Investigation of the role of stray cats for transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans and animals living in Izmir, Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that has a widespread distribution among mammalians and birds. One of the reasons for the high prevalence may be due to ingesting oocyst disseminated by stray cats' feces. In Turkey, most of the citizens are closely associated with stray cats and they love to pet and feed them on the streets. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of T. gondii DNA in feces of stray cats living in Izmir, Turkey in order to identify the transmission potential to humans and other animals. METHODOLOGY: Feces and blood samples of 465 stray cats were investigated for the presence of T. gondii oocysts by microscopy and for the presence of T. gondii DNA by two real time PCR methods. Furthermore, serum samples were analyzed for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies using an ELISA. RESULTS: Oocysts were detected in 0.43% of the stray cats by microscopy. T. gondii DNA was detected in 14.37% of the stray cats' feces samples. The seroprevalence rate was 37.84%. In the feces and/or blood PCR positive group, 35.89% of them were seropositive. Among the 176 seropositive cats, T. gondii DNA was detected in feces of 27 cats (15.34%). CONCLUSIONS: This study first time showed the inter relation of T. gondii DNA in feces and blood samples and seropositivity. In sum, over 14% of the stray cats living outdoor may have an important role in transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans in Izmir as well as to other animals.

Evaluation of Blood Urea, Creatinine, and Glucose Levels as Biochemical Indicators of the Type and Severity of Traumatic Brain Injury.

AIM: To investigate the effects of trauma type and survival on biochemical parameters including blood urea, creatinine, and glucose levels on patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The medical records of 102 patients with TBIs who were admitted to the emergency department and/ or hospitalized in the neurosurgery department between 2016 and 2019 were examined retrospectively. RESULTS: Types of trauma included: 19 cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage, 25 cases of subdural hemorrhage, 9 cases of epidural hemorrhage, 28 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage, 4 cases of multiple hemorrhage, and 12 cases with other hemorrhages. We examined the effects of trauma type and survival on a total of 17 blood test parameters, but only three (blood urea, creatinine, and glucose) showed significance for the overall model, meaning that either trauma type or survival or an interaction between the two had significant effects on these three blood parameters. CONCLUSION: Our findings imply that the risk of fatality due to TBI might be deduced from observation of the patient?s blood urea and glucose levels as these two parameters differed significantly in fatal versus surviving cases. Blood urea and creatinine levels were different for different trauma types and may be useful in distinguishing the type of injury.

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Cases among Children Younger than 24 Months.

INTRODUCTION: Accidental head injuries are known to cause serious traumatic brain injury (TBI). Children younger than 2 years of age build a separate group that is more difficult to assess clinically. Investigations targeting TBIs in pediatric cases, particularly in those between 0 and 2 years of age, are limited. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we reviewed a number of severe accidental head injuries in a cohort of children aged 0-2 years to evaluate the relative incidence, distribution, and clinical success in determining the nature of the cases in the Kars Province of Turkey. METHODS: The study targeted 26 -cases who presented to the Emergency Department of Kars Harakani Hospital for TBI between 2017 and 2019 through retrospective chart review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Among the children who presented to the emergency clinic, 2 were newborns, 7 were <1 year of age, and the remaining 17 cases were between 1 and 2 years old. The number of male and female patients was equal, and 5 fatality cases were observed. The most frequent cause of head trauma were falls. We deduced that 6 cases had subarachnoid hemorrhage, 2 cases had subdural hemorrhage, 3 cases had epidural hemorrhage, and 4 cases had contusion. We compared the mean level of the two blood parameters hemoglobin (HGB) and hematocrit (HCT) between fatal and surviving cases and detectedthat both values decreased dramatically in exitus cases. The higher fatality rate in the present study could be attributed to the fact that we targeted only the severe TBI cases. Severe TBI in children younger than 2 years results in a life-threating situation. The risk of fatality might be deduced from the reduction of the HGB and HCT levels as it is significantly lower in fatal cases than in surviving cases.

The effectiveness of low-dose versus high-dose 99mTc MIBI protocols for radioguided surgery in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of low-dose and high-dose (99m)Tc methoxy isobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) protocols in intraoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas by means of a gamma probe in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 62 patients with PHPT who were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 32 patients who were injected with a low dose (1 mCi) of (99m)Tc MIBI in the surgical suite 10 min before incision. Group 2 included 30 patients who were intravenously administered a high dose (15 mCi) of (99m)Tc MIBI 2 h before surgery. With the aid of a gamma probe, intraoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas was performed in both groups of patients who underwent minimally invasive parathyroidectomy. All lesions thought to be parathyroid adenomas were excised and subsequently evaluated histopathologically. RESULTS: All parathyroid adenomas in both groups were localized and excised by means of an intraoperative gamma probe. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of low-dose and high-dose (99m)Tc MIBI protocols in the intraoperative localization of adenomas in patients with PHPT were 100%. CONCLUSION: In the light of these findings, we conclude that low-dose (99m)Tc MIBI may be preferred to intraoperative identification of parathyroid adenomas by means of a gamma probe in PHPT patients because it appears to be as effective as high-dose (99m)Tc MIBI. Moreover, the low-dose protocol does not have the disadvantages of high-dose protocol.

