Investigation of hematologic findings related to brucellosis in Anatolian region.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of hematologic findings and the relationship between hemogram parameters and brucellosis stages in patients. METHODS: This multi-center study included patients older than 16 years of age who were followed up with a diagnosis of brucellosis. Patients' results, including white blood cell, hemoglobin, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, mean platelet volume, platelet and eosinophil counts were analyzed at the initial diagnosis. RESULTS: In this study 51.3% of the patients diagnosed with brucellosis were male. The age median was 45 years for female and 41 years for male. A total of 55.1% of the patients had acute brucellosis, 28.2% had subacute, 7.4% had chronic and 9% had relapse. The most common hematologic findings in brucellosis patients were anemia (25.9%), monocytosis (15.9%), eosinopenia (10.3%), and leukocytosis (7.1%). Pancytopenia occurred in 0.8% of patients and was more prominent in the acute phase. The acute brucellosis group had lower white blood cell, hemoglobin, neutrophil, eosinophil, and platelet counts and mean platelet volume, and higher monocyte counts compared to subacute and chronic subgroups. CONCLUSION: It was noteworthy that in addition to anemia and monocytosis, eosinopenia was third most prominent laboratory findings in the study. Pancytopenia and thrombocytopenia rates were low.

Clinical and epidemiological evaluation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 coinfected cases.

INTRODUCTION: Coinfection of COVID-19 with influenza pathogens, may complicate the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, which is a new concern. This study aims to evaluate COVID-19 and influenza coinfected cases during the flu season, while the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022. A total of 1987 (1752 outpatients, 235 inpatients) patients were included, and 44 simultaneous COVID-19 and influenza laboratory-confirmed diagnoses. RESULTS: During the study period, 1553 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19, 390 influenza, and 44 were diagnosed with coinfection. The incidence of coinfected cases was 2.2% (n = 44) in all patients, When coinfected cases were examined, there was a statistically significant difference between the disease duration in the inpatients (19.86 ± 10.78 days) and the disease duration in the outpatients (7.63 ± 2.25 days) (p < 0.05). 31.8% (n = 14) of coinfected cases were hospitalized, and the mortality rate was 50.0% (n = 7) in hospitalized patients. CONCLUSIONS: Coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza was not uncommon. Data on coinfected cases are limited in the literature. The coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A should be considered in patients with complaints such as fever, myalgia, weakness, shortness of breath, and cough during the flu season. Using the diagnostic test showing two diseases in a single sample may contribute to protecting patient and community health in follow-up and treatment.

Testicular involvement of Brucellosis: A 10-year, multicentre study.

INTRODUCTION: The genito-urinary system is one of the most common areas of involvement in brucellosis. To present the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients with testicular involvement associated with brucellosis, together with the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. METHODOLOGY: Patients followed up for brucellosis-related testicular involvement between January 2012 and November 2022 were included in the study. Brucellosis is defined as the production of Brucella spp. in cultures, or clinical symptoms together with the serum standard tube agglutination test titer of ≥ 1/160. Inflammation in scrotal Doppler ultrasonography was based on testicular involvement. RESULTS: A retrospective evaluation was made of the data of 194 patients with brucellosis-related testicular involvement. The rate of determination of testicular involvement in brucellosis was 2.57%. The most affected patients were determined in the 16-30 years age range. On presentation, brucellosis was in the acute stage in 83.7% of patients. The most common symptoms on presentation were swelling and/or pain in the testes (86.6%). In the patients where a spermiogram could be performed, oligospermia was determined in 41.7%, and aspermia in 8.3%. When the testicular involvement of brucellosis was evaluated, epididymo-orchitis was present at the rate of 55.7%, epididymitis at 27.3%, and testis abscess at 5.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Although epididymo-orchitis was the most frequently determined form of involvement in this study, there was also seen to be a significant number of patients presenting with epididymitis. Male patients presented with the clinical status of brucellosis should be questioned about swelling and pain in the testes to avoid overlooking testicular involvement.

