Short-term outcomes of pregnant women with convalescent COVID-19 and factors associated with false-negative polymerase chain reaction test: A prospective cohort study.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical factors associated with false-negative RT-PCR results and to report the outcome of a cohort of pregnant women with COVID-19.

Methods: This cohort study was conducted in a tertiary referral pandemic hospital and included 56 pregnant women. A study including pregnant women with either a laboratory or clinical diagnosis for COVID-19 were included in the study.

The relationship between vitamin D and the severity of COVID-19.

Aim: Vitamin D, which has immunomodulatory effect, can reduce risk of infections and concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the levels of vitamin D and severity of COVID-19.

Methods: A total of 204 patients with COVID-19 disease were enrolled in the study.

Trends and factors associated with modification or discontinuation of the initial antiretroviral regimen during the first year of treatment in the Turkish HIV-TR Cohort, 2011-2017.

Background: There is limited evidence on the modification or stopping of antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens, including novel antiretroviral drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the discontinuation of first ART before and after the availability of better tolerated and less complex regimens by comparing the frequency, reasons and associations with patient characteristics.

Methods: A total of 3019 ART-naive patients registered in the HIV-TR cohort who started ART between Jan 2011 and Feb 2017 were studied.

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.

[Detection of intestinal parasites with conventional and molecular methods in follow-up HIV/AIDS cases].

In people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), several complaints related to the gastrointestinal system, mainly diarrhea can be determined. In our study, we aimed to detect the existence of intestinal parasites with conventional methods based on microscopy and with molecular methods based on multiplex-PCR among 90 anti-retroviral treatment (ART) naive or ART adherent HIV/AIDS cases. The existence of Giardia spp.

The Prevalence of Cyclospora cayetanensis and Cryptosporidium spp. in Turkish patients infected with HIV-1.

Opportunistic infections such as cryptosporidiosis and cyclosporiasis are commonly encountered in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We investigated the existence of opportunistic protozoans that significantly affect the quality of life in HIV-1 infected patients using conventional and molecular methods. The study group comprised 115 HIV-1 positive patients.

Protease Inhibitors Drug Resistance Mutations in Turkish Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.

Background: Drug resistance development is an expected problem during treatment with protease inhibitors (PIs), this is largely due to the fact that Pls are low-genetic barrier drugs. Resistance-associated variants (RAVs) however may also occur naturally, and prior to treatment with Pls, the clinical impact of this basal resistance remains unknown. In Turkey, there is yet to be an investigation into the hepatitis C (HCV) drug associated resistance to oral antivirals.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever: transmission to visitors and healthcare workers.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease, mostly transmitted by tick bites or through contact with infected animal's blood, and bodily fluids. Nosocomial infections were occasionally reported in healthcare settings. We report nosocomial cluster of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever including the visitor with unknown transmission.

Could Neutrophil CD64 Expression Be Used as a Diagnostic Parameter of Bacteremia in Patients with Febrile Neutropenia?

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate if neutrophil CD64 expression in febrile neutropenia patients could be used as an early indicator of bacteremia.

Materials And Methods: All consecutive patients older than 18 years of age who had developed febrile neutropenia episodes due to hematological malignancies were included in the study. Those patients who had significant growth in their blood cultures constituted the case group, while those who had febrile neutropenia without any growth in their cultures and who did not have any documented infections formed the control group.

Evaluation of Dual Therapy in Real Life Setting in Treatment-Naïve Turkish Patients with HCV Infection: A Multicenter, Retrospective Study.

Background: Before the introduction of direct-acting antivirals in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients, the combination of peginterferon alpha and ribavirin was the standard therapy. Observational studies that investigated sustained virological response (SVR) rates by these drugs yielded different outcomes.

Aims: The goal of the study was to demonstrate real life data concerning SVR rate achieved by peginterferon alpha plus ribavirin in patients who were treatment-naïve.

HIV-1 Transmitted Drug Resistance Mutations in Newly Diagnosed Antiretroviral-Naive Patients in Turkey.

HIV-1 replication is rapid and highly error-prone. Transmission of a drug-resistant HIV-1 strain is possible and occurs within the HIV-1-infected population. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRMs) in 1,306 newly diagnosed untreated HIV-1-infected patients from 21 cities across six regions of Turkey between 2010 and 2015.

Predictors for limb loss among patient with diabetic foot infections: an observational retrospective multicentric study in Turkey.

We aimed to investigate the predictors for limb loss among patients with diabetes who have complicated skin/soft-tissue infections. In this observational study, consecutive patients with diabetic foot infection (DFI) from 17 centres in Turkey, between May 2011 and May 2013 were included. The Turkish DFI Working Group performed the study.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonization in patients with hematological malignancies: screening and its cost-effectiveness.

Background And Objective: We evaluated the rates of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) colonization and VRE-related bacteremia in patients with hematological malignancies in terms of routine screening culture and its cost-effectiveness.

Materials And Methods: All patients of the hematology department who were older than 14 years of age and who developed at least one febrile neutropenia episode during chemotherapy for hematological cancers between November 2010 and November 2012 were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: We retrospectively analyzed 282 febrile episodes in 126 neutropenic patients during a two-year study period.