Comparison of efficacy of Tc-99m HIG and Tc-99m nanocolloid on sentinel lymph node mapping in patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study compared the effectiveness of Tc-99m human polyclonal immunoglobulin (HIG) and Tc-99m nanocolloid at detecting sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) with lymphoscintigraphy and an intraoperative gamma-probe (IGP) in patients with early breast cancer. METHODS: The study group consisted of 50 women; 25 patients each were given Tc-99m HIG or Tc-99m nanocolloid for lymphoscintigraphy. Then, intraoperative SLN localization with IGP was performed. The results of IGP, lymphoscintigraphy, blue dye injected just before surgery, and pathology were compared. RESULTS: In the Tc-99m HIG group, one patient had tumours in both breasts. In two patients, we could not detect SLNs with lymphoscintigraphy, although they were detected with IGP and blue dye. We found SLNs for all tumours with IGP. With the intraoperative blue dye, SLNs were identified for 25 tumours; for one tumour, no SLN was detected with blue dye. In the histopathological examination, 13 tumours showed metastasis in the SLN and in 11 of these 13, there were also metastases in the axilla. One patient had a skip metastasis. In the Tc-99m nanocolloid group, SLNs were identified in 24 patients with lymphoscintigraphy. IGP found SLNs in 24 patients. The blue dye detected SLNs in all patients. On histopathological examination, 10 patients had metastasis in the SLN and there were also metastases in the axilla in all of these patients. CONCLUSION: Tc-99m HIG can be used in SLN detection with preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and IGP in early-stage breast cancer patients.

The biodistribution of radioiodine on posttherapy iodine-131 scans in thyroid cancer patients with chronic renal failure.

OBJECTIVES: Owing to ineffective iodine removal, radioiodine dose reduction was recommended in thyroid cancer patients with chronic renal failure. In this study, the radioiodine biodistribution pattern on posttherapy scans in patients with normal renal function and those with chronic renal failure is outlined. METHODS: This study included 10 thyroid cancer patients with chronic renal failure (five females, five males; mean age: 43+/-12.9) and 20 control participants (16 females, four males; mean age: 43.5+/-8.2) with normal renal function. Radioiodine doses used for ablation ranged between 1110 and 3700 MBq in the patient group and between 3700 and 5550 MBq in the control group. Whole-body imaging was performed on day 7 after radioiodine administration. Scans were inspected with regard to oral, nasal, salivary gland, hepatic, mammary, and gastrointestinal uptake patterns. RESULTS: Mild-to-significant liver uptake was present in all patients in the control group, whereas none exhibited gastric uptake. Mild salivary gland, oral or nasal activity was present in a small percentage of patients in the control group. Out of 10 patients with renal failure, eight had salivary gland, nine had gastric, eight had oral uptake linear in pattern that was unresponsive to mouth wash and all had nasal uptake. Six patients reported persistent xerostomia after treatment. Mammary uptake was present in three female patients. Hepatic uptake was faintly visible only in one patient. CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic renal failure exhibited significant salivary gland, oral, nasal, and gastric activity 1 week after radioiodine administration. The linear pattern of oral activity unresponsive to rinsing and persistence of gastric activity for 1 week might suggest adsorption of radioiodine to mucosal cells. Salivary gland dysfunction and the risk of second primary malignancy in iodine-concentrating organs appear as important indications for radioiodine dose reduction in this patient group.

Effects of apple consumption on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters in elderly subjects.

The effects of apple consumption on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters of elderly subjects were investigated in this study. Fifteen elderly subjects (mean age 71.86 +/- 4.17) participated in the study. They consumed an apple a day for 1 month. Before and after this period, fasting blood samples were obtained, and oxidant (malondialdehyde [MDA]) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px], catalase [CAT], and antioxidant potential [AOP]) parameters were studied. MDA and AOP levels were studied in plasma, and SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT activities and MDA levels were measured in the erythrocytes. In the erythrocytes, GSH-Px and SOD activities were found to be higher (p < .001 and p < .01), but MDA levels were lower in the second samples relative to the first ones. In the plasma, AOP value was found to be higher in the second samples relative to first ones (p < .001). No differences were found, however, between the routine blood parameters such as total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The results show that consumption of apple leads to significant increases in the activities of some antioxidant enzymes and in the antioxidant potential values of the blood, and that decreases oxidation reactions in the body in significant amount. It is quite possible that reduced peroxidation processes owing to consumption of this fruit may play a part in some of their beneficial effects in the elderly subjects.