Epidemiological findings on Hepatitis C infection in a tertiary level hospital in mid-northern Anatolia in Turkey: A four-year analysis

@# The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that causes acute or chronic infection of the liver, sometimes leading to serious liver damage and fatality. The objective of this study was to evaluate HCV prevalence in patients attending the Regional Training and Research Hospital for Medical Examination and Surgery in Samsun Province of Turkey between 2014 and 2017. Blood specimens taken from 152 596 patients were screened for HCV infection by using the anti-HCV assay. Seropositive samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in order to determine whether the HCV infection was active. Genotyping was then performed. Overall, HCV seropositivity and active HCV infection were 2.76% and 2.05%, respectively. Foreign nationals accounted for 5.61% of the seropositive samples and 1.37% of active HCV infective samples. We further report that 2017 was the year with the highest seroprevalence which was 3.64%. HCV genotype 1 was the most common genotype detected in residents of Samsun Province at 89.86%, followed by Genotype 3 at 4.54%. This study provides important information on the levels of HCV infection in the Samsun region of Turkey. The data indicate that there was a rising trend of HCV infection between 2014 and 2017.

The first serological report for genotype C bovine parainfluenza 3 virus in ruminant species of mid-northen Turkey: Traces from the past

@#Bovine parainfluenza 3 virus (BPI3V)is one of the most important respiratory pathogens and a leading cause of serious respiratory illnesses in cattle, both independent of and in connection with other pathogens involved in the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). In this study, we aimed to identify the historical circulation of genotype C bovine BPI3V (BPI3Vc) in Turkey using the archival serum samples of domestic ruminants that had been collected from six provinces of northern Anatolia in Turkey between 2009-2010. A total of 896 sera from cattle (n=442), sheep (n=330), and goats (n=124) were randomly selected and screened with a virus neutralization test in order to detect antibodies for BPI3Vc. The overall seropositivity rate was 21.09%, with seropositivity rates for cattle, sheep, and goats of 21.04%, 20.00%, and 24.19%, respectively. Neutralizing antibody titers for selected samples ranged between 1/4 to 1/512. This study represents the first serological study conducted using the first BPI3V isolate of Turkey.

Report of five children with Guillain-Barré syndrome following a nationwide oral polio vaccine campaign in Turkey.

Five children with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), following a national oral polio vaccination campaign to eradicate disease, are reported. Clinical examination, cerebrospinal fluid and electromyographic findings conformed to the classical description of GBS. Four of them received therapeutic dose of intravenous immunoglobulin G. Two children succumbed to the disease. It was observed that the number of cases of GBS in children increased during the period of the oral polio vaccination campaign in Turkey, suggesting a causal relationship.

Serum immunoglobulins and immunoglobulin G subclasses with recurrent wheezing.

In this study serum immunoglobulins (Ig) and IgG subclasses were measured in 42 patients (ranging 9 month-6 year) with recurrent wheezing and in 37 healthy children determined the relationship between serum Igs and recurrent wheezing. Patients were divided into two groups according to the age [9 month-2 year (n: 15), and 2-6 year (n: 27)]. In the patients placed in 9-24 month age group, serum IgG4 level was found to be lower than controls (p < 0.05). But there was not a significant difference in mean serum concentrations of total IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 subclasses between the groups (P > 0.05). In the 25 month-6 year age group the mean IgE level was increased compared to the control while IgG3 and IgG4 levels were decreased (p < 0.05). On the other hand, in the 9-24 month age group there was no significant difference between the patients and controls for IgG subclasses deficiency (P > 0.05). However, significant difference in IgG subclasses deficiency was present between the patients and controls in the 25 month-6 year group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, our findings suggest that wheezing in childhood may be associated with low IgG3 and/or IgG4, and in older children high IgE level may be a part of pathogenetic mechanism in patients with recurrent wheezing.