaccine. A combined method of in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and particle agglutination test was used to determine tetanus antibody titers. Among 205 women aged 20-39 years, the tetanus antibody level was higher in women with 1-3 children than those without children.

Immunity against tetanus and effect of vaccination in Turkey.

The immune status against tetanus in relation to vaccination was investigated among healthy populations in 3 selected provinces in Turkey (n=2094). In-house ELISA supplemented with the particle agglutination test was performed for this purpose. An exact correlation was found between vaccination status and immunity against tetanus.

Measles seroepidemiology in 3 cities in Turkey.

Objective: To evaluate immunity against measles and its relation with some variables among healthy subjects in 3 cities in Turkey.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study on measles antibody titers in the serum samples of 712 people from Antalya, 696 from Diyarbakir and 667 from Samsun, Turkey using particle agglutination test between February 2000 and October 2001. The study groups, informed and asked for their consent by midwives, consisted of randomly selected subjects of all ages older than 6 months.

[Standardization of an in-house ELISA for pertussis serology and its application in a seroepidemiological study].

Seroepidemiological studies need sensitive, practicle and cost-effective methods. For pertussis serosurveillance, an in-house ELISA for antipertussis-toxin (PT) and anti-filamentous-hemagglutinin (FHA) were established in our laboratory and compared by a Ball-ELISA which had been reported to be reliable previously. Sixty sera with various antibody titers were tested by both of the methods.

Tetanus antibody assay combining in-house ELISA and particle agglutination test and its serosurvey application in a province in Turkey.

In order to determine a practically useful quantitative assay method for tetanus antibody in a large-scale seroepidemiological study, a method combining an in-house ELISA with a particle agglutination test (KPA) was evaluated in comparison with the in vivo mouse neutralization test. Serum samples with mouse neutralization antibody titers 0.01 IU/ml (the minimum protective level) or below showed considerable overestimation of antitoxin titers up to 1.

Phylogenetic analysis of wild-type 1 polioviruses isolated during the final period of transmission in Turkey.

The last poliomyelitis case associated with a wild poliovirus in Turkey occurred in November 1998. This was the last known case of paralytic poliomyelitis caused by indigenous wild poliovirus in the World Health Organization's European Region. This study investigated the genetic relationships of wild-type 1 polioviruses at the latest period of transmission.

Community-based seroepidemiology of tetanus in three selected provinces in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to assess immunity levels against tetanus in the areas of 26 health centers in Samsun, Antalya, and Diyarbakir in Turkey in 2000 - 2001. The study group consisted of 2,465 healthy subjects aged 6 months old or above, randomly selected from each age group in the area. Of these, a total of 2,094 (85.

[Standardization of neutralization tests using the COBL cell line and comparison with the particle agglutination test for measles serology].

The aim of the present study was the detection and comparison of measles antibody titers with particle agglutination (PA) and neutralization (Nt) methods, in the sera samples of 364 subjects from different age groups. PA method was performed with a commercial test kit (Serodiameasles, Fujirebio Com. Japan), and Nt test which was standardized in this study, by using COBL (cord blood) cell lines, has been started to use in our laboratory as a reference method.