The Prevalence of Giardia Intestinalis in Dyspeptic and Diabetic Patients

Background and Aims. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of Giardiasis in patients with dyspepsia and patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods. 400 patients and 100 healthy persons were included in this clinical prospective study. The number of patients in each group was equal, 200 dyspeptic and 200 diabetic, respectively. The antigen of G. lntestinalis was determined in the stool specimens by ELISA method. Results. The frequency of Giardiasis was 7% in dyspeptic and 15% in diabetic patients. There was no positive results in any of the healthy persons. There was a significant difference in prevalence rate of Giardiasis between patients with dyspepsia and diabetes mellitus (P < 0.05). Conclusions. These results revealed that the prevalence of Giardiasis in dyspepsia and with diabetes mellitus was high in our country. This is the first study investigating the prevalence of Giardiasis in diabetic patients. To investigate Giardiasis in diabetic patients, who have dyspepsia or not, may be a good approach for public health

Results of Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay to Identify Urethritis Pathogens

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test applied to identify the pathogens in male patients who attended our urology clinic with a pre-diagnosis of urethritis related with sexual intercourse. Materials and Methods: In this study, we included a total of 91 male patients, who sought medical advice in our clinic between August 2015 and October 2016 due to complaints of urethral discharge, dysuria and urethral itching, having a visible urethral discharge during the physical examination or a positive leukocyte esterase test (Combur-Test®-Roche) in the first urine sample. In the urethral swab samples of these patients, urethritis pathogens were searched with a multiplex PCR test. The multiplex PCR kit, which is able to identify nine pathogens and produced by PathoFinder® (Holland), was used in the process. The pathogens that could be detected by the kit were Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Gardnerella vaginalis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Treponema pallidum, and Candida albicans. Results: The average age of the subjects was 35.1 (19-57) years. Sixty one out of 91 patients (67%) were found to have a pathogen in the urethral swab sample. In 45 patients (49.4%), only one pathogen, in 12 (13.1%) - two different pathogens and in 4 (4.3%) patients, 3 different pathogens were detected. The pathogens found were as follows: Ureaplasma urealyticum in 22 patients (27.1%), Gardnerella vaginalis in 15 (18.6%), Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 13 (16.1%), Mycoplasma genitalium (10 patients; 12.3%), Mycoplasma hominis (8 patients; 9.9%), Chlamydia trachomatis (8 patients; 9.9%), Trichomonas vaginalis (3 patients; 3.8%), and Candida albicans (2 patients; 2.4%). None of the patients were identified with Treponema pallidum. None of the pathogens were identified in 30 patients (32.9%) whose samples were examined by PCR method. Conclusion: Sexually transmitted pathogens that are quite difficult to identify and that cause urethritis are possibly defined with only one swab sample in a short time using multiplex PCR method providing new possibilities and scopes for the diagnosis

Screening for latent tuberculosis in children with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy: Comparison of tuberculin skin and T-SPOT tuberculosis tests

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the coherence between T-SPOT tuberculosis test (T-SPOT.TB) and tuberculin skin test (TST) with different cut-off values in screening latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) both prior to and at the sixth month of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) treatment.Patients and methods: This prospective multicentric study included 57 children (34 girls, 23 boys, mean age 12.4 +/- 3.9 years; range, 6 to 18 years) diagnosed with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) evaluated with TST and T-SPOT.TB for screening LTBI both prior to and at the sixth month of treatment with anti-TNF agents. Coherence between two tests was analyzed for TST cut-off values suggested by the local guidelines and also for different possible cut-off values of TST.Results: Tuberculin skin test was positive (>= 5 mm) in 28.1% (n=16) of patients in the screening prior to treatment and in 33.3% (n=19) at the sixth month of treatment. T-SPOT.TB test was positive in 8.8% (n=5) of patients both prior to and at the sixth month of treatment. Coherence between two tests was poor or fair when compared with all possible TST cut-off values both prior to and at the sixth month of anti-TNF therapy.Conclusion: Our results show poor coherence between T-SPOT.TB and TST for all possible cut- off values of TST. Thus, using both tests would be beneficial in screening LTBI until further studies bring new evidence on the subject