Evaluation of health literacy levels and COVID-19 awareness among tuberculosis patients.

Introduction: For Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 infections, whose transmission modes and preventive measures are similar, compliance with preventive measures and treatment is closely related to Health Literacy (HL) levels. This study aimed to evaluate the HL levels, and COVID-19 awareness of TB patients treated and followed up in TB Dispensaries serving under the Çankaya District Health Directorate of Ankara Province.

Methodology: A questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 knowledge level questions, and Health literacy scale-European union-Q16 questions were applied face-to-face to the registered TB patients.

Psychosocial Status of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the depression, anxiety, and stress levels of healthcare workers (HCWs) working actively in different health services during the pandemic.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ankara at the Provincial Health Directorate Numune Campus between January and April 2022. The depression, anxiety, and stress levels of HCWs working actively in different health services during the pandemic were evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21).

Effects of Nasal and Paranasal Sinus Variations on Chronic Otitis Media Development in Pediatric Patients.

Objective: Chronic otitis media is an inflammatory disease of the middle ear. The airflow in the nasal passage affects the development of mastoid air cells through the eustachian tube.Nasal and paranasal pathologies and their anatomical variations cause chronic sinonasal inflammation and affect the middle ear mucosa.

Should a third booster dose be scheduled after two doses of CoronaVac? A single-center experience.

In the 10th month of the pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination was given first to healthcare workers in Turkey after receiving emergency use approval from the Ministry of Health. This study, which was performed at the COVID-19 reference center in Ankara (the capital of Turkey) aimed to evaluate the seroconversion rate of the CoronaVac vaccine. The anti-spike immunoglobulin G response to the two-dose vaccination was retrospectively examined in healthcare workers who had no previous history of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Determination of Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in the Endemic Region in Turkey: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: Turkey is one of the countries that has the most cases of CCHF in recent years among the endemic countries. The disease also poses an important health threat with high mortality rate. The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of CCHF in adults aged ≥20 years in Tokat in the endemic region, Turkey.

The Role of Manganese, Cadmium, Chromium and Selenium on Subjective Tinnitus.

Elevated levels of heavy metals like cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn) are known to lead to oxidative damage-related oto-toxicity and decreased levels of chromium (Cr) and selenium (Se) are known to lead to oto-toxicity due to reduced anti-oxidant activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum levels of Cd, Mn, Cr, and Se and their relationship with tinnitus. A total of 48 patients with tinnitus (Group 1) and 40 healthy controls (Group 2) were included in the study.

Molecular Epidemiology of Rotavirus Strains in Under Five Children.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and genotype distribution of rotaviruses in children presenting to authors' hospital in Middle Black Sea region of Turkey. The results may supply important information about vaccine studies in Turkey.

Methods: Rotavirus antigen was detected by latex agglutination test and rotavirus RNA was detected by RT-PCR test.

Stabilization of total ossicular replacement prosthesis using cartilage "shoe" graft.

Purpose: We aimed to determine the effect of a cartilage shoe graft placed between the foot of the TORP and the stapes footplate on hearing improvement and long-term displacement rates.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent TORP ossiculoplasty were divided into two groups. The TORP-alone group consisted of 32 patients who underwent TORP placement without cartilage shoe graft and served as the control group.

In Vitro Susceptibilities of Candida albicans Isolates to Antifungal Agents in Tokat, Turkey.

Background: Candida albicans is the pathogenic species most commonly isolated from fungal infections. Management of these infections depends on the immune status of the host, severity of disease, and the choice of antifungal drug. In spite of the development of new antifungal drugs, epidemiological studies have shown that resistance to antifungal drugs in C.

In vitro activities of antifungal drugs against dermatophytes isolated in Tokat, Turkey.

Background: In this study, we aimed to establish the in vitro antifungal susceptibilities of terbinafine, miconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, griseofulvin, and amphotericin B against dermatophyte isolates.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-seven clinical isolates were tested: Trichophyton rubrum (n = 78), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (n = 49), Epidermophyton floccosum (n = 30), Trichophyton verrucosum (n = 16), and Trichophyton tonsurans (n = 4). The broth microdilution assay for antifungal susceptibility testing of dermatophytes was performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines in the M38-A2 document.

Dermatophytes isolated from the mosques in Tokat, Turkey.

Dermatophytes are a group of fungi that invade keratinized tissues such as the skin, hair and nails. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of the potential causative agents of dermatophytosis in the mosque area in Tokat, Turkey. Thirty mosques were included in the study.

Association between elevated aminotransferase levels and the metabolic syndrome in Northern Turkey.

Introduction: Elevated aminotransferase levels(ATLs) are alert the physicians for liver-affecting disease and may reflect liver injury. We aimed to determine the prevalence of elevated ATLs and the association of elevated ATLs with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a northern province of Turkey.

