Electrochemical Immunoassay Platform for Human Monkeypox Virus Detection.

In this study, we reported a selective impedimetric biosensor for the detection of A29 which is the target protein of the monkeypox virus (MPXV). The working principle of the biosensor relies on the interaction mechanism between A29, which is an internal membrane protein of MPXV, and the heparan sulfate receptor. For this purpose, after immobilizing heparan sulfate onto the gold screen-printed electrode surface, its interaction with A29 protein was monitored using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. After the optimization of experimental parameters, the analytical characteristics of the developed MPVX immunosensor were examined. The developed immunosensor exhibited a linear detection range between 2.0 and 50 ng mL-1, with a detection limit of 2.08 ng mL-1 and a quantification limit of 6.28 ng mL-1. Furthermore, a relative standard deviation value of 2.82% was determined for 25 ng mL-1. Apart from that, sample application studies were also performed with the standard addition of A29 protein to 1:10 diluted real serum samples that were taken from healthy individuals, and very good recovery values were obtained.

Endogenous Fungal Endophthalmitis in a Patient Admitted to Intensive Care and Treated with Systemic Steroid for COVID-19

A 61-year-old woman presented to our clinic with complaints of decreased visual acuity, pain, and redness in her left eye. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 in the right eye and counting fingers at 3 meters in the left eye. On slit-lamp examination, 1+ cells were detected in the anterior chamber. Fundus examination revealed 1+ haze in the vitreous and multiple creamy-whitish lesions in the retina and vitreous. Her history included a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) one month earlier, for which she was hospitalized in the intensive care unit for 20 days and received systemic corticosteroid treatment. Vitreous culture yielded Candida albicans. The patient's nasopharyngeal swab sample was positive for COVID-19 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. BCVA was improved to 20/40 after amphotericin therapy (via intravitreal injection and intravenous routes), and the vitritis and chorioretinitis lesion regressed after 2 weeks of treatment. Two weeks later, intravenous amphotericin was discontinued and oral fluconazole treatment was started at a dose of 400 mg/day. At 3-month follow-up, her BCVA was 20/25 and no inflammatory reaction was observed in the anterior chamber and vitreous.

An impedimetric approach for COVID-19 detection.

In this study, an electrochemical approach for the determination of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was developed. The biosensor system relied on the spike protein (S-protein) based infection mechanism of the virus and included separate interactions of receptors like angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and CD147. After the optimization of experimental parameters, the analytical characteristics of both receptors ACE2 and CD147 were investigated. For ACE2 receptor, the linear detection ranges of the S-protein were found in the range of 700 ng mL-1 to 1500 ng mL-1 and from 1500 ng mL-1 to 7000 ng mL-1 with a limit of detection (LOD) value of 299.30 ng mL-1. Meanwhile, for CD147 receptor the linear range was in the range of 500 ng mL-1 to 5000 ng mL-1 with a LOD value of 38.99 ng mL-1. After the examination of analytical characteristics, the developed electrochemical approach was applied for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 samples and the obtained results were validated with real time polymerase chain reaction method.

Development and application of a SARS-CoV-2 colorimetric biosensor based on the peroxidase-mimic activity of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles.

A practical colorimetric assay was developed for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For this purpose, magnetic γ Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized and used as a peroxidase-like mimic activity molecule. In the presence of γ Fe2O3 nanoparticles, the color change of H2O2 included 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine was monitored at the wavelength of 654 nm when spike protein interacted with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. This oxidation-reduction reaction was examined both spectroscopically and by using electrochemical techniques. The experimental parameters were optimized and the analytical characteristics investigated. The developed assay was applied to real SARS-CoV-2 samples, and very good results that were in accordance with the real time polymerase chain reaction were obtained.

Investigation of Strongyloides stercoralis Seroprevalence in Individuals Who Grow Vegetables and Gather Mushroom in Mugla Province in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the incidence of Strongyloides stercoralis in individuals who live in rural areas in the towns near Mugla and have contact with humid soil and gather saffron milk cap mushroom in autumn, and to obtain epidemiological data in our region. METHODS: A total of 281 volunteers were included; 192 of them were the individuals who only gather mushroom, only work in the garden, or gather mushroom as well as work in the garden, while 89 had no contact with the soil. Totally, 281 sera were tested for the presence of S. stercoralis-IgG antibodies by ELISA technique, using a commercial kit (DRG® Diagnostics Strongyloides IgG ELISA EIA-4208; Germany). RESULTS: One of 281 volunteers (0.3 %) was found positive for S. stercoralis-IgG antibodies, while the other 280 volunteers (99.7 %) were found negative. Thirty-seven, 33, and 43 of 192 volunteers reported wearing only boots, only gloves, and both boots and gloves, respectively. Seventy-nine of 192 volunteers reported wearing neither boots nor gloves. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study is the first study that involves the individuals with soil contact in our country, and it was concluded that this study will offer an insight into the other studies on S. stercoralis.

A Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patient With Febrile Neutropenia Developing After Intraocular Administration of Bevacizumab.

In this article, we report a case with febrile neutropenia occurring after implementation of intraocular bevacizumab. A 60-year-old female patient who had received intravitreal bevacizumab applied to hospital for oral lesions accompanying fever and neutropenia. In spite of empiric antibiotherapy, patient's clinical condition did not improve. Her sputum culture yielded Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole and levofloxacin were commenced according to antibiogram. In immunologic evaluation, antinuclear antibodies and anti-double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid were positive as compatible with systemic lupus erythematosus. After proper antibiotic treatment, patient's clinical symptoms resolved. Development of severe neutropenia after procedures which are not expected to create systemic adverse effects should bring to mind underlying immunosuppressive diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

Vibrio alginolyticus Associated Chronic Myringitis Acquired in Mediterranean Waters of Turkey.

