Identification of recent tuberculosis exposure using QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, a multicenter study.

We investigated whether the difference of antigen tube 2 (TB2) minus antigen tube 1 (TB1) (TB22TB1) of the QuantiFERON-TB gold plus test, which has been postulated as a surrogate for the CD81 T-cell response, could be useful in identifying recent tuberculosis (TB) exposure. We looked at the interferon gamma (IFN-g) responses and differences in TB2 and TB1 tubes for 686 adults with QFT-plus positive test results. These results were compared among groups with high (368 TB contacts), low (229 patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases [IMID]), and indeterminate (89 asylum seekers or people from abroad [ASPFA]) risks of recent TB exposure. A TB22TB1 value .0.6 IU ml21 was deemed to indicate a true difference between tubes. In the whole cohort, 13.6%, 10.9%, and 11.2% of cases had a TB2.TB1 result in the contact, IMID, and ASPFA groups, respectively (P = 0.591). The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for an association between a TB22TB1 result of .0.6 IU ml21 and risk of recent exposure versus contacts were 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31 to 1.61) for the IMID group and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.49 to 1.52) for the ASPFA group. In TB contact subgroups, 11.4%, 5.4%, and 17.7% with close, frequent, and sporadic contact had a TB2.TB1 result (P = 0.362). The aORs versus the close subgroup were 1.29 (95% CI, 0.63 to 2.62) for the frequent subgroup and 1.55 (95% CI, 0.67 to 3.60) for the sporadic subgroup. A TB22TB1 difference of .0.6 IU ml21 was not associated with increased risk of recent TB exposure, which puts into question the clinical potential as a proxy marker for recently acquired TB infection

Genotype Distribution and 5’ UTR Nucleotide Changes in Hepatitis C Virus

Objective: HCV is a single-stranded RNA virus which has 9500 nucleotide. On the 3’ and 5’ ends of the genome, there are two untranslated regions (UTR) which are highly protected and which have 92% homology among various HCV types. 5’ UTR is used for the genotype detection. In this study, genotype and nucleic acid changes in this region were analyzed.Material and Methods: In 51 patients diagnosed with HCV, HCV-RNA was isolated and purified from serum samples. The 341 nucleotide-long UTR region at the 5’end of the genome was sequenced and genotypes were detected. Nucleotide changes were analyzed with on-line BLAST program.Results: In 45 (88.2%) of 51 patients, genotype-1 (78.4% of all genotypes were 1b, 9.8% were 1a) was detected. In 41 (80.4%) of the 51 sequences, nucleic acid changes were detected. These changes generally occurred as an insertion in codon 84 ; deletion in codon 43 and codon 46; transversion in codon 15, 17 and 18, and transition in codon 62. No significant relationship was found between viral load and nucleic acid changes. Conclusion: Although the 5’UTR region is a protected region, mutation can be observed, and the mutations may affect the genotype, viral load and treatment response. Therefore, further investigation is required in a large series

Investigating Correlation between Type I collagen N-Telopeptides X, Morphologic Parameters of Vertebra and DEXA values of the Patients with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the most often seen skeletal disease that is an important public health problem. Type I collagen N-Telopeptides (NTx) is described as the specific marker of bone resorption. Its urinary level increases during the menopausal period. In our study, 50 female patients were included. Their mean age was 64.7±2.7 years and ranges between 45-69. Their mean menopause duration was 15.4±3.1 years. The control group was established with 30 female patients. Their mean age and ranges were 63.9±2.1years and 44-68 respectively. Their mean menopause duration was 14.1±2.5 years. The difference level of urinary NTx was found to be significant between patients and control group. Significant differences were found between the vertebra morphologic parameters of the patients and control group. In addition, correlation was determined between level of urinary NTx and lomber DEXA (T) values. In conclusion, significant correlations were found to exist between the level of urinary NTx, vertebra morphologic parameters and DEXA values

Investigating correlation between type I collagen N-telopeptides X, morphologic parameters of vertebra and DEXA values of the patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis

