Is the Incidence of Clostridium difficile in Nosocomial Diarrhoea Underestimated?

Introduction: Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive, obligatory anaerobe, spore-forming microorganism, which is highly associated with nosocomial infections. In our hospital and our country, the incidence of nosocomial diarrhoea and C. difficile-associated nosocomial diarrhoea rates are not clear. Determining the C. difficile-associated nosocomial diarrhoea incidence, reviewing the current resistance status of C. difficile, and evaluating diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this pathogen were the major aims of the present study

Bioactive Components and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Rhus coriaria, a Sumac Species found in Turkey

Objective:In our study, it was aimed to analyze the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts of the fruits of Rhus coriaria L. (sumac) species collected from Gaziantep.Methods:Ethanol extracts of 80% (R2) and 100% (R3) were prepared from Rhus coriaria fruits. Chemical analysis of the extracts were performed by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry method, their antioxidant activities were investigated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, and their antimicrobial activity was investigated using broth microdilution method.Results:In the chemical analysis of R2 and R3 extracts, fumaric acid, an organic acid with the highest concentration, was found at concentrations of 31076.55 and 23348.37 mg/kg, respectively. While the phenolic components with the highest concentration in R2 were observed as hyperoside (622.24 mg/kg), ellagic acid (343.63 mg/kg) and p-coumaric acid (182.91 mg/kg), the phenolic components with the highest concentration in R3 were observed as ellagic acid (607.30 mg/kg), hyperoside (440.41 mg/kg) and p-coumaric acid (178.61 mg/kg). In antioxidant activities of R2 and R3 extracts, DPPH free radical scavenging activities were found to be 70.78%±0.002% and 11.19±0.001%, respectively. Antimicrobial activities of R2 and R3 extracts were found to be 125 and <3.9 µg/ mL in S. aureus strain ATCC 25923, 15.625 and 31.25µg/mL in A. baumannii strain ATCC 19606, 62.5 µg/mL in H. pylori strain ATCC 43504, 62.5 µg/mL in C. glabrata strain ATCC 2001, <3.9 µg/mL in C. albicans strain ATCC 66027, respectively.Conclusion:The higher antioxidant activity in the R2 extract obtained from R. coriaria fruits grown in our country may be due to the higher phenolic component content compared to the R3 extract. It is thought that the more effective antimicrobial activity detected in the R3 extract may be due to the higher amount of ellagic acid compared to the R2 extract

First Case-Control Study of Intestinal Parasites in Follow-up Schizophrenia Patients: Are We Overlooking the Role of These Agents?

Introduction: Disability and decrease in the quality of life owing to the nature of schizophrenia are considered factors that predispose patients to parasitic infections. This study aimed to investigate intestinal parasites in schizophrenia and healthy volunteers with similar age-gender data and to contribute to the literature and/or clinical practice by determining the underlying cause of gastrointestinal complaints (such as side effects of psychiatric drugs or overlooked parasitic infection) in patients with schizophrenia