Vibrio alginolyticus was originally classified as biotype 2 of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Most clinical isolates are recovered from superficial wounds or the external ear infections. V. alginolyticus is acknowledged to be nearly nonpathogenic in humans. The reason for presence of V. alginolyticus's virulence is uncertain. We describe a chronic myringitis case in a 47-year-old female due to V. alginolyticus. According to her anamnesis, it was detected that she had sea bathing history in Mugla Coast in Turkey. Pure isolation of V. alginolyticus was obtained from external auditory canal's culture. Investigation and antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolate were performed by the automatized BD Phoenix system and Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, respectively. The bacteria were sensitive to all antibiotics. This case was presented to pay attention to Vibrio alginolyticus infections.

[The Retrospective Analysis of Toxoplasma Serology Results from Mugla Sitki Koçman University Training and Research Hospital between 2012 and 2013]. / Mugla Sitki Koçman Üniversitesi Egitim ve Arastirma Hastanesi Mikrobiyoloji Laboratuvari'nda 2012-2013 Yillari Arasinda Çalisilan Toxoplasma Serolojik Test Sonuçlarinin Retrospektif Olarak Degerlendirilmesi.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was the evaluation of serology results in Mugla Sitki Koçman University Training and Research Hospital Microbiology Laboratory between 2012 and 2013 among cases from different divisions for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies, retrospectively. METHODS: Anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were detected by a commercial kit in serum samples. The age and gender of cases, the division where the samples were sent and the changes in the seropositivity between years were evaluated statistically by chi-square test. RESULTS: Totally 1162 cases varying from 9 months to 85 ages (mean 29.1 ± 10.8) were included in the study, due to the orders from divisions anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were investigated in 747 samples and 154 (20.6%) of them were positive. Anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies were investigated in 1112 samples and 27 of them (2.4%) were positive. The seropositivity of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were increased with age (p = 0.001) and a significant relationship was found with anti-Toxoplasma IgM seropositivity and the division where the samples were sent (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that as in the other parts, toxoplasmosis is an important public health concern in Mugla and it is crucial especially for women in reproductive age, the risk group for toxoplasmosis, should be informed about toxoplasmosis.

[The relationship between antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in urinary Enterococcus isolates]. / Üriner Enterokok Izolatlarinin Antibiyotik Direnci ile Virülans Faktörleri Arasindaki Iliski.

Increasing multidrug resistance in nosocomial Enterococcus strains from all over the world recently enhances the need for further investigation of enterococci, especially their virulence factors. There are still many lacking parts about virulence factors of clinical enterococcus isolates. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance and the presence of potential virulence factors of 91 Enterococcus strains (59 E.faecalis, 31 E.faecium and 1 E.gallinarum) isolated from urine cultures of inpatients between January 2008-June 2010 in our hospital and also to evaluate whether a correlation existed between antibiotic resistance and potential virulence factors. The genes which encoded virulence factors of enterococci; aggregation substance (AS), enterococcal surface protein (ESP) and hyaluronidase (HYL) (asa1, esp, hyl respectively) were studied by molecular methods and haemolysin production and gelatinase activity were studied by phenotypic methods. Vancomycin resistant strains were checked for the presence of vanA and vanB genes. Eight (25.8%) E.faecium isolates were found glycopeptide resistant. In seven of these isolates resistance type was vanA and in one it was neither vanA nor vanB. High-level gentamicin and high-level streptomycin resistance rates were 74.2% and 61.3% in E.faecium strains and were 22% ve 27.1% in E.faecalis strains, respectively. Beta-lactamase production and linezolid resistance were not detected in any of the strains. E.faecium isolates were more resistant (p< 0.001-0.013) than E.faecalis isolates to all tested antibiotics except tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline and streptogramin (p< 0.001). hyl gene positivity (p< 0.001) was found higher in E.faecium isolates whereas esp (p= 0.003) and asa1 (p< 0.001) gene positivity, haemolysin production (p=0.014) and gelatinase activity (p= 0.029) were higher in E.faecalis isolates. AS and ESP were the most frequent virulence factors, with the rates of 26.7% and 25.6%, respectively. There were 32 (35.6%) strains without any of the investigated virulence factors. We have also detected that asa1 gene positive E.faecalis isolates were more resistant to ciprofloxacin (p= 0.001), norfloxacin (p= 0.006) and levofloxacin (p= 0.001) than asa1 gene negative isolates; esp gene positive E.faecalis isolates were more resistant to doxycycline (p= 0.043) than esp gene negative isolates and hyl gene positive E.faecium isolates were more resistant to nitrofurantoine (p= 0.011) than hyl gene negative isolates. This was the first clinical sample originated study, investigating the corelation between antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in urinary Enterococcus isolates in Turkey.

[The rates of resistance to second-line drugs in multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains]. / Cok ilaca dirençli Mycobacterium tuberculosis suslarinin minör antitüberküloz ilaçlara duyarliliginin saptanmasi.

The treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) requires the use of minor antituberculosis drugs, thus susceptibilities against these minor drugs should be performed. The aim of this study was to establish and standardize the susceptibility testing methods for minor antituberculosis drugs in this laboratory and to obtain data about the resistance rates. Drug susceptibility tests were performed by proportion method in Lowenstein-Jensen media for 50 MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates that have been collected from different regions of our country. Resistance rates to ethionamide, cycloserin, kanamycin, p-aminosalicylic acid, ofloxacin, thiacetasone, and capreomycin were found as 22%, 8%, 6%, 6%, 2%, 2%, and 0%, respectively. Multidrug resistance was observed in 8% of the isolates. As a result, the resistance rates of multidrug resistant M. tuberculosis strains against the tested minor antituberculosis drugs seem to be low in this study.