ABSTRACT
@# 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.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the potential effects of the systemically delivered combination of calcium, zinc and vit-d supplementation of the locally applied alloplastic bone graft. 28 male Wistar albino rats were used in this study. In each animal, bone defects (10 mm length ¥ 3 mm width ¥ 2 mm depth) were created in the tibias. The animals were divided into four groups. In Group 1 (Control Group) rats were fed with standard rat diet. In Group 2 (Calcium Group) rats received calcium carbonate (15 mg/kg body weight) suspended in saline. In Group 3 (Calcium/Zinc Group) rats received calcium carbonate (15 mg/kg body weight) and zinc sulfate (4 mg/kg body weight) suspended in saline. In Group 4 (Calcium/Vitamin D Group) rats received calcium carbonate (15 mg/kg body weight) and Vitamin D (500 IU/kg body weight) suspended in olive oil. Histopathological analysis of samples was performed to evaluate the process of osteoblastic activity, matrix formation, trabecular bone formation and myeloid tissue in bone defects. Total amounts of osteoblastic activity, matrix formation, trabecular bone formation and myeloid yissue in Ca Group (p= 0.002), Ca/Zinc Group (p= 0.002), and Ca/Vit.D Group (p= 0.001) were significantly higher than in Control Group. The total amounts of Ca/Vit.D Group were significantly different than Control Group and Ca Group. The results of the present study indicated that the oral calcium carbonate supplementation combination with zinc may have systemic effects on accelerating bone regeneration in alloplastic bone grafted tibial defects. Further human studies involving long-term follow up and different type of bone grafts should be conducted.
El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar los efectos potenciales de la combinación sistémica de calcio, zinc y vitamina D como suplemento de la aplicación local de un injerto óseo aloplástico. Fueron utilizadas 28 ratas Wistar albinas (machos). En cada animal, se crearon defectos óseos en las tibias (cuyas medidas fueron: 10 mm de longitud x 3 mm de ancho x 2 mm de profundidad). Los animales fueron divididos en cuatro grupos. En el Grupo 1 (control) las ratas fueron alimentadas con una dieta estándar. En el Grupo 2 (grupo de calcio) las ratas recibieron carbonato de calcio (15 mg/kg de peso corporal) suspendido en solución salina. En el Grupo 3 (grupo de calcio/zinc) las ratas recibieron carbonato de calcio (15 mg/kg de peso corporal) y sulfato de zinc (4 mg/kg de peso corporal) suspendido en solución salina. El Grupo 4 (calcio/vitamina D) recibió carbonato de calcio (15 mg/kg de peso corporal) y vitamina D (500 UI/kg de peso corporal) suspendidos en aceite de oliva. Se realizó un análisis histopatológico de las muestras para evaluar el proceso de actividad osteoblástica, formación de la matriz, hueso trabecular y tejido mieloide en defectos óseos. Las cantidades totales de actividad osteoblástica, formación de matriz, de hueso trabecular y tejido mieloide en los grupos Calcio (p= 0,002), Calcio/Zinc (p= 0,002), y Calcio/Vitamina D (p= 0,001) fueron significativamente mayores que en el grupo de control. Las cantidades totales de Calcio/Vitamina D Grupo fueron significativamente diferentes de los grupos Control y Calcio. Los resultados del presente estudio indican que lacombinación de suplementos de carbonato de calcio por vía oral con zinc puede tener efectos sistémicos sobre la aceleración de la regeneración ósea en defectos tibiales con injertos aloplásticos. Deben llevarse a cabo otros estudios en humanos, que involucren un largo plazo de seguimiento y también diferentes tipos de injertos óseos.