[Investigation of carbapenemases in carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated in 2014 in Turkey].

Carbapenems are the choice of treatment in infections caused by multidrug resistant Enterobacteriaceae. In recent years carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates due to carbapenemases have been increasingly reported worldwide. Multicenter studies on carbapenemases are scarce in Turkey.

Are plasma and synovial fluid leptin levels correlated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis ?

Leptin is an adypocyte derivated peptide hormone that plays a major role in preventing obesity development by the effects at the hypothalamic level. In our study leptin levels of 41 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 25 healthy subjects as control group were assessed. Synovial fluid from 21 RA patients were collected to detect leptin levels.

Cold dissection versus bipolar cauterizing tonsillectomy for bacteriemia.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare transient bacteriemia ratios between cold dissection tonsillectomy and bipolar cauterizing tonsillectomy, and also to analyze the bacteria detected with superficial/central tonsillar cultures.

Methods: A total of 86 patients that were grouped as 46 patients of cold dissection tonsillectomy and 40 patients of bipolar cauterizing tonsillectomy were included in this study. Preoperative surface swab cultures, intraoperative central swab cultures of tonsils, and preoperative and postoperative blood culture samples were obtained.

Molecular genotyping of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains in a teaching hospital in Turkey.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the major causes of nosocomial infections in our hospital. Therefore, we aimed to characterize MRSA isolates phenotypically from patients with nosocomial infections at Cumhuriyet University Hospital between December, 1999, and June, 2001, in Sivas by analysis of antibiotic patterns and genotypically using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR). Forty-three nosocomial isolates were collected from various wards.

Effect of frequent-replacement contact lenses on normal conjunctival flora.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of frequent-replacement contact lenses (FRCL) on the normal conjunctival flora.

Methods: This study included 30 patients using FRCL for refractive errors only and 32 age-matched, healthy controls. All patients replaced their lenses every 3 to 4 weeks.

Anticardiolipin antibody positivity in diabetic patients with and without diabetic foot.

Anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies may play a role in the enhancement of platelet aggregation and/or progression of the macrovascular diabetic complications. Also, aCL antibodies may cause or promote ischemia and thrombosis. Therefore, we aimed to investigate IgG aCL and IgM aCL antibodies positivity in type 2 diabetic patients with and without ischemic diabetic foot.