In this study, carried out between November 2006 and September 2007, amebic cysts were observed in 44 (0.37%) out of a total of 1720 stool specimens which were examined by direct microscopy. Entamoeba histolytica specific antigen was investigated with ELISA in the specimens in which cysts were observed. Specific antigen was detected in 26 (59.1%) of these specimens. The diagnosis of amoebiasis for the patients whose ELISA tests were positive was confirmed and the appropriate therapy was immediately begun. This prediagnosis was abandoned for patients whose test results were "negative". Because of the low sensitivity of direct microscopy in confirming the prediagnosis of amoebiasis, it is necessary to perform ELISA on the specimens in order to determine whether the patient should be treated or to prevent patients from being given an unnecessary treatment.
Nocardia farcinica differs from other species of Nocardia due to its multi-drug resistance and propensity to disseminate hematogenously. Cutaneous nocardiosis in immunocompetent patients is rare.To describe the treatment and clinical trajectory of a 37-year-old male patient who was not immunocompromised and presented with a history of minor trauma from a canister and palpable subcutaneous draining nodules in the forearm. Purulent drainage was present. The injury had occurred 3 months before presentation.Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple abscess foci up to 3 cm in diameter in the forearm muscles. The wound culture obtained after debridment indicated Nocardia farcinica as the cause. The case was difficult to manage despite serial debridements, negative pressure wound dressings, and culture-specific antibiotic treatments. The entire treatment process took approximately 7 months. The patient had 5 surgical interventions and more than 6 months of antibiotic treatment. Healing was eventually achieved but with a painful scar.Although nocardiosis has been documented to occur primarily in immunocompromised patients, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of immunocompetent patients if there is a history of skin injury and a late-onset subcutaneous draining abscess resistant to common treatment regimens.
SUMMARY Th is is a case report on the first isolation of Rahnella aquatilis, a very rare enteric Gram negative rod, from bone and soft tissue of a foot of a patient with diabetes. Previous reports of isolation of R. aquatilis from patients are also summarized. It is concluded that clinical microbiologists must be aware of the diff erential characteristics of this rare microorganism, which is likely to be resistant to ampicillin and cephalothin, particularly in immunocompromised patients.
Amaç: ‘Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS CoV-2)’ nin etken olduğu
COVID-19 hastalığının kesin tanısı reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testi ile
mümkündür. Toraks bilgisayarlı tomografisi (BT) tarama yöntemi olmamakla beraber hızlı filyasyon ve
tedavi için yaygın kullanılmıştır. Bu çalışmada salgının ilk pikinde BT’nin COVID-19 için tanısal değeri
araştırılmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: 16 Mart-30 Nisan 2020 arasında COVID-19 şüphesi ile Radyoloji kliniğinde
toraks BT yapılmış ardışık tüm yetişkin hastalar retrospektif tarandı. Görüntüler COVID-19 Reporting
and Data System (CO-RADS)’e göre COVID-19 şüphe olasılığı bakımından değerlendirildi. Akciğerdeki
tutulum bulguları ile hastaların yaş, cinsiyet ve komorbid hastalıkları kaydedildi.
Bulgular: Yaş ortalama ± SD, 53.3±19.4; 262’si (%52) erkek ve 242’si (%48) kadın, toplam 504 olgu
dahil edildi. 103 (%20.4) hastada RT-PCR pozitifliği vardı. CO-RADS 1 olguların 29/291 (%9.96)’i;
CO-RADS 2’nin 4/65 (%26)’ü; CO-RADS 3’ün 15/63 (%23.8)’ü; CO-RADS 4’ün 19/28 (%67.9)’ünde;
CO-RADS 5’in 36/57 (%63.2)’inde RT-PCR pozitifliği saptanmıştır. 356 hasta CO-RADS (1-3); 85 hasta
CO-RADS (4.5)’ti. Duyarlılık, özgüllük, pozitif ve negatif olabilirlik oranları, prevalans, pozitif ve negatif
prediktif değerler ve doğruluk oranları sırasıyla; %53.4, %92.52, 7.14, 0.5, %20.44, %64.71, %88.54 ve
%84.52 saptandı.
Sonuç: CO-RADS kategorizasyonu, COVID-19 pnömonisinde tanı değerini arttırmaktadır. Toraks
BT’nin COVID-19 için özgüllüğü, pozitif ve negatif prediktif değeri yüksek ancak duyarlılığı düşüktür.
Bilgisayarlı tomografinin tanısal veya tarama amaçlı kullanılaması uygun değildir.
The aim of this study was to compare the demineralizations of the enamel surfaces around different types of orthodontic brackets in an artificial cariogenic environment. A total of 90 extracted human maxillary first premolar teeth were used in this in vitro study. The teeth were divided into 6 groups, 5 study and 1 control, each consisting of 15 samples. Victory metal, Gemini metal, Clarity self-ligating ceramic, APC Clarity Advanced ceramic and Clarity Advanced ceramic brackets (3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif) used in the study groups were bonded to the teeth with the direct technique. The gingival, occlusal and proximal enamel surfaces adjacent to the brackets were measured with a DIAGNOdent pen (KaVo, Biberach, Germany) (T0). Then, the teeth were placed in a cariogenic suspension environment containing Streptococcus mutans, sucrose and artificial saliva. The teeth were removed from the cariogenic suspension at the end of 28 days. Enamel surfaces were remeasured with DIAGNOdent and the values were recorded (T1). Whether the obtained data were homogeneously distributed or not was determined by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, within-group comparisons were performed with the Wilcoxon test, and between-group comparisons were performed with Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. In all groups, the demineralization values of the enamel surfaces in the gingival, proximal and occlusal surfaces adjacent to the brackets were significantly higher in the T1 period than in the T0 period (p < 0.05). In the T1 period of Gemini metal, Clarity self-ligating ceramic and Clarity advanced ceramic bracket groups, the demineralization values of the proximal enamel surfaces were found to be significantly higher than the Victory metal and APC Clarity Advanced ceramic bracket groups (p < 0.05). In the T1 period, the demineralization values of the occlusal enamel surfaces of the Victory metal, APC Clarity Advanced ceramic bracket groups and control group were significantly lower than the Gemini metal, Clarity self-ligating ceramic and Clarity Advanced ceramic bracket groups (p < 0.05). Significant increases in enamel demineralization values were observed as a consequence of increased retention areas for microbial dental plaque on enamel surfaces adjacent to the bracket. Considering the importance of minimizing enamel demineralization in fixed orthodontic treatments, less enamel demineralization in Victory metal and APC Clarity Advanced ceramic bracket groups showed that these brackets can be preferred in patients with poor oral hygiene.
