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Malaria is a major worldwide public health problem. In the last years, no domestic cases of malaria have been detected and cases of imported malaria exist only in Turkey. In this study, clinical and laboratory findings of five Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria patients who were admitted to the emergency department between January 2013 and December 2015 were retrospectively presented. One of the patients was an African student, and the other patients had a history of travelling to Africa. Ring formation was observed when Giemsa staining was performed on the blood smears of all patients, and in three patients, P. falciparum was also detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Bio-Rad, United States of America). P. falciparum was not detected by PCR in the other two patients. Malaria should be primarily considered in febrile patients who have a history of travelling to endemic regions, and peripheral blood smears should definitely be examined.

Objective: Leishmaniasis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoa belonging to Leishmania genus and listed among major tropical diseases by WHO. Because of the high costs, toxicity, and adverse effects of routinely used compounds in the treatment, alternative treatment and vaccine studies are underway. An effective vaccine has not been developed to date. In this study, we aimed to clone one of the most promising DNA vaccine candidates: the homolog-activated C kinase (LACK) gene of Leishmania infantum., Methods: L. infantum genomic DNA was isolated from promastigote culture. The LACK gene was placed into plasmid pJET1.2. Then, recombinant plasmids were transformed into competent cells. The presence of recombinant plasmids was determined by PCR screening. Cloning was confirmed by PCR, restriction enzyme assays, and finally, DNA sequence analysis, after making miniprep from positive colonies., Results: After performing PCR with LACK-gene specific primers, 939-bp PCR products were observed. Recombinant plasmids, which were transformed into competent Escherichia coli cells, were verified by PCR screening. It was verified by PCR that the recombinant plasmid contained the LACK gene. DNA sequence analysis was performed to obtain the DNA sequence., Conclusion: One of the most promising DNA vaccine candidates against leishmaniasis, the LACK gene, was cloned in this study.

Microorganisms colonize tissues and organs such as the skin and gastrointestinal, respiratory, and genitourinary systems. These microorganisms are generally called as "human microbiota". Human microbiota mostly consists of commensal microorganisms. The commensal microorganisms located on and in the human body are bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and parasites. The microbiota genome is 100 times bigger in size than the human genome. Although the human genome is stationary, microbial genome has a compatible flexible variability during human life. As well as 2-year-old child and newborn, adult and adolescent, the elderly and pregnant woman have a different microbiota. Microbiota and the microbiota genome can be changed by personal and household diet, antibiotic use, mode of delivery, and hygiene within days or even hours, depending on such as these factors. The human immune system and microbiota grow up, develop, and mature as childhood friends by playing with each other from birth to death. Association between microbiota and human is not just related to childhood-it continues with health and disease, until death separates them. This review focused on the roles of microbiota in parasitology, autoimmune diseases, metabolic diseases, and cancer treatment in detail. In addition, inflammatory and immunoregulatory roles of microbiota on the intestinal immune system and how innate and adaptive immune systems regulate microbiota and its content were explained.

Objective: Toxoplasma gondii, which is observed in our country and worldwide, can cause mortality and is an important public health problem because of engaging babies from pregnant women. An effective vaccine against toxoplasmosis has not yet been developed. SAG1 protein is released from the bradyzoites and tachyzoites stages of T. gondii and is important at the pathogenesis of the disease. This study aimed to clone a promising DNA vaccine candidate, SAG1 gene, of T. gondii., Methods: T. gondii genomic DNA was isolated from tachyzoites of T. gondii. SAG1 gene was amplified with specific primers and then cloned into the pJET1.2 vector. Recombinant plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli cells. The presence of recombinant plasmids was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening. Following the purification of the recombinant plasmid from positive colonies, cloning was confirmed by PCR, restriction enzyme assays, and DNA sequence analysis., Results: After PCR with SAG1 gene-specific primers, 1010-bp PCR products were obtained. Recombinant plasmid, which was transformed into competent E. coli cells, was verified by PCR screening. Moreover, PCR verified that the recombinant plasmids contained the SAG1 gene. The DNA sequence was analyzed, and the DNA sequence was obtained., Conclusion: One of the promising DNA vaccine candidates against toxoplasmosis, SAG1 gene, has been cloned.

