Search

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most important public health problem and one of the most critical steps in preventing resistance is the monitorization of the resistance. Local, regional and global monitoring enables the spread of antibiotic resistance to be understood more clearly. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the results of the pilot study for the establishment of molecular-based carbapenem surveillance system in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and to investigate the carbapenemase epidemiology in Turkey. Hospitals (n= 28) from 26 different statistical level II regions from Turkey were included in the study. The hospitals participated in the study submitted ten carbapenem susceptible and ten carbapenem resistant E.coli and K.pneumoniae isolates to our laboratory that were isolated in two different periiods of six-month either between 1 March-31 August or 1 April-30 September 2019. A total of 509 isolates were collected from 26 of the 28 participating hospitals in the study. Isolates were identified by matrix assisted laser desorptionization-time of flight mass spectrophotometry (MALDI TOF MS) (Bruker Daltonics, Germany) method and antibiotic susceptibility tests for imipenem, meropenem and colistin were studied by broth microdilution. Moreover, susceptibilities to amikacin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, aztreonam, cefepime, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, ertapenem, gentamicin, piperacillin-tazobactam, tobramycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were determined by disc diffusion method. The resistance genes were investigated in isolates which were found to be phenotypically resistant to carbapenem and colistin, in house method was used to investigate carbapenemase genes and a commercial colistin resistant real-time PCR kit (Biospeedy, Turkey) was used for colistin resistance genes. In total, 493 of the 509 isolates collected from hospitals were identified as E.coli (25.7%, n= 127) and K.pneumoniae (74.3%, n= 366) and included in the study. It was determined that 31% of the isolates evaluated were from community-acquired infections and 69% were either from healthcare-associated infections or from colonization sites. Among the tested isolates, 248 (50.3%) were susceptible to carbapenems and 245 (49.7%) were resistant. The types of carbapenemases in carbapenemase-producing isolates were OXA-48 (52.2%), KPC (16.1%), NDM-1 (15%), OXA-48 + NDM-1 (12.6%), KPC + NDM-1 (2.8%) and VIM (0.5%) and OXA-48+VIM (0.5%). Resistance to colistin was detected in 23.3% of the isolates but mcr1-8 genes were not detected. It was found that all colistin resistant isolates are resistant to at least one of the carbapenems. The importance of a molecular-based antimicrobial resistance surveillance system in our country was demonstrated with this pilot study. It is thought that continuous monitoring of these epidemiological features will contribute to the management of infections due to carbapenemase-producing organisms.

Purpose: Noroviruses are important agents of gastroenteritis worldwide in every age group. There is no large countrywide dataset available for norovirus infections in Turkey. This is the first investigation of noroviruses in Canakkale, and we aimed to compare commercial ELISA and real time RT-PCR assays in clinical use. Material and Methods: Fecal samples from 92 clinical gastroenteritis cases were collected and stored at -20 and deg;C. Norovirus antigen was investigated using RidaScreen ELISA and norovirus GI and GII molecular detection made with RealStar Norovirus RT-PCR kit 2.0. Results: We found that 16 (17.4%) samples were positive for norovirus in our study group. Using ELISA, 10 samples were positive from 92 samples. In PCR analysis, internal control amplification failed for four samples. We found 15 of 88 samples positive for real time RT-PCR analysis; of these one was GI and 14 were GII. When we accepted PCR as the reference test, the sensitivity and specificity of ELISA were calculated as 60% and 98% respectively. Conclusion: Single cases of norovirus infection can be seen even in rural cities like Canakkale. There is a need to set up diagnostic capabilities for norovirus infections. ELISA has a low sensitivity, but this method is cheaper than RT-PCR and is not affected by PCR inhibitors. [Cukurova Med J 2016; 41(3.000): 533-538]

Primary infections caused by rubella and cytomegalovirus (CMV) can lead to serious complications in pregnancy. Rubella and CMV screening of pregnant women is not routinely carried out in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of rubella and cytomegalovirus among pregnant women. The study was carried out in Samsun Maternity and Women's Disease and Pediatrics Hospital in Samsun province, Turkey. Between September 2004 and September 2005, 600 pregnant women aged 17-40 years were enrolled in this study. The results of the antenatal screening for rubella and CMV during the first trimester of pregnancy were evaluated. Anti-IgG against rubella seropositivity was found in 566 (94.3%) and rubella IgM seropositivity in 10 (1.7%). The positivity for anti-CMV IgG antibody was found in 584 (97.3%), while 6 (1.0%) were positive for the anti-CMV IgM antibody. Pregnant women seronegative for rubella and CMV are susceptible to rubella and CMV primary infections. Preventive measures must be taken to decrease the mortality and morbidity related to congenital rubella and CMV infections. The rubella status should be investigated before pregnancy and seronegative females can be advised vaccination.

The destruction made by nuclear, biological and chemical weapons used by governments and terrorist groups in the near history is posing anxiety and fear for human being. Rumour about the possible use of these agents leads to the development of serious negative effects on populations. Since there are no vaccine and therapy for most viral agents and cost of production as biological weapons is low, interest rate is rising for viruses. In this review, general characteristics, diagnosis, therapy and protective measures for viral agents such as variola virus, hemorrhagic fever viruses, encephalitis viruses, Hantaviruses and Nipah viruses, those can be used as biological weapon, have been summarized.