Molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 strains in the south-east and east of Turkey

OBJECTIVE: To detect the subtype characterization and drug-resistant mutations in HIV-1 strains after the refugee movement from Syria to Turkey between 2011 and 2014 in south east border lines. METHODS: A total of 65 patients were included in this study, of which 57 (88%) patients were antiretroviral therapy-naive patients. HIV-1 RNA was detected and quantified by real-time PCR assay. HIV-1 subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) were identified by phylogenetic analysis (neighbor-joining method), and drug-resistant mutations were analyzed. RESULTS: Three major HIV groups were indicated. Two of these groups were located in subtype B. The other group showed heterogeneity. Subtype B (48/65, 73.8%), followed by CRFs (12/65, 18.5%) was the most common strain. Subtype of CRFs consisted of CRF01_AE (9/65, 13.8%) and CRF02_AG (3/65, 4.6%). Subtype C (1/65, 1.5%), sub-subtypes A1 (2/65, 3.1%) and F1 (2/65, 3.1%) were also detected with low prevalence. The rate of overall primary antiretroviral resistance was 4.9% (3/61). Drug-resistant rate for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors was 4.9%. The thymidine analogue mutation rate was 13.1% (8/61). CONCLUSIONS: HIV molecular epidemiology studies are necessary to determine transmission patterns and spread. Subtype B and CRF01_AE, CRF02_AG are the most prevalent strains in the south-east of Turkey. However, subtype C, sub-subtypes A1 and F1 are of low prevalence but persist in the south-east of Turkey. In the near future, changing of HIV epidemiology will be possible in Turkey due to migration movement in border lines and resistance testing will play an important role in HIV management.

Laboratory-acquired brucellosis

Laboratory-acquired infections are rarely diagnosed and reported. Brucella species are highly contagious when handled in the laboratory. Therefeore, brucellosis is one of the most common laboratory-acquired bacterial infections. Laboratory workers get infected by either inhalation or by direct contact through the injured skin. We present a case of laboratory-acquired brucellosis [LAB] caused by Brucella melitensis. In conclusion, despite the enforcement of infection control measures, including the use of biosafety cabinet in the laboratory, laboratory-acquired brucellosis still maintains its importance because of infected sample handling by the workers

diagnostic value of sinus-track cultures in secondary pediatric chronic osteomyelitis

To determine and compare the diagnosis value and accuracy of culture of material from a sinus track with culture of material from bone specimens. Retrospective study. Dicle University Medical School and Batman State Hospital, Turkey. Twenty-one patients with secondary chronic osteomyelitis [COM]. Material for cultures was taken from the sinus as well as the bone specimens. Surgery for COM. The diagnostic value of sinus track cultures. The mean age of patients was 8.5 +/- 3.8 years. 15 [71.4%] were male and six [28.6%] were female. Organisms isolates from bone cultures were Staphylococcus 71.4% [15 / 21], Pseudomonas aeruginosa 9.5% [2 /21], Escherichia coli 9.5% [2 / 21], Proteus mirabilis 4.8% [1 / 21], Klebsiella pneumoniae 4.8% [1 / 21], respectively. Cultures of sinus track material and bone specimens gave identical results in 47.6% of patients. This study shows that if treatment of COM was planned according to the microbiological analysis of material from the sinus-track, it may not result in recovery every time. We found approximately 48% concordance between sinus-track and bone cultures. In other words, antimicrobial therapy guided by antibiograms of bacteria isolated from sinus-track would be inappropriate in 52% of patients with COM and result in treatment failure