Seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasma infection among pregnant women in Aydin province, Turkey

BACKGROUND: The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women at first trimester of their pregnancy and to follow up the seroconversion for next two trimesters, and to identify the risk factors and possible contamination routes in Aydin province, Turkey. METHOD: The sample size was calculated as 423 on a prevalence of 50%, d=0.05 at a confidence level of 95% with 10% addition. It was a cross-sectional study with multistage sampling. After a questionnaire applied to the pregnant women, anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were studied with ELISA and IFA, values in conflict with DA test, where IgM antibodies were studied with ELISA and for borderline or positive values of IgM avidity test was used. RESULTS: The mean age of 389 (92.9%) of pregnant women in the study was 24.28+/-4.56 years, the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis was 30.1%. Seroprevalence was increased with age (p=0.001) and with drinking water consumption other than bottled water (p=0.042). No significant relations were observed between anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and education level, being native or migrant, abortion history, consumption of meat, vegetable and milk/milk products, personal or kitchen hygiene habits, cat owning at home of the pregnant women. No IgM antibody was detected. CONCLUSION: One of every three pregnant women in Aydin was at risk of toxoplasmosis at the first trimester of their pregnancy. Increased seroprevalance with age was a predictable result because of increasing time of exposure. Increased seroprevalence with consumption of municipal and uncontrolled water (well/spring water) supplies was similar with latest epidemiological findings

An investigation on roundwood extraction of Fagus orientalis lipsky, Abies nordmanniana (Stew.) Spach. and Picea orientalis (L.) Link. by Urus M III forest skyline on snow

Harvesting and transportation of woods from forest are extremely difficult, expensive and timeconsuming operations. In the most regions of Turkey, the application of mechanized harvesting equipment is currently very limited due to low labor cost and high fuel cost. In Turkish forestry, the most common harvesting method is cut-to-length system, which is carried out intensively during the late spring and summer, as well as during the winter with a limited extent. In this study, productivity of roundwood extraction (Fagus orientalis Lipsky., Abies nordmanniana (Stew.) Spach. and Picea orientalis (L.) Link.) by Urus M III skyline on snow in Artvin, Turkey was investigated. The average total time of shift was measured as 13.10 min for uphill logging and 22.92 min for downhill logging. Increases in number of pieces, log diameter, log length and log volume increased the total transportation time. The results also indicated that the productivity value of Urus MIII skyline varies among the sites (5.87 m³/h in Site-1, 6.82 m³/h in Site-2, 4.08 m³/h in Site-3 for uphill and 1.69 m³/h in Site-4 downhill), and uphill yarding by Urus MIII was more productive than downhill yarding on snow

[A rare gastroenteritis pathogen: Cyclospora]. [Nadir Bir Gastroenterit Etkeni: Cyclospora.]

PubMed ID: 20597053Cyclospora spp. which are coccidian parasites are rare gastroenteritis pathogens. The first cyclosporiasis case in Turkey was reported in 1998 in a patient with AIDS. In this paper we report a case of Cyclospora gastroenteritis, in a patient who was admitted to our hospital and who had had diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea for ten days. In the anamnesis it was learned that he had travelled to the Black Sea region and had drunk muddy and cloudy water. His physical examination was normal except for increased bowel sounds. There were no leukocytes or erythrocytes in the direct microscopy of the stool and bacteriologic culture did not yield any enteropathogen. Cylospora oocyysts were seen in the parasitologic exmination. The patient was treated with cotrimaxasole (2x1,160/800 mg tablet). There was no pathogen in the repeated stool examination. Our case suggests that parasitologic examination should not be neglected in longlasting diarrhea cases and occasionally Cyclospora may be the causative agent