In this study, a case who starting abundant watery diarrhea on the 14th day of renal transplantation is presented. Stool sample was analyzed for Cryptosporidium spp. by carbol fuchsin staining method, copro-ELISA and nested polimeraze chain reaction (PCR). From sample found positive by Carbol-fuchsin staining method and Copro-ELISA, DNA sequence analysis was performed, gel-purified from amplicon obtained by nested PCR. As a result of DNA sequence analysis was determined to be Cryptosporidium parvum. Although C. parvum is a rare causative agent of gastroenteritis it can be cause serious clinical diarrhea solid organ transplantation patient. As a result, also C.parvum must be considered as a causative agent of diarrhea occurring after organ transplantation.

Objective: Malaria is the primary parasitic cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. As a result of the expansion of international travel in recent years, imported malaria cases especially are increasing in our country. Likewise, while there were more domestic cases earlier in Kayseri, more imported cases were seen in recent years. In our study, the epidemiology of malaria cases between the years of 2001-2013 is intended to be done with the data obtained from the Provincial Health Directorate., Methods: The data was performed retrospectively., Results: Considering the last 12 years of data; a total of 34,459 blood samples were analyzed and 47 of these cases were found to be malaria, 21 cases were domestic and others were imported cases of malaria. P. vivax was detected in all domestic cases. While one of the imported cases have been identified as P. malariae, others were P. falciparum., Conclusion: We believe that our study of the epidemiological data would be beneficial for taking preventive cautions and fight against malaria.

All microsporidia are obligate parasites and have no active stages outside their host cells. Microsporidia lack some typical eukaryotic characteristics. There are now over 1200 species identified in 144 genera. The most familiar stage of microsporidia is the small, highly resistant spore, the size of which differs according to the species and is often 1-10 μm. The general life cycle pattern of the microsporidia can be divided into three phases: the infective or environmental phase, the proliferative phase, and the sporogony or spore-forming phase. There are several methods for diagnosing microsporidia: light microscopic, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunofluorescence assays (IFA) and molecular methods. The clinical course of microsporidiosis depends on the immune status of the host and site of infection. Microsporidia can cause infections such as diarrhoea, keratitis, myositis, bronchitis and brochiolitis. Human microsporidiosis represents an important and rapidly emerging opportunistic disease, occurring mainly, but not exclusively, in severely immunocompromised patients with AIDS. The treatment of microsporidiosis is generally achieved with medications and supportive care. Depending on the site of infection and the microsporidia species involved, different medications are utilized. The most commonly used medications for microsporidiosis include albendazole and fumagillin.

Objective: Different sub-types or genetic variations of Blastocystis sp. are thought to play a role in the differential symptoms caused by the parasite or asymptomatic cases. In this study, it was aimed to clone a fragment of SSUrDNA gene of Blastocystis from a patient in order to define its phylogenetic subtype., Methods: In this study, DNA isolation from the stool of a Blastocystis infected patient was performed. Blastocystis specific primers were used to amplify a SSUrDNA genomic fragment. The amplified DNA fragment was cloned into a plasmid and sequenced using plasmid specific primers. The obtained DNA sequence was analyzed using BLAST and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using the software MEGA., Results: It was found that the Blastocystis isolate in our study is subtype 3., Conclusion: Cloning and sequencing of the target genomic region is suggested for phylogenetic analysis studies.

Objective: Cystic echninococcosis (CE) is an important helmintho-zoonotic disease causing health-threatening and economic losses for developing countries. In this study, anti-Echinococcus granulosus antibodies were evaluated in 1556 CE suspected patients (701 males, 855 females) who applied to the serology laboratory of the Parasitology Department of Erciyes University between June 1999 and July 2010., Methods: Fifty-six (3.6%) patients were evaluated with the three different methods of Indirect Hemagglutination Test (IHA), Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) and Western blot (WB). 378 (24.3%) were tested with both IHA and IFAT, 123 (7.9%) with both IHA and WB,and 999 (64.2%) were evaluated with one of these three methods., Results: In 353 (22.7%) patients, anti-E. granulosus antibodies detected by one of above three methods were considered as positive., Conclusion: Since some patients were assessed either as negative or positive with one of above test, we believe that it should be safer to use at least two tests together for diagnosis of CE.

Object: Malaria is a very important public health problem both for the world and Turkey. In this retrospective study, we investigated malaria using the data provided by The Health Administration of Elazığ and Bingöl between 2005 and 2008., Methods: A total of 2,380 blood smears were examined during this 4-year period and malaria was found in 9 (0.37%) in Elazığ, whereas a total of 11,548 blood smears were examined and malaria was found in 200 (0.02%) in Bingöl., Results: All of the cases were 14 years and over and caused by Plasmodium vivax. All patients were newly arrived cases who had come to Elazığ and Bingöl from other regions for different reasons., Conclusion: We hope that our study contributes to the epidemiology of malaria and its prevention.

