Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori antigen positivity in stool samples of patients with dyspeptic complaints in a tertiary care hospital

Objective: Helicobacter pylori is a microorganism associatedwith gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastriccancer. We aimed to figure out the positivity rate in stoolsamples of outpatients with dyspeptic complaints visitinggastroenterology department and to evaluate its relationwith age, gender and seasonal changes.Methods: Between January 01, 2012 and December 31,2012, stool samples of 330 adult outpatients admitted togastroenterology department are investigated with an immunochromatographictest kit using monoclonal antibodiesfor detection of H. pylori antigen.Results: Among 330 patients’ stool samples tested, 67(20.3%) were positive. 18.6% of men and 22.2% of womenwere detected as positive. According to age groups,17.1% patients were positive for 15-35 age groups,27.1% patients were positive for 36-55 age groups and18.2% patients were positive for above 56. Seasonal differenceof H. pylori antigen positivity in stool samples wasstatistically significant (p=0.001). Highest positivity rate29.7% was detected for winter months (December-January-February). According to logistic regression analysis,winter is found as a risk factor with statistically significant2.295 times greater risk [p=0001, Exp (B) = 2.925, 95.0%C.I. for EXP (B) = 1.668-5.129].Conclusion: H. pylori antigen positivity rate of our study islower than other previously conducted studies in Turkey.But, positivity rates are higher among women comparedto men, concordant with other studies. Even more, detectionof high positivity rates in winter shows primary infectionand/or relapse can be affected by seasonal changes.Key words: Helicobacter pylori, gastroenterology, stool antigen tes

Filoviridae Infections

Members of the Filoviridae, Ebola (EBO) and Marburg (MBG) viruses are single-stranded, nonsegmented, and enveloped RNA viruses. They show negative polarity. Multiorgan involvement in their pathogenesis pronounced microvascular damage together with focal and follicular necrosis. Their source, spread and natural life cycles are not definitely known. Differential diagnosis is of great significance since they indicate nonspecific clinical signs. The mortality rate in filovirus infections can be up to 90%. Diagnosis of filovirus ifnections is made either by demonstrating the rise in speicific antibody titersor by isolating the virus from clinical samples. There existo no treatment of infections and supportive treatment is required to prevent complications and death. Up to date, there is on effective vaccination against these infections

Evaluation of FASTPlaqueTB Test for the Rapid Diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections

Acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear and culturing the organism are conventional methods for the diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. FASTPlaqueTB is a rapid test that utilises bacteriophage amplification technology for the detection of viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical specimens. This test can detect 100-300 bacilli/mL and the results are available in 24 hours. We evaluated the performance of the FASTPlaqueTB test by comparing with BACTEC 460 TB culture system, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and AFB smear methods. We investigated 58 sputum specimens sent to our laboratory. Seventeen AFB smear positive specimens were also positive by FASTPlaqueTB test, BACTEC 460 TB culture system and PCR method. Twenty two of 41 specimens that were negative by microscopy were positive by BACTEC 460 TB culture system and 18 of 41 specimens were found as positive by FASTPlaqueTB test and 17 of 41 specimens were positive by PCR. One specimen was evaluated as positive only by PCR whereas one specimen was positive only by FASTPlaqueTB test. One of the specimens was found as positive by BACTEC 460 TB culture system and FASTPlaqueTB test. The sensitivities of AFB smear, PCR and FASTPlaqueTB test were 43.6%, 84.6% and 87.2% respectively when we accepted BACTEC 460 TB culture system as gold standard. As a result of the evaluation of these three tests according to BACTEC 460 TB culture system we conclude that FASTPlaqueTB test has a good potential for rapid diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections

Toxocariasis: a review

Human toxocariasis is a parasitic infection caused by the ingestion of larvae of dog nematode Toxocara canis and less frequently of cat nematode T.cati. In this review, current information about human toxocariasis which is a rare but an important problem suspected to cause rheumatologic, dermatologic and respiratory system diseases, is presented. [Med-Science 2016; 5(4.000): 1063-7

The Evaluation of the Antituberculous Drug Resistance Rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains by BACTEC 460 TB System

