Search

Objective: Our country has limited data on protective antibody levels following primary tetanus immunization. In this study, we planned to evaluate the tetanus antibody seroprevalence of healthcare workers in our hospital according to age and occupational groups. Methods: Tetanus antibody levels were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Antibody results were obtained through the hospital operating system, and the tetanus antibody level ≥0.5 IU/mL was considered seropositive. Results: 77.5% of 2082 healthcare workers were seropositive. According to age groups, the highest seropositivity was between 20-29; the lowest seropositivity was found in individuals over 50 years of age and over (66.3%). We determined that tetanus antibody protection decreased with age (p=0.03). There was no difference between tetanus seropositivity according to occupational groups. Conclusion: Antibody levels of tetanus decrease with age, and protection decreases significantly, especially over 50 years of age. It is important to apply a booster dose every ten years following the primary vaccine schedule in tetanus immunization.

Central nervous system (CNS) infections are inflammation of the brain meninges and parenchyma that can develop with many different microorganisms. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are important in the survival of patients. In our study, it was aimed to examine the clinical features of the patients followed up with the diagnosis of CNS infection.The data of 98 patients diagnosed with community acquired CNS infection in Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital between February 2013 and December 2020 were evaluated retrospectively.Of the 98 patients diagnosed with CNS infection, 62 % (61) were male, mean age was 53.5±7.4 years. According to the classification, 43 (44 %) of the patients were acute bacterial meningitis, 38 (39 %) aseptic meningitis encephalitis, eight (8 %) tuberculous meningitis, five (5 %) brain abscess, and four (4 %) fungal meningitis. A predisposing factor was observed in 80 % of patients with brain abscess, 50 % of patients with fungal meningitis, and 31% of patients diagnosed with acute bacterial meningitis. Streptococcus pneumoniae (14 %), Escherichia coli (7 %) and Listeria monocytogenes (7 %) were most commonly grown in the cerebrospinal fluid culture of the acute bacterial meningitis patient group. In the aseptic meningitis encephalitis group, the most frequently isolated agent was VZV (18 %), followed by HSV type 1 (5 %) and HSV type 2 (5 %). Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated in all patients followed up with the diagnosis of fungal meningitis. Complications developed 50 % of the patients followed up with tuberculous meningitis.In our study, S.pneumoniae was most common in patients with acute bacterial meningitis and VZV was most common in patients with aseptic meningitis-encephalitis. Our findings will guide the management of patients with CNS infection., Santral sinir sistemi (SSS) infeksiyonları farklı birçok mikroorganizma ile gelişebilen, beyin meninks ve parankiminin enflamasyonu ile karakterize hastalıklardır. Hastaların sağ kalımında erken tanı ve etkin tedavi uygulanması önem arz etmektedir. Çalışmamızda SSS infeksiyonu tanısıyla takip edilen hastaların klinik özelliklerinin irdelenmesi amaçlanmıştır.Ümraniye Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi’nde ve Fatih Sultan Mehmet Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi’nde Şubat 2013 ve Aralık 2020 yılları arasında toplum kökenli SSS infeksiyonu tanısı konan 98 hastanın verileri retrospektif olarak değerlendirilmiştir.SSS infeksiyonu tanısı konan 98 hastanın % 62’sinin (61) erkek, yaş ortalamasının 53,5±7,4 olduğu görülmüştür. Yapılan sınıflamaya göre hastaların 43’ü (% 44) akut bakteriyel menenjit, 38’i (% 39) aseptik menenjit ensefalit, sekizi (% 8) tüberküloz menenjiti, beşi (% 5) beyin absesi, dördü (% 4) fungal menenjit tanısı almıştır. Beyin absesi tanılı hastaların % 80’inde, fungal menenjit tanılı hastaların % 50’sinde, akut bakteriyel menenjit tanısı konan hastaların % 31’inde predispozan bir faktör olduğu görülmüştür. Akut bakteriyel menenjit hasta grubunun beyin omurilik sıvısı kültüründe en sık Streptococcus pneumoniae (% 14), Escherichia coli (% 7) ve Listeria monocytogenes (% 7) üremiştir. Aseptik menenjit ensefalit grubunda ise en sık belirlenen etken VZV (% 18) ardından HSV tip 1 (% 5) ve HSV tip 2 (% 5) olmuştur. Fungal menenjit tanısı ile takip edilen hastaların hepsinde Cryptococcus neoformans izole edilmiştir. Tüberküloz menenjiti ile takip edilen hastaların % 50’sinde komplikasyon gelişmiştir.Çalışmamızda, akut bakteriyel menenjit hastalarında en sık S.pneumoniae, aseptik menenjit-ensefalit hastalarında da en sık VZV izole edilmiştir. Bulgularımız SSS infeksiyonu tanılı hastaların yönetiminde yol gösterici olacaktır.