Transmission route and reasons for HIV testing among recently diagnosed HIV patients in HIV-TR cohort, 2011-2012

Introduction: Routes of transmission and reasons for HIV testing are important epidemiologic data to analyze the epidemic and to tailor the response to AIDS. The aim of this study was to analyze reasons for testing and transmission ways of HIV among recently diagnosed HIV patients registered in the multicenter HIV-TR cohort in Turkey. Methods: Transmission ways and reasons for testing of all patients diagnosed in 2011 and 2012 were recorded on a web-based data collection system and were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The study included 693 patients (561 male, 132 female) from 24 sites. Reason for HIV testing was available in 640 patients (92%). The most common reason for HIV testing was diagnostic workout for other conditions or illness followed by patient-initiated testing. The reasons for testing were listed in Table 1. The most common routes of HIV transmission were heterosexual intercourse (62.7%) and sex among men who have sex with men (MSM) (22.6%). At the time of HIV diagnosis, the mean CD4 lymphocyte cell count was 355/mm3 (3–1433/mm3). Primary HIV infection was determined in 42/693 (6%) patients and 9/693 (% 1, 2) cases were considered “probable primary HIV infection.” The majority of the cases presented to a clinic for follow-up right after the diagnosis. On the other hand 32/616 (5.2%) patients delayed their presentation for more than 3 months. The longest delay was 11 months. Conclusions: The results of the database suggest that targeted testing is lacking in the country. The shift toward homosexual transmission during the last 2 years emphasizes the need for targeted interventions. Patients present relatively late and HIV infection could only be diagnosed when immunosuppression related findings appeared. Patient-initiated testing,an indicator of awareness, was very low suggesting a need to scale-up awareness raising interventions

Trends and factors associated with modification or discontinuation of the initial antiretroviral regimen during the first year of treatment in the Turkish HIV-TR Cohort, 2011-2017

Background: There is limited evidence on the modification or stopping of antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens, including novel antiretroviral drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the discontinuation of first ART before and after the availability of better tolerated and less complex regimens by comparing the frequency, reasons and associations with patient characteristics

Efficacy of oral ribavirin treatment in Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever: A quasi-experimental study from Turkey

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral ribavirin treatment in patients with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)

Comparative Evaluation of In Vitro Activities of Carbapenemes Against Gram-Negative Pathogens: Turkish Data of COMPACT Study

WOS: 000291333900001PubMed ID: 21644063The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro activities of doripenem, imipenem, and meropenem against clinical gram-negative isolates. A total of 596 clinical isolates were obtained from intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients in 10 centers over Turkey between September-December 2008. The origin of the isolates was patients with nosocomial pneumonia (42.4%), bloodstream infections (%40.4), and complicated intraabdominal infections (17.1%). Of the isolates, 51.8% were obtained from ICU patients. The study isolates consisted of Pseudomonas spp. in 49.8%, Enterobacteriaceae in 40.3%, and other gram-negative agents in 9.9%. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for doripenem, imipenem and meropenem were determined for all isolates in each center using Etest (R) strips (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden). Of the isolates, 188 (31.5%) were resistant to at least one of the carbapenems. MIC(50) of doripenem against Pseudomonas spp. was 1 mg/L which was similar to that of meropenem and two-fold lower than imipenem. Susceptibility to carbapenems in P.aeruginosa was 64% for doripenem at an MIC level of 2 mg/L, 53.9% and 63% for imipenem and meropenem at an MIC level of 4 mg/L, respectively. Doripenem and meropenem showed similar activity with the MIC(90) of 0.12 mg/L whereas imipenem was four-fold less active at 0.5 mg/L. Against other gram-negative pathogens, mostly Acinetobacter spp., MIC(50) was 8 mg/L for doripenem and 32 mg/L for other two carbapenems. P.aeruginosa isolates were inhibited 84.2% with doripenem and 72.1% with meropenem at the MIC level of 8 mg/L. Doripenem generally showed similar or slightly better activity than meropenem and better activity than imipenem against pathogens collected in this study. Against Pseudomonas spp., doripenem was the most active of the three carbapenems. Doripenem and meropenem were equally active against Enterobacteriaceae and at least four-fold more active than imipenem. It was concluded that doripenem seemed to be a promising agent in the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia, blood stream infections and intraabdominal infections particularly in patients who were under risk of developing antimicrobial resistance

Comparative Evaluation of In Vitro Activities of Carbapenemes Against Gram-Negative Pathogens: Turkish Data of COMPACT Study

The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro activities of doripenem, imipenem, and meropenem against clinical gram-negative isolates. A total of 596 clinical isolates were obtained from intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients in 10 centers over Turkey between September-December 2008. The origin of the isolates was patients with nosocomial pneumonia (42.4%), bloodstream infections (%40.4), and complicated intraabdominal infections (17.1%). Of the isolates, 51.8% were obtained from ICU patients. The study isolates consisted of Pseudomonas spp. in 49.8%, Enterobacteriaceae in 40.3%, and other gram-negative agents in 9.9%. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for doripenem, imipenem and meropenem were determined for all isolates in each center using Etest (R) strips (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden). Of the isolates, 188 (31.5%) were resistant to at least one of the carbapenems. MIC(50) of doripenem against Pseudomonas spp. was 1 mg/L which was similar to that of meropenem and two-fold lower than imipenem. Susceptibility to carbapenems in P.aeruginosa was 64% for doripenem at an MIC level of 2 mg/L, 53.9% and 63% for imipenem and meropenem at an MIC level of 4 mg/L, respectively. Doripenem and meropenem showed similar activity with the MIC(90) of 0.12 mg/L whereas imipenem was four-fold less active at 0.5 mg/L. Against other gram-negative pathogens, mostly Acinetobacter spp., MIC(50) was 8 mg/L for doripenem and 32 mg/L for other two carbapenems. P.aeruginosa isolates were inhibited 84.2% with doripenem and 72.1% with meropenem at the MIC level of 8 mg/L. Doripenem generally showed similar or slightly better activity than meropenem and better activity than imipenem against pathogens collected in this study. Against Pseudomonas spp., doripenem was the most active of the three carbapenems. Doripenem and meropenem were equally active against Enterobacteriaceae and at least four-fold more active than imipenem. It was concluded that doripenem seemed to be a promising agent in the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia, blood stream infections and intraabdominal infections particularly in patients who were under risk of developing antimicrobial resistance