Serum Neopterin and Procalcitonin Levels in Relationship with Pediatric Burn Wound Infections

Infection and septic complications in burn patients can be monitored by procalcitonin (PCT) and neopterin plasma values. The aim of the study was to investigate serum neopterin and PCT levels with WBC (white blood cell) and CRP (C-reactive protein) levels in patient group (PG) and healthy control group (HCG) and to investigate the relationship of these markers with burn wound infections (BWI). As the PG, 23 patients between 0–12 ages and up to 30% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) burned and 15 HCG were included. PCT, neopterin, WBC, and CRP results on the first, the seventh, the fourteenth and the 21st day have been compared. During the follow-up period, 11 patients with BWI and 12 patients without BWI were classified as infected and non-infected patients, respectively. PCT and neopterin levels were detected higher in patients with BWI but no significant difference were present. Also, PCT and neopterin levels within the first 24 hours following the burn were detected higher in PG than HCG. CRP and WBC levels were detected high due to burn trauma. PCT and neopterin levels were increased in patients with BWI. PCT levels were increased during the pre-infectious period, while neopterin levels increased during the post-infectious period

Problems encountered in conventional HIV 1/2 Algorithms: lack of necessity for immunoblot assays to confirm repeated ELISA reactive results

Background: The use of conventional (serologically based) HIV 1/2 diagnostic algorithms has become controversial in recent years.Objectives: Sera from patients who underwent verification tests were evaluated because repeated ELISA-reactive results demonstrated a HIV1+HIV2 positive band pattern.Methods: The line immunoassay (LIA) test was used for repeated HIV enzyme immunoassays (EIA)-reactive sera in patients at three centers. The Bio-Rad Geenius™ HIV 1/2 and the HIV-1 RNA tests were used. HIV-1 and RNA HIV-2 were investigated using PCR.Results: LIA was used to evaluate 3,224 out of 10,591 samples with repeated ELISA reactivity (30%). We found that 32 (1%) of the sera, along with HIV1 bands and HIV2 gp36 bands, were positive. Only 28 of the 32 verified serum samples with gp36 bands were repeated, and no gp36 band positivity was detected using the Bio-Rad Geenius™ HIV-1/2 confirmatory assay in these serum samples. The HIV-2 proviral DNAs were also negative. Therefore, we excluded the possibility of HIV1+2 co-infection. All samples from the 32 patients were positive for HIV-1 RNA.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need to exclude confirmatory tests like the LIA test from the current diagnostic HIV algorithm and replace it with rapid HIV-1 and HIV-2 confirmatory immunochromotographic tests.Keywords: HIV, AIDS, HIV-2

Problems encountered in conventional HIV 1/2 Algorithms: lack of necessity for immunoblot assays to confirm repeated ELISA reactive results

Background: The use of conventional (serologically based) HIV 1/2 diagnostic algorithms has become controversial in recent years. Objectives: Sera from patients who underwent verification tests were evaluated because repeated ELISA-reactive results demonstrated a HIV1+HIV2 positive band pattern. Methods: The line immunoassay (LIA) test was used for repeated HIV enzyme immunoassays (EIA)-reactive sera in patients at three centers. The Bio-Rad Geenius\u2122 HIV 1/2 and the HIV-1 RNA tests were used. HIV-1 and RNA HIV-2 were investigated using PCR. Results: LIA was used to evaluate 3,224 out of 10,591 samples with repeated ELISA reactivity (30%). We found that 32 (1%) of the sera, along with HIV1 bands and HIV2 gp36 bands, were positive. Only 28 of the 32 verified serum samples with gp36 bands were repeated, and no gp36 band positivity was detected using the Bio-Rad Geenius\u2122 HIV-1/2 confirmatory assay in these serum samples. The HIV-2 proviral DNAs were also negative. Therefore, we excluded the possibility of HIV1+2 co-infection. All samples from the 32 patients were positive for HIV-1 RNA. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need to exclude confirmatory tests like the LIA test from the current diagnostic HIV algorithm and replace it with rapid HIV-1 and HIV-2 confirmatory immunochromotographic tests

Bacillus Cereus Catheter-Related Bacteremia in a Patient Diagnosed with Neuroblastoma

Bacillus species can be found in air, water, soil, feces, and particularly in the normal flora of patients with a prolonged length of hospitalization. Therefore, isolation of these microorganisms from clinical samples is a common condition and usually regarded as contaminants. Previously, Bacillus cereus has been rarely associated with infections, but in the last few years, it has been reported with increasing frequency as the bacterial pathogen in patients with intravenous drug abuse, trauma, immunodeficiency syndrome, immunosuppressed patients with a history of underlying malignancy and granulocytopenia. In this study, we present a 3-months-old baby girl who was presented to a private health center with a complaint of not sucking well enough. After clinical examination she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma stage 4 S, metastasis was detected in the liver and bone marrow and surrenalectomy and 14 cures of chemotherapy were applied to the patient. Patient was discharged from the hospital with a permanent tunneled catheter, but she returned to the pediatric emergency department with high fever. After laboratory tests she was diagnosed with febrile neutropenia and ceftazidime and amikacin treatment was started. Ceftazidime treatment was stopped after the isolation of B. cereus from peripheral and catheter blood cultures of the patient and teicoplanin treatment was started. Permanent tunneled catheter was removed under anesthesia, and this suggested the case as a catheter-originated bacteremia after reducing fever of the patient. As a result, we suggest that B. cereus isolation in blood cultures could not everytime mean contamination, and B. cereus may cause catheter-related infections in immunosuppressed patients