Assessment of sharps penetrating injury, mucosal exposure and compliance with standard precautions of health workers at a University Hospital in Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the compliance with standard precautions in healthcare workers who experienced a sharps penetrating injury or mucosal exposure using the compliance with Standard Precautions Scale, Turkish version. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. The occupational health and safety unit records of healthcare workers who were injured by a sharps penetrating injury or experienced mucosal exposure between January 2018 and July 2020 were examined. Compliance with the Standard Precautions Scale was assessed by having participants answer a questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 100 participants, 59% were men. Of all healthcare workers in the university hospital, 4.5% (n=100) were injured by sharps penetrating injuries or mucosal exposure. Of the participants, 95% were wounded by a sharps penetrating injury and 5% had mucosal exposure. The mean Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale score of participants with a sharps penetrating injury was 16.36±2.39 and with mucosal exposure was 16.80±3.03. There was no significant difference between the mean Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale scores of the sharps penetrating injury and mucosal exposure groups regardless of training on occupational health and safety (p=0.794). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the frequency of a sharps penetrating injury and mucosal exposure in healthcare workers was similar to the literature. The compliance level of the healthcare workers measured with the Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale was high.

Intrapartum and Postpartum Reactivation of Hepatitis B in Pregnant Patients: a multicentre study / Reactivación intraparto y posparto de la hepatitis B en pacientes embarazadas: un estudio multicéntrico

Introduction: Changes in the immune system during pregnancy have been associated with reactivation of the hepatitis B virus in women chronic hepatitis B infection not receiving antiviral therapy. The aim of this study is to examine the development of intrapartum and postpartum hepatitis B reactivation in pregnant patients not being treated for chronic hepatitis B.Material and Methods: Pregnant women diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and not receiving treatment between 2017 and 2022 in five centres in the east and southeast Turkey included in this study. In order to evaluate biochemical and viral reactivation from intrapartum and postpartum periods, patients with data for at least two periods were included in the study.Results: Evaluations were made on 171 pregnant women diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B. Reactivation occurred in 43 (25.2%) patients, in the postpartum period in 14 (32.35%) and in the intrapartum period in 29 (67.44%). Reactivation occurred most often in the 3rd trimester (n: 13, 30.2%). A significant increase was observed in the alanine aminotransferase levels of the patients with reactivation in the first trimester compared to 6 months prepartum and in the second trimester compared to the first trimester (p=0.038, p=0.039, respectively). The prepartum HBV DNA level (cut-off point =192 IU/ml) of patients with HBeAg negativity was found to have diagnostic power for reactivation of 0.684 (95% CI: 0.575-0.792, p=0.002) with 65.9% sensitivity and 68.6% specificity. Viral reactivation was observed in the first trimester in one patient and hepatitis B surface antibody was seen in the postpartum period.Conclusions: Asymptomatic viral reactivation occurred at the high rate of 25.1% in this series. To be able to identify reactivation as early as possible, pregnant patients should be followed up closely in the intrapartum and postpartum periods. (AU)

Introducción: Los cambios en el sistema inmunológico durante el embarazo se han asociado con la reactivación del virus de la hepatitis B en mujeres con infección crónica por hepatitis B que no reciben terapia antiviral. El objetivo de este estudio es examinar el desarrollo de la reactivación de la hepatitis B intraparto y posparto en pacientes embarazadas que no reciben tratamiento para la hepatitis B crónica.Material y Métodos: Mujeres embarazadas diagnosticadas de hepatitis B crónica y que no recibieron tratamiento entre 2017 y 2022 en cinco centros del este y sureste de Turquía incluidos en este estudio. Para evaluar la reactivación bioquímica y viral de los períodos intraparto y posparto, se incluyeron en el estudio pacientes con datos de al menos dos períodos.Resultados: Se evaluaron 171 gestantes con diagnóstico de hepatitis B crónica. La reactivación ocurrió en 43 (25,2%) pacientes, en el puerperio en 14 (32,35%) y en el intraparto en 29 (67,44%). La reactivación ocurrió con mayor frecuencia en el tercer trimestre (n: 13, 30,2%). Se observó un aumento significativo en los niveles de alanina aminotransferasa de las pacientes con reactivación en el primer trimestre en comparación con los 6 meses preparto y en el segundo trimestre en comparación con el primer trimestre (p = 0,038, p = 0,039, respectivamente). Se encontró que el nivel de ADN del VHB antes del parto (punto de corte = 192 UI/ml) de pacientes con HBeAg negativo tenía un poder diagnóstico para la reactivación de 0,684 (IC del 95 %: 0,575-0,792, p = 0,002) con una sensibilidad del 65,9 % y una sensibilidad del 68,6 %. % especificidad. Se observó reactivación viral en el primer trimestre en una paciente y se observaron anticuerpos de superficie contra la hepatitis B en el período posparto.Conclusiones: La reactivación viral asintomática ocurrió en la alta tasa de 25,1% en esta serie. ... (AU)