Osteoporoz en sık görülen iskelet sistemi hastalığı olup, önemli bir halk sağlığı problemidir. Tip l kollajen telopeptidler (NTx) kemiğin osteoklastlarca gerçekleştirilen yıkımının spesifik göstergesi olarak tanımlanmış ve NTx'in idrar düzeyinin menopoz döneminde arttığı gösterilmiştir. Çalışmamıza 50 kadın alındı. Çalışmada olguların yaş ortalaması 64.7±2.7 yıl, yaş aralığı ise 45-69 olarak saptandı. Olguların menopoz ortalama süresi 15.4 ± 3.1 yıl olarak saptandı. 30 kadın olgu da kontrol grubu olarak alındı. Kontrol grubunda yaş ortalaması 63.9 ± 2.1 yıl, yaş aralığı ise 44- 68 olarak saptandı. Kontrol grubunda menopoz ortalama süresi 14.1 ±2.5 yıl olduğu bulundu. Olgu ve kontrol grupları arasında NTx düzeyleri arasındaki farkın anlamlı olduğu saptandı (p<0.001). Olgu ve kontrol grubunun vertebra morfolojik parametreleri arasında anlamlı farklar olduğu saptandı. Olgu grubunda L1 ve L2 DEXA (T) değeri ile NTx idrar düzeyi arasında korelasyonların varlığı görüldü. Sonuç olarak NTx idrar düzeyi ile vertebra morfolojik parametreleri ve DEXA değerleri arasında anlamlı korelasyonların olduğu düşünülmektedir.Osteoporosis is the most often seen skeletal disease that is an important public health problem. Type I collagen N-Telopeptides (NTx) is described as the specific marker of bone r&eacute;sorption. Its urinary level increases during the menopausal period. In our study, 50 female patients were included. Their mean age was 64.7+2.7 years and ranges between 45-69. Their mean menopause duration was 15.4&plusmn;3.1 years. The control group was established with 30 female patients. Their mean age and ranges were 63.9&plusmn;2.1 years and 4468 respectively. Their mean menopause duration was 14.1+2.5 years. The difference level of urinary NTx was found to be significant between patients and control group. Significant differences were found between the vertebra morphologic parameters of the patients and control group. In addition, correlation was determined between level of urinary NTx and lomber DEXA (T) values. In conclusion, significant correlations were found to exist between the level of urinary NTx, vertebra morphologic parameters and DEXA values

Comparison of a novel antigen detection test with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for laboratory diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Molecular diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in respiratory specimens is considered the gold standard method. This method is highly sensitive and specific but it has some limitations such as being expensive and requiring special laboratory equipment and skilled personnel. RapidFor (TM) Antigen Rapid Test Kit is a commercially available Ag-RDT which is produced in Turkey and designed to detect the nucleocapsid antigen of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab samples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of this novel SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection considering the RT-PCR method as the gold standard. Four hundred forty-four nasopharyngeal swab samples which were collected from the patients who met clinical criteria of COVID-19 from ten centers in Turkey between September 2020 and February 2021 were included in the study. All the nasopharyngeal swab samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA using commercial RT-PCR kits (Bioeksen and A1 Lifesciences, Istanbul, Turkey) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Viral loads were assessed according to the cycle threshold (Ct) values. RapidFor (TM) SARS-CoV-2 antigen test (Vitrosens Biotechnology, Istanbul, Turkey) was used to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen in all samples following the manufacturer's instructions. Out of 444 nasopharyngeal swab samples tested, 346 (77.9%) were positive and 98 (22.1%) were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RTPCR. Overall sensitivity of the RapidFor (TM). Antigen Rapid Test Kit was 80.3% whereas specificity was found to be 87.8%. Positivity rate of rapid antigen test in samples with Ct values over 25 and below 30 was 82.7%, while it increased to 95.7% in samples 20 <= Ct < 25 and reached 100% in samples with Ct values below 20. RapidFor (TM) SARS-CoV-2 Ag test might be a good choice in the screening of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients and their contacts for taking isolation measures early, with advantages over RT-PCR as being rapid, easy and being applicable in every laboratory and even at point of care