We retrospectively evaluated the specimens sent to Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology Laboratory between January 1998 and April 2001 to detect the susceptibility rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains to four primary antituberculous drugs. Drug susceptibility tests to isoniazid (INH), streptomycin (S), ethambutol (E), and rifampin (R) were performed by using the radiometric BACTEC 460 TB system. From 390 patients, 886 isolates evaluated and multiple isolates from a single source were agreed as one strain, and 85.6% of isolates were susceptible to all four major drugs, whereas 14.4% were resistant to at least one. Mono resistance rate was 10.3% and two strains (0.5%) were resistant to all four drugs. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was found in 1.0% of the isolates while polyresistance rate other than MDR was observed in 12 (3.1%) isolates. Continuous monitoring of drug resistance in M. tuberculosis is essential in order to support national tuberculosis control programs although our resistance rates are below the dangerous zone

Production and Standardization for Practicle Use of Agglutinant Antisera of Vibrio cholerae Serogroups O1 and O139

In this study, agglutinant antisera of the serogroups of Vibrio cholerae O1 and V. cholerae O139 have been obtained in order to use for serological diagnosis. Obtaining of Ogawa and Inaba monovalent antisera of O1 serogroup have been bilaterally absorbed through Ogawa and Inaba serotypes and an R type V. cholerae strain holding R antigen which may be a common antigen in all V. cholerae serogroups, and Salmonella group N, Shigella flexneri and Shigella boydii. The antiserum belongs to O139 serogroup, however, has been absorbed through the bacteria belonging to O22 and O155 serogroups which they demonstrate cross reaction and the R type V. cholerae strain. To substantiate standart usability of antisera, the bacteria have been used for producing of antisera which contains lipopolysaccharides peculiar to serotypes so that lipopolysaccharides have been coated to the wells of ELISA plates and distinction of obtained antisera have been proved accordingly. It has been determined that the absorbtion level of all antisera through their lipopolysaccharides at 450 nm, were over the absorbance value of 0.2, on the other hand, their absorbtion level through other lipopolysaccharides were below 0.2 (p= 0.0001). Thus, it has been proven that the produced antisera peculiar with serotypes and serogroup could be used successfully for serological identification of V. cholerae

Landens transformatie: De verbinding tussen π, het RMG en de bètafunctie

Eerst introduceren we het rekenkundig-meetkundig gemiddelde (RMG), een snel convergerend algoritme dat een verband heeft met π en nog veel meer constanten en functies. Hoffmann toont dit in een bewijs aan, echter is deze niet waterdicht en amper onderbouwd. Daarom gaan wij ons verdiepen in dit bewijs en met name een stap die twee ogenschijnlijk verschillende integralen aan elkaar gelijk stelt. Het blijkt dat hiervoor Landens transformatie gebruikt kan worden. Om hier op te komen en hem ook nog eens te bewijzen moeten we de wereld van elliptische functies induiken. We gaan vooral werken met de zogeheten thèta-functies die we grondig gaan onderzoeken. Vervolgens gaan we toewerken naar de Landen-transformatie-relaties die de basis zullen vormen voor Landens transformatie. Hiervoor moeten we veel eigenschappen en identiteiten aantonen. Dan stappen we over naar Jacobi's elliptische functies die de brug vormen naar elliptische integralen. Aan de hand van deze integralen en de Landen-transformatie-relaties kunnen we bewijzen dat het RMG inderdaad verborgen zit in een elliptische integraal van de eerste soort. Ook volgt hieruit dat er een verband is met π. Tot slot kijken we nog naar een aantal toepassingen van het RMG

Co-expression of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance-qnrA1 and bla(VEB-1) gene in a Providencia stuartii strain

An extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Providencia stuartii isolate was studied. A qnrA1 gene co-expressing bla(VEB-1) gene was detected. Both genes were transferred to the recipient strain. The ciprofloxacin MIC of recipient strain increased tenfold. The bla(VEB-1) gene persisted in microorganisms in Turkey but it also spread with PMQR genes to other species. The combination of PMQR with multidrug resistant isolates producing ESBLs may compromise the use of valuable antibiotics. Serious efforts are necessary to detect PMQR determinants not only with common beta-lactamases in widespread pathogens but also with uncommon forms that are encountered infrequently