Novel antifungal drugs against fungal pathogens: do they provide promising results for treatment?

The febrile neutropenia episodes of hematological patients and their outcomes were evaluated with respect to fungal pathogens and antifungal therapy in this retrospective study. All patients, who were older than 14 years of age and developed at least one neutropenic episode after chemotherapy due to hematological cancer from November 2010 to November 2012, were included into the study. We retrospectively collected demographic, treatment, and survival data of 126 patients with neutropenia and their 282 febrile episodes.

Which Multidrug-Resitant Bacteria are Emerging in Patients with Hematological Malignancies?: One-Year Report.

The aim of this retrospective, observational study was to evaluate the outcomes of bacteremia attacks during neutropenic episodes caused by chemotherapy in patients with hematological cancers by assessing mortality, involved pathogens, antimicrobial therapy and treatment responses. Patients who were older than 14 years of age and developed at least one neutropenic episode after chemotherapy to treat hematological cancer between November 2011 and November 2012 were included in the study. We retrospectively collected demographic, treatment, and survival data for 68 patients with 129 neutropenic episodes.

Outcomes of initial antiretroviral treatment (ART) among recently diagnosed HIV patients in HIV-TR cohort, 2011-2012.

Introduction: HIV-TR is a recently established (2012) multicentre cohort in Turkey. The aim of this study is to analyze epidemiological, immunologic and virologic data of recently diagnosed HIV patients.

Materials And Methods: Epidemiologic, clinical and laboratory data of all patients diagnosed in 2011 and 2012 were recorded by a web-based data collection system, retrospectively.

Transmission route and reasons for HIV testing among recently diagnosed HIV patients in HIV-TR cohort, 2011-2012.

Introduction: Routes of transmission and reasons for HIV testing are important epidemiologic data to analyze the epidemic and to tailor the response to AIDS. The aim of this study was to analyze reasons for testing and transmission ways of HIV among recently diagnosed HIV patients registered in the multicenter HIV-TR cohort in Turkey.

Methods: Transmission ways and reasons for testing of all patients diagnosed in 2011 and 2012 were recorded on a web-based data collection system and were analyzed retrospectively.

Community-acquired intracranial suppurative infections: A 15-year report.

Background: The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of patients with intracranial suppurative infection (ISI) by review of clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings.

Methods: The data collected from all patients who had been diagnosed with ISI and followed up at the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department of the study site between 1998 and 2013 were reviewed.

Results: Of the 23 ISI patients identified, the mean age was 38.

Bloodstream infections in patients with hematological malignancies: which is more fatal - cancer or resistant pathogens?

Background: The primary objective of this study was to report the incidence of bloodstream infections (BSIs) and clinically or microbiologically proven bacterial or fungal BSIs during neutropenic episodes in patients with hematological malignancies.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, all patients in the hematology department older than 14 years who developed febrile neutropenia during chemotherapy for hematological cancers were evaluated. Patients were included if they had experienced at least one neutropenic episode between November 2010 and November 2012 due to chemotherapy in the hematology ward.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonization and bacteremia in patients with hematological malignancies.

Introduction: We retrospectively evaluated the rates of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) colonization and VRE-related infections in patients with hematological malignancies.

Methodology: All patients in the hematology department of the Ministry of Health Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, an 800-bed tertiary hospital in İstanbul, Turkey, older than 14 years of age and who developed febrile neutropenia during chemotherapy for hematological cancers between November 2010 and November 2012 were evaluated in this retrospective observational study.

Results: A total of 282 neutropenic episodes in 126 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed.

Predictors of fatality in pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection among adults.

Background: The fatality attributed to pandemic influenza A H1N1 was not clear in the literature. We described the predictors for fatality related to pandemic influenza A H1N1 infection among hospitalized adult patients.

Methods: This is a multicenter study performed during the pandemic influenza A H1N1 [A(H1N1)pdm09] outbreak which occurred in 2009 and 2010.

Primary or secondary antifungal prophylaxis in patients with hematological maligancies: efficacy and damage.

Background: Patients with hematological malignancies often develop febrile neutropenia (FN) as a complication of cancer chemotherapy. Primary or secondary antifungal prophylaxis is recommended for patients with hematological malignancies to reduce the risk of invasive fungal infection (IFI). This study retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and potential harm of administration of primary and secondary antifungal prophylaxis to patients with hematological malignancies at one hospital.

The outcome of non-carbapenem-based empirical antibacterial therapy and VRE colonisation in patients with hematological malignancies.

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is generally a complication of cancer chemotherapy.

Objectives: We retrospectively evaluated the febrile neutropenia episodes and their outcomes with respect to modification rates of non-carbapenem-based empirical antibacterial therapy and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) colonisation that caused to VRE bacteremia in patients with hematological malignancies.

Methods: All consecutive patients, who were older than 14 years of age and developed febrile neutropenia episodes due to hematological malignancies from September 2010 to November 2011 at the hematology department were included into the study.