Gene cloning refers to the process by which a fragment of DNA is transferred from one organism to a vector. A vector is an agent that can carry a DNA fragment into a host cell. Commonly used vectors include plasmids, lambda phage, cosmid and yeast artificial chromosome (YAC). Plasmid vectors that have been extensively used in genetic engineering are derived from natural plasmids. These contain a genetic marker conferring a phenotype that can be selected for or against and a polylinker or multiple cloning site (MCS), which is a short region containing several commonly used restriction sites allowing the insertion of DNA fragments at this location easily. There are several plasmids and gene cloning kits available nowadays commercially. These kits contain an advanced positive selection system for the highest efficiency cloning of PCR products generated with any DNA polymerase. The kits offer cloning efficiencies of up to 100% positive clones, eliminating the need for tedious colony screening. We consider that researchers should choose the most suitable plasmids and cloning kits for gene cloning in view of factors such as time consumption, cost and individual laboratory options.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite occurring in both animals and humans throughout the world. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii can lead to congenital and acquired disease. Different techniques for the diagnosis of this disease have been used. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of IgG and IgM antibody to Toxoplasma gondii in patients. This study was carried out between 1999 and 2003; antibody titers were detected by ELISA in the sera of 4908 patients. The results showed that 1522 (31.01%) patients were IgG positive, and 38 (0.77%) patients were IgM positive with the ELISA test. Besides this, T. gondii specific IgG antibody was found in 171 (31.09%) newborn patients.

The parasitic trematode Fasciola hepatica is the causative agent of fasciolosis that is common in ruminants especially sheep and cattle and is occasionally found in humans. Fasciolosis has a worldwide distribution including Turkey and causes major economic losses in agricultural industry. Cathepsin L1 is one of the major molecules in the excretory-secretory products of F. hepatica and is involved in tissue penetration, immune evasion and feeding and therefore may be used in vaccination and serological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate cloning and expression of the cathepsin L1 gene of F. hepatica eucaryotic cells. For this purpose, total RNA was extracted from adult F. hepatica. Cathepsin L1 DNA amplicons were obtained with the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The 981 base-coding gene region of cathepsin L1 was amplified using specific primers to the cathepsin L1 gene. Then, the cathepsin L1 gene was cloned into the pCI-neo mammalian expression vector. The presence of the cathepsin L1 gene was confirmed by PCR screening and enzyme digestion assays. So, the resulting recombinant plasmid was named pFhCL1. Afterwards, the pFhCL1 vector was transiently transfected into Vero cells. The presence of the cathepsin L1 proteins was shown by Western immunoblotting.

Malaria is a very important disease both for the world and Turkey. In this retrospective study, we investigated malaria using the data provided by The Health Administration of Elazig between 1996 and 2004. A total of 79,458 blood smears were examined during this 9-year period and malaria was found in 200 (0.25%). Except for one case of foreign origin infected with Plasmodium malaria, all of the cases were caused by Plasmodium vivax. All patients were imported cases who had come to Elazig from other regions for different reasons. We hope that our study contributes to the epidemiology of malaria and its prevention.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease for which immunogenetic susceptibility factors have been defined. The aim of this study was to investigate seroprevalence of Toxocara canis (T. canis) in patients with RA. Forty-five patients with RA who were all diagnosed according to the ACR criteria and 48 health controls were included in this study. The mean age of patients with RA and of controls was 50+/-14 and 49+/-13, respectively. In both groups T. canis IgG antibodies were investigated with ELISA. Toxocara canis seroprevalence in patients with RA (35.6%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (8.3%) (p=0.001). There was no significant difference between patients with RA and control group in terms of behavioral factors (except in frequency of hand washing), demographic and socio-economic factors, while there was a difference in terms of owning dogs and cats or in the duration of ownership. When the patients with RA were divided into seropositive and seronegative, there were no significant differences between both groups in terms of demographic factors, socio-economic factors, behavioral factors, owning dogs and cats or duration of ownership and active or remission state of the illness, duration of disease and disability level in patients with RA (p > 0.05). In view of the present results, it is suggested that Toxocara infection was acquired before RA had developed and that high seroprevalence may result from exposure to pets and soil. It seems that this subject requires further investigations with larger numbers of samples in order to fully evaluate the causes of high seropositivity.