An infectiological approach to gall bladder and biliary tract infections

Infections of the biliary tract are diseases that cause high morbidity and mortality in case of the lack of right and timely intervention. It is not suprising to see that some bacteria, which have multi-drug resistance, are causative agents for infections of biliary tract due to the overuse of broad- spectrum antibiotics in the community during the recent years. Properly determining the risk group, carrying out rapid diagnostic intervention in case of necessity, isolating the causative agent and appropriate antibiotic usage for these infections would be lifesaving. The aim of this article is to take a look at the diagnostic and therapeutic methods of infections of the biliary tract from the past till today and review the antibotic resistance among etiologic agents and difficulties in the management

Multiple sclerosis-like clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings in human immunodeficiency virus positive-case

Objective: Neurologic complications may develop during the course of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Differential diagnosis of the chronic progressive myelopathy related to human immunodeficiency virus must include multiple sclerosis

Biliary Tract Infections: Causative Agents and Analysis of Risk Factors for Infections With Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Objective: In order to manage the antimicrobial treatment of patients with cholangitis/cholecystitis properly, it is very important to predict the potential causative pathogens arid their antimicrobial resistance patterns. The aim of this study is to provide data for empirical treatment approaches by identifying the causative agents of biliary tract infections and their antimicrobial susceptibilities, and the risk factors in patients infected with drug-resistant microorganism

Comparison of microbiological results of superficial swab cultures vs deep tissue samples and aspiration fluids cultures in patients with chronic osteomyelitis and prosthetic joint infections

Prosthetic joint infections and chronic osteomyelitis are hard to treat infections, generally requiring surgical intervention with a high morbidity and financial cost. Besides surgical interventions, at least six-eight weeks of antibiotherapy is required. The cost of antibiotherapy, hospitalization and side effects which are requiring laboratory studies are high. The real etiologic agent is to be identified as much as possible, providing rational therapy. Rational therapy, even, can effect the type of surgical intervention. In this study, microbiologic results of superficial swabs were compared with the results of deep tissue cultures (tru-cut biopsy and/or curettage materials). A total of 107 patients, 58 women (54%) and 49 men (46%), were included. Of 107 patients, 54 (50.5%) had prosthetic joint infection and 53 (49.5%) had chronic osteomyelitis. While in 77 patients the etiologic agent was identified, it was not identified in one third of the cases. Of the agents identified, 59 (76%) were Gram-positive cocci, 19 (24%) were Gram-negative bacilli. Gram-positive cocci were identified in 32 (86.5%) cases of prosthetic joint infection, and in 27 (65.8%) cases of chronic osteomyelitis. 93.2% of Gram-positive cocci was staphylococci. In 66 patients (61.7%) there was a discordance between the culture results of superficial swabs and deep tissue/pus materials. In 37 (34.6%) patients, an agent was identified in deep tissue/pus material, but not in superficial swab cultures. In nine (8.4%) patients, no agent was identified in tissue/pus culture but identified in superficial swab culture. In 20 (18.7%) patients, different isolates were identified between the deep tissue/pus material and superficial swabs. In 41 (28.4%) patients, the results were in accordance. Of these, in 19 (17.8%) patients, the same agent was obtained. In 22 patients (20.6%), no isolate was identified in superficial swab nor deep tissue/pus cultures. As a result, superficial swab cultures are not in accordance with the deep tissue/pus cultures. It would not be wise to direct the treatment via only superficial swab cultures

Tuberculous, Pyogenic and Brucellar Spondylodiscitis: Clinical and Laboratory Features of 103 Cases

Objective: It was aimed to evaluate clinical and laboratory differences and characteristic aspects between cases that were classified in three subgroups as tuberculous spondylodiscitis (TS), pyogenic spondylodiscitis (PS) and brucellar spondylodiscitis (BS)

Prospective Assessment of Blood Cultures Which Were Sent to the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the patient factors which increase the probability of achieving a positive blood culture, distribution of microorganisms grown, and to reveal the impact of various factors during collection of blood on blood culture positivity

Imported Malaria Caused by Plasmodium falciparum: A Global Problem

Objective: Plasmodium falciparum acquired abroad, has become the main causative malaria agent in Turkey due to the elimination of endemic P. vivax in recent years. By describing clinical, laboratory and treatment features of imported malaria cases caused by P. falciparum, we aimed to distinguish it from other infectious diseases with similar epidemiological and clinical features, such as viral haemorrhagic fevers, and therefore to ensure the recognition of this kind of deadly malaria earlier

Comparison of the In Vitro Efficacy of Various Heparin-Antibiotic Catheter Lock Solutions to the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Embedded in the Biofilm

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of catheter lock solutions of novel antibiotics with anticoagulants against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) embedded in biofilm