Effect of high aluminum concentration in water resources on human health, case study: Biga Peninsula, northwest part of Turkey

Widespread and intense zones of silicified, propylitic, and argillic alteration exist as outcrop around the Biga Peninsula, NW Turkey. Most of the springs in the study area surface out from these altered volcanic rocks. The concentrations of aluminum (Al) in these springs ranged from 13.17 to 15.70 ppm in this region. These high levels of Al were found to exceed the maximum allowable limits (0.2 ppm) depicted in national and international standards of drinking water quality. Therefore, the effect of high Al in water resources on human health was evaluated in this research. A total of 273 people aged above 18 years and living in the Kirazli region (whose water supply is from springs emerging from these alteration zones) and in the Ciplak-Halileli region (whose water supply is provided from an alluvium aquifer) were selected as the research group. For this group, a questionnaire was completed that contained questions on descriptive characteristics of humans and a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered by the authors using the face-to-face interview technique. A neurological examination was then performed by the neurology specialist as a second-stage investigation. Finally, 10 ml of venous blood samples were obtained from these people as a third-stage analysis to determine the serum Al levels together with vitamin B12, folic acid, and thyroid-stimulating hormone parameters. The result typically revealed that the MMSE score was less in 31.9% and there was no statistically significant difference between the two regions. However, the result also showed that neuropathy in the history (including a careful past medical history) was significantly higher in the Kirazli region. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.TÜBA; TÜBİTA

Reexamination of an outbreak after fortyseven years: Key lessons from the Sagmalcılar outbreak, 1970

In October of 1970, approximately 1,500 people were ill and 52 people died of a cholera outbreak in Sağmalcılar, Istanbul. The outbreak spread over a wide area, carried through the old waterways passing under the garbage-laden areas near the Habipler village and the open waterways in the region of Esenler, Sagmalcilar. The spread of the disease was stopped at the end of October. During this outbreak, all patients were followed up, isolated and treated by the local healthcare workers. A wide range of immunization studies were conducted and water resources and open water zones were chlorinated. The sale of unbottled water, soft drinks and ice in the region was forbidden, and the dead, as well as cemetery grounds were limed. The houses where outbreaks had occurred were marked with yellow papers. In this study, periodical newspapers, related works and official reports of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey were used as resources. In this article, valuable lessons from the Sagmalcilar outbreak were presented and discussed through an analysis of the studies conducted during this epidemic.Key words: Cholera, epidemic, Istanbul, Turkey </p

Halk Sağlığı bakışıyla Toxoplasma gondii/Toxoplasma gondii With Public Health’s Perspective

Toksoplazmoz dünyada en yaygın zoonoz hastalıklardan birisidir. Son yıllarda yapılan çalışmalar, farklı sağlık sorunlarının ortaya çıkışında da etkenin sorumlu olabileceği yönündedir. Toksoplazmoz gibi zoonoz hastalıkların azaltılmasında, kontrolünde ve bu hastalıklara karşı korunmada her ülkenin ve her bölgenin sosyo-kültürel yapısı gözönüne alınarak çiğ et-sebze-meyve tüketimi, el hijyeni, hayvan besleme alışkanlıklarını gözden geçirecek, tıp ve veteriner bilimlerinin ortak çalışmalarını içeren tek sağlık anlayışına ihtiyaç vardır. Bu yazıda, Dünyada ve Türkiye’de birçok bölgede önemli fakat bir o kadar da göz ardı edilen Toxoplasma gondii epidemiyolojisi ile ilgili güncel bilgilerin sunulması ve enfeksiyondan korunma ve kontrolde önemli olan koruyucu halk sağlığı yaklaşımlarının paylaşılması amaçlanmıştır.</p

Is Single Measurement Enough to Get a Reliable Result with Optical Coherence Tomography?

Pur po se: To evaluate the repeatability and reliability of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Ma te ri al and Met hod: Two hundred sixty-six eyes of 135 subjects (glaucoma, glaucoma suspects and healthy) were included in this study. Three sequential inferior, superior, nasal and temporal RNFL thickness measurements were performed using Spectral OCT [Opko/OTI, Inc., Miami, FL] by one operator at one session without pupillary dilatation. The differences between these three measurements of each quadrant in each eye were compared in microns and percentages. Repeated measures analysis of variance was performed for statistical analysis. Reliability is measured by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each quadrant. Re sults: ICCs of all quadrants ranged between 0.77 and 0.92, with the measurements of nasal quadrant being the least reproducible and the inferior being the most reproducible of all quadrants. RNFL measurement errors over 20% were seen in 9.63% of nasal quadrant, 5.3% of temporal quadrant, 0.6% of superior quadrant and only 0.3% of inferior quadrant measurements. Dis cus si on: In order to get more repeatable and reliable results with OCT, sequential measurements more than one should be considered. We believe that special attention is required in the analysis of data of nasal and temporal quadrants. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2012; 42: 11-5

THE RELATION OF GEOGENIC AND ANTROPHOGENIC FACTORS WITH BLOOD AND HAIR LEAD AND ARSENIC LEVELS IN WOMEN LIVING IN CAN AND BAYRAMIC DISTRICTS OF CANAKKALE PROVINCE

Objective: Mining areas and associated industrial activities carry considerable risks for human health due to multi-pathway exposure of heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. The objective of this study was to compare arsenic and lead levels it human blood and hair samples in all industrial mining area in northwestern Turkey with that of non-exposed group demonstrating similar sociocultural characteristics

THE PREVALANCE OF EPILEPSY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS IN CANAKKALE, TURKEY

WOS: 000354229700003PubMed: 26058237The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of epilepsy among students of the Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. This cross sectional epidemiological study was performed on 4762 of 19,988 Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University students in the academic year 2007-2008. Participants that answered "epilepsy" to the question "Do you have any disease diagnosed by a doctor?" in a questionnaire including 4 subgroups were identified. Data were transferred to the Epi-Info Version 6.0 statistics program and controlled data were analyzed in the SPSS 15.0 statistics program. There were 53.1% of female and 46.9% of male students, mean age 20.4 +/- 2.1 (range 17-43) years. Twelve (0.25%) students had epilepsy diagnosis, eight (66.7%) female and four (33.3%) male, mean age 20.8 +/- 1.8 years. In our study, epilepsy was detected in 0.25% of students (n=12). Age specific prevalence studies related to epilepsy epidemiology are extremely rare, especially in university students with average intelligence. Thus, we considered that it would be epidemiologically significant to share the results of our cross sectional study with all those involved in epilepsy epidemiology and management

Associated factors affecting the quality of life of the elderly

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate factors affecting the quality of life of people aged 65 and over, living in the center of Çanakkale province. Method: The sample size in this cross-sectional study was determined as 961. 1001 participants were reached and data was collected using a face-to-face interview technique and questionnaires. Results: Following univariate analyses of the data, it was found that the following variables reduced the EUROHIS scores of the respondents: regretting the past, not accomplishing previous life goals, not being hopeful for the future, experiencing a fall in the last six months, having at least one chronic illness diagnosed by a physician requiring the long-term use of the medication, decrease in income status and dependence on activities within daily life. Conclusions: Longitudinal studies have been initiated, in cooperation with local authorities, in order to improve the quality of life of the elderly. These studies will follow up the biopsychosocial aspects of risk factors which reduce the quality of life of elderly individuals in our study group. Further investigations at the local and national levels will contribute to the implementation of the necessary interventions to address the unique needs of the elderly population