Epidemiological and diagnostic features of blastocystis infection in symptomatic patients in Izmir province, Turkey

The aims of this study were to identify Blastocystis subtypes [STs] in a cohort of Turkish patients with various gastrointestinal symptoms using a novel Real Time PCR method developed recently for Blastocystis detection and assess the relationship between Blastocystis STs and patient symptoms. Totally, 617 stool samples of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were examined with microscopy and inoculated in Jones medium. Blastocystispositive samples were further assessed to identify coinfections with other possible pathogens, including bacteria and viruses. Diagnostic efficacies of microscopy, culture and Real-Time PCR were compared. PCR products were sequenced to identify the subtypes of Blastocystis isolates. Totally 94 [15.24%] samples were positive for Blastocystis after all methods. Among these, 83 of 94 [88.3%] samples were identified with all methods, while 11 were positive only with Real Time PCR. Diarrhea and abdominal pain were the leading symptoms in the patients. The only pathogenic agent identified in 76 of 94 [80.9%] patients was Blastocystis. Subtype 3 was the leading Blastocystis subtype [44.6%], while subtypes 6 and 7 were firstly isolated from symptomatic patients in our region. Comparison of three diagnostic methods indicated Real Time PCR as the most sensitive and specific method. Blastocystis was the only pathogenic agent among symptomatic patients, with subtype 3 being predominant. Patients with subtypes 6 and 7 need further assessments concerning the zoonotic potential of Blastocystis

In vitro activities of various antimicrobials against brucella melitensis strains in the aegean region in Turkey

To study in vitro activities of three quinolones [ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin], four macrolides [erythromycin, dirithromycin, azithromycin, clar-ithromycin] and doxycycline against 44 clinical isolates of Brucella melitensis. Forty-four B. melitensis strains were isolated from blood cultures of adult patients with acute brucellosis who were hospitalized in the clinical ward of the Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. The minimum inhibitory concentrations [MICs] of the tested antimicrobials were measured by the agar dilution method. MIC[90] and MIC[50] values were defined as the lowest concentration of the antibiotic at which 90 and 50% of the isolates were inhibited, respectively. Doxycycline [MIC[50]: 0.25 micrg/ml, MIC[90]: 0.50 microg/ml] had the lowest MIC in vitro against the B. melitensis strains. Among the quinolones, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin had similar activities [MIC[50] 0.5 microg/ml, MIC[90] 2 microg/ml], whereasMIC of moxifloxacin [MIC[50]1 microg/ml, MIC[90] 8 microg/ml] was higherthan both antibiotics in this group. Clarithromycin and azithromycin were the most active macrolides [MIC[50]: 8 microg/ml and MIC[90]: 32 microg/ml], followed by erythromycin [MIC[50]: 16 microg/ml, MIC[90]: 32 [xg/ml] and dirithromycin [MIC[50]:64 fig/ml and MIC[90]:64 microg/ml]. The results indicate that the conventional agent doxycycline is more active than quinolones and macrolides against the B. melitensis in vitro