DNA damage, DNA susceptibility to oxidation and glutathione redox status in patients with Alzheimer's disease treated with and without memantine.

The aim of the current study was to compare oxidative DNA damage, DNA susceptibility to oxidation, and ratio of GSH/GSSG in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) treated with acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) and combined AChEI+memantine. The study included 67 patients with AD and 42 volunteers as control. DNA damage parameters (strand breaks, oxidized purines, HO-induced DNA damage) in lymphocyte DNA and GSH/GSSG ratio in erythrocytes were determined by the comet assay and spectrophotometric assay, respectively.

Travel-associated infections caused by unusual serogroups of Legionella pneumophila identified using Legionella BIOCHIP slides in Turkey and Iraq.

Background: Although Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 is the common disease causing serogroup, rare serogroups can also may cause legionellosis. A 54-year-old male patient (index case) reported that he had been on a religious trip (for visiting, tomb of Ali, which is important for Shias) to Iraq with a large group (50 shia pilgrims from Kars city of Turkey) two weeks prior to admission. Due to civil war, the hotel where the patient stayed in Iraq lacked proper hygiene.