Staphylococcal empyema secondary to IgA nephropathy

A 27-year-old male patient, applied to the emergency unit with complaints of high fever, nausea, vomiting, and hematuria. In his physical examination, fever was 38 degrees C with normal findings in all other systems. The laboratory values were as follows: urea 58 mg/dL, creatinine 2.4 mg/dL, white blood cell count 15.9K/mu L (PNL: 79 %). In his urine analysis; +1 proteinuria and +3 hematuria were detected. Kidney biopsy was performed. Kidney biopsy interpreted in favor of IgA nephropathy. As the patient had tonic-clonic seizures, cranial CT examination was performed. In the cranial CT, there was a subdural effusion in the anterolateral area of the right cerebral hemisphere with the left shift in the midline secondary to the effusion. Empyema fluid, which was drained postoperatively, was cultured. In the direct examination of the empyema fluid, Gram positive cocci and abundant amount of PNLs were observed. There was no growth in the culture. Although the most commonly encountered agents for post-infectious glomerulonephritis are streptococcus infections, it has been reported that glomerulonephritis attacks may be rarely observed due to staphylococcus infections. Proliferative glomerulonephritis cases are rarely encountered conditions characterized by mesangial IgA accumulations secondary to staphylococcus infections

An evaluation of the effect of ertapenem in rats with sepsis created by cecal ligation and puncture

BACKGROUND: Intra-abdominal adhesions are still a major problem which is expected to be reduced by the provision of bacterial decontamination. Various antibiotics have been used to prevent the formation of adhesion in the septic abdomen. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of ertapenem in sepsis of rats induced by cecal ligation and puncture

A New Experimental Allergic Rhinitis Model in Mice

Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa mediated by IgE after exposure to an allergen. The most well known related comorbidity of AR is asthma. This study was planned due to the need for an animal model for studies on AR-asthma coexistence. In this study, the frequency of AR accompanying in the asthma model created in mice,and the usability of the related model in AR studies will be investigated. Methods: In our study, 6-8 week-old, 18-20 g BALB/c mice were used. Chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA Grade V, Sigma) was administered through intraperitoneal (IP) route at doses of 10 mu g on days 0 and 14. Mice were exposed to aerosolized 2.5% ovalbumin solution in sterile saline for 30 minutes 3 days a week for 8 weeks, starting 7 days after the last IP administration (21st day). After exposure to OVA, mice were observed for typical signs of AR including sneezing, runny nose, and nasal itching. The final diagnosis of AR was made by histopathological examination of the rhinotracheal tissues of mice. Results: In our study, all mice exposed to ovalbumin received histopathologic diagnosis of AR. Increased number of capillaries lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes and eosinophilsper square millimetre of rhinotracheal tissues were calculated in the murine model of AR compared to the the control group. Conclusion: This study introduced a new AR model, not cited in the literature, and induced with the longest-term ovalbumin exposure in the literature. It was concluded that this model, known as the asthma model, can also be used to induce an AR model and can be used in studies investigating coexistence of allergic rhinitis and asthma

Seroprevalence of varicella-zoster virus in the prevaccine era: A population-based study in Izmir, Turkey

WOS: 000209389900007PubMed ID: 23537824Purpose: To determine the population-based seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus (VZV) and related risk factors in Izmir. Materials and methods: A population-based household survey was conducted. A representative sample of the population older than 15 years of age was selected using multistage random sampling. A total of 2136 healthy persons participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants completed a questionnaire designed to collect data related to socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors. Blood samples were collected, and VZV-specific IgG was measured using an ELISA. Results: In total, 94.3% of individuals were seropositive for VZV. The difference between VZV seroprevalence in urban and rural populations was significant (OR: 2.6 (95% CI, 1.7-3.8)). No statistically significant differences in seropositivity were observed with respect to other sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusion: A large proportion of the participants were found to be immune to VZV. (C) 2012 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A new experimental allergic rhinitis model in mice

Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa mediated by IgE after exposure to an allergen. The most well known related comorbidity of AR is asthma. This study was planned due to the need for an animal model for studies on AR-asthma coexistence. In this study, the frequency of AR accompanying in the asthma model created in mice,and the usability of the related model in AR studies will be investigated

Risk factors for noncatheter-related Candida bloodstream infections in intensive care units: A multicenter case-control study

Candida bloodstream infections are associated with high mortality among critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Studies that explore the risk factors for candidemia may support better patient care in intensive care units. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter case-control study to investigate the risk factors for noncatheter-related Candida bloodstream infections (CBSI) in adult ICUs. Participants selected controls randomly on a 1:1 basis among all noncase patients stayed during the same period in ICUs. Data on 139 cases and 140 controls were deemed eligible. Among the controls, 69 patients died. The stratified Fine-Gray model was used to estimate the subdistribution Hazard ratios. The subdistribution hazards and 95% confidence intervals for final covariates were as follows: prior exposure to antimycotic agents, 2.21 (1.56-3.14); prior exposure to N-acetylcysteine, 0.11 (0.03-0.34) and prior surgical intervention, 1.26 (0.76-2.11). Of the patients, those exposed to antimycotic drugs, 87.1% (54/62) had breakthrough candidemia. Serious renal, hepatic, or hematologic side effects were comparable between patients those exposed and not-exposed to systemic antimycotic drugs. Untargeted administration of antimycotic drugs did not improve survival among candidemic patients (not-exposed, 63.6% [49/77]; exposed % 66.1 [41/62]; P = .899). This study documented that exposure to an antifungal agent is associated with increased the risk of subsequent development of CBSIs among nonneutropenic adult patients admitted to the ICU. Only two centers regularly prescribed N-acetylcysteine. Due to the limited number of subjects, we interpreted the positive effect of N-acetylcysteine on the absolute risk of CBSIs with caution