[A rare case of endocarditis due to Moraxella catarrhalis in an immunocompetent patient].

Moraxella catarrhalis is a gram-negative, catalase and oxidase positive diplococcus. While it causes otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis and conjunctivitis in children and adults, it has a tendency to cause lower respiratory tract infections in older ages. More severe clinical pictures with the range of sepsis to endocarditis are also seen in immunocompromised patients.

Antimicrobial resistance in gram-negative hospital isolates: results of the Turkish HITIT-2 Surveillance Study of 2007.

Resistance rates to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cefepime, imipenem, cefoperazone/sulbactam and piperacillin/tazobactam in Escherichia coli (n= 438), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n= 444), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n= 210) and Acinetobacter baumanni (n=200) were determined with e-test in a multicenter surveillance study (Hitit-2) in 2007. ESBL production in Escherichia coli and K. pneumoniae was investigated following the CLSI guidelines.

Evaluation of the relationship between passive smoking and salivary electrolytes, protein, secretory IgA, sialic acid and amylase in young children.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between passive smoking as determined by salivary cotinine levels and salivary electrolytes, protein, secretory IgA, sialic acid and amylase in children.

Design: Saliva was collected from 90 passive smoker (PS) subjects (the study group) and 90 healthy age-matched children (the control group). The study group was divided into three subgroups according the number of cigarettes smoked.

Association of passive smoking with caries and related salivary biomarkers in young children.

Objective: To investigate the association between passive smoking, as determined by salivary cotinine level, and caries, salivary pH, buffering capacity, flow rate and microbiological counts in young children.

Design: Ninety passive smokers (PS) with a mean age of 5.02 years and 90 healthy age-matched controls were included in this study.

A fatal case of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.

In daily medical practice, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is an infrequent clinical entity which carry a very high risk of fatality. Early recognition of this toxin mediated immunopathological disease is very important to apply necessary invasive procedures such as an prompt amputation of the effected areas to save the patient. Here, we report a 47 year-old male farmer with a fatal streptococcal toxic shock syndrome to highlight the importance of emergency care and aggresive surgical intervention in similar situations.