Materials And Methods: Elevated ATLs were evaluated among 1,095 individuals of the Tokat Prevalence Study which have been described in detail elsewhere.

[Phospholipase, proteinase and hemolytic activities of Candida albicans isolates obtained from clinical specimens].

This study was aimed to determine the phospholipase, proteinase and hemolytic activities of Candida albicans strains isolated from clinical specimens. A total of 147 C. albicans strains isolated from blood (n = 29), respiratory specimens (n = 44), urine (n = 52), pus (n = 17) and stool (n = 5) were included in the study.

Onychomycosis infections in the Middle Black Sea Region, Turkey.

Background: Onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nail, is caused by dermatophytes, yeasts, and nondermatophyte molds. The causative pathogen and incidence of onychomycosis depend on age, gender, geographic and climatic conditions, living habits, and immune status of the host.

Aim: To determine the incidence and etiologic agents of onychomycosis in the Middle Black Sea Region, Turkey.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses in the province of Tokat in the Black Sea region of Turkey: A population-based study.

Background/aims: Viral hepatitides are considered a major health problem worldwide. There are only a few studies relevant to the epidemiology of these types of infection in the normal healthy population. In this study, we aimed to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C as well as the frequency of isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity among a normal healthy population in a northern province of Turkey.

Comparison of dose-related ocular side effects during systemic isotretinoin administration.

Purpose: To compare the effects of high- (Group 1) and low-dose (Group 2) isotretinoin treatments for acne vulgaris on lacrimal functions and other ocular complications.

Methods: Twenty-six patients receiving high-dose (>0.5 mg/kg per day) systemic isotretinoin treatment and 25 patients treated with low-dose systemic isotretinoin (<0.

Aqueous humor erythropoietin levels in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the levels of erythropoietin (EPO) in the aqueous humor in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and without glaucoma.

Methods: Levels of EPO were measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit in aqueous humor aspirates taken during anterior segment surgery from 45 patients, of whom 20 had POAG and 25 had senile cataract only.

Results: The mean aqueous humor EPO concentration in eyes with POAG (10.

[Antimicrobial susceptibilities and serotype distribution of Streptococcus agalactiae strains isolated from pregnant women].

Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B streptococcus, GBS) is an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the serotype distribution and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of GBS isolated from pregnant women. A total of 671 pregnant women were screened for vaginal carriage of GBS, and vaginal colonization rate was found to be 14.

Acute otitis media and respiratory viruses.

The present study was performed to elucidate the clinical outcome, and etiology of acute otitis media (AOM) in children based on virologic and bacteriologic tests. The study group consisted of 120 children aged 6 to 144 months with AOM. Middle ear fluid (MEF) was tested for viral pathogens by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and for bacteria by gram-staining and culture.

Bacterial etiology of acute otitis media and clinical efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanate versus azithromycin.

Background: Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common acute bacterial infection in childhood and also the most frequent reason for outpatient antibiotic therapy. Little recent information about susceptibility patterns of AOM bacterial pathogens in Turkish children has been reported.

Objective: To determine the bacterial etiology of acute otitis media in children and to compare the efficiency of 3 days course of azithromycin with a 10 days course of amoxicillin-clavulanate.

Internal mammary artery atherosclerosis in segments removed during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and C.pneumoniae infection.

Objective: Recent studies suggest the association of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. We investigated C. pneumoniae DNA in internal mammarian artery (IMA) (used as a coronary bypass conduit) and its relationship with atherosclerosis.

Degradation of vincristine by myeloperoxidase and hypochlorous acid in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Vincristine (VCR) is an effective drug against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), many solid tumors, but not acute myeloid leukemia. It has been hypothesized that resistance of myeloblasts to VCR is related to myeloperoxidase (MPO) and production of hypochlorous acid (HOCl). We investigated the relationship between VCR degradation and MPO expression and serum HOCl concentrations in pediatric patients with ALL, lymphoma and solid tumors.

[Follow-up of nitric oxide levels in acute hepatitis B patients].

Although increased nitric oxide (NO) production may contribute to the pathological changes featuring in some inflammatory diseases, the exact role of NO in viral hepatitis is still unclear. This study has been planned to evaluate the possible correlation between the serum nitric oxide levels and the disease activity, in patients with acute viral hepatitis B. The hepatitis markers were studied by microenzyme immunoassay, the presence of HBV-DNA was searched by polymerase chain reaction, ALT levels were determined by the photometric method in Olympus auto-analyzer, and NO levels were assessed by colorimetric Griess reaction, in the sera of 100 patients.

[Use of transcription-based amplification and enzyme immunoassay methods to investigate possible Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women with genital complaints].

This study was performed to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in the female patients with genital complaints, and to compare the transcription mediated amplification assay and enzyme immunoassay methods for the diagnosis of genital C. trachomatis infections. C.