Blastocystis in ulcerative colitis patients: Genetic diversity and analysis of laboratory findings.

OBJECTIVE: To determine Blastocystis frequency and subtypes (ST) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and analyse some laboratory findings between Blastocystis positive and negative cases. METHODS: Faecal samples from 150 UC patients in Adnan Menderes University, Training and Research Hospital were examined by direct microscopy and cultivated in Jones medium. Blastocystis positive cultures were subjected to DNA isolation and subtypes were identified by sequencing of barcode region. A retrospective analysis was conducted on C reactive protein (CRP), leucocyte counts (WBC), neutrophil counts, and sedimentation rates. RESULTS: The overall positive rate of Blastocystis was 8% (12 patients) and the most abundant subtype was ST3 (eight isolates, 66.7%), followed by ST1, ST2 and ST7. Laboratory findings between Blastocystis infected and non-infected UC patients were not significantly different. Blastocystis frequency was 3.8% among the patients in active stage, while it was 11.8% among the patients in remission stage. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms previous findings that have indicated the predominance of Blastocystis ST3 in humans and contributes additional evidence that suggests the low colonisation of Blastocystis infection in ulcerative colitis patients during active stage.

Salmonellosis and ulcerative colitis. A causal relationship or just a coincidence.

Coincidence of salmonellosis and ulcerative colitis is a rare clinical problem. Salmonella infection was reported to complicate the ulcerative colitis, as either facilitating its occurrence or activation. In this article, we present a case with salmonellosis whose clinicopathological findings also suggested ulcerative colitis. The patient improved rapidly after taking additional mesalazine to norfloxacin treatment. We conclude that salmonella infection might have either been coincidentally present or might have triggered an early ulcerative colitis in this patient who did not have history of inflammatory bowel diseases. In case of persistent severe diarrhea despite appropriate treatment, the possibility of a coincident inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis should always be considered, especially in endemic regions for salmonellosis.

Gastrointestinal lesions and Helicobacter pylori in patients with myeloproliferative disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the endoscopic lesions, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positivity in patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). METHODS: Thirty patients with MPD and 93 controls with functional dyspepsia were enrolled in this study after informed consent obtained between March 2000 and July 2003. The study was held at the Departments of Hematology and Gastroenterology, Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine, Adnan, Turkey. Physical examination, hemogram, peripheral blood examination, upper endoscopic examinations were performed in all patients. Helicobacter pylori positivity was evaluated by rapid urease test, and by histopathological examination of the biopsies obtained from antrum and corpus. RESULTS: The H. pylori positivity was 46.7% in MPD and 19.4% in control group (p<0.05). The prevalence of gastritis was much higher in MPD patients than control group (p<0.05). There was no gastrointestinal bleeding in control group but 8 patients in MPD group (26.7%; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The higher susceptibility of H. pylori infection and high frequency of gastric lesions in patients with MPD suggests a surveillance of these patients. The eradication of H. pylori to avoid probable gastrointestinal problems is advised in MPD patients.