Influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 in adult: 'Similarities and differences'.

INTRODUCTION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing a global pandemic starting from December 2019, showed a course that resulted in serious mortality in the world. In order to understand SARSCoV-2 better, here we aimed to compare the similar and different characteristics of Influenza viruses occurring in the same season with SARS-CoV-2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 144 patients (31 patients with COVID-19, 62 patients with H1N1 influenza, and 51 patients with influenza B) were included in the study. Demographic findings, chronic diseases, laboratory values, chest x-ray, and chest CT findings of the patients were evaluated retrospectively. RESULT: Median age of the COVID-19 patients and rate of male patients were higher than other patient groups (55 years; p< 0.001) (61% male; p< 0.001). The most common chronic medical conditions were hypertension and diabetes. Platelet numbers and alanine aminotransferase values were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients. Radiologically, bilateral (74.2%) and nonspecific distribution (58.1%), ground-glass opacities with consolidation (51.6%), patchy image (25.8%), ground-glass opacities with interstitial changes (22.6%) and halo sign (22.6%) were quite evident than other groups in COVID-19 patients (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that due to the higher PLT values observed in COVID-19 patients, initiation of anticoagulant therapy should be considered in the early stage and routine follow-up with d-dimer and fibrinogen should be applied for suspected patients. Moreover, attention should be paid in terms of possible liver toxicity of the drugs to be used in treatment due the higher ALT values observed in COVID-19 patients. Since we did not detect SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses concurrently in the same patient, it may be helpful to focus on only one virus in a patient with symptoms, and radiographic differences can be used to differentiate COVID-19 from influenza.

Assessment of bloodstream infections and risk factors in an intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Nosocomial bloodstream infection (BSI) increases mortality rates, duration of stay in hospital, and treatment costs. This study was conducted to determine the rate and the risk factors of BSIs among intensive care unit patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four patients with BSIs (patient group) and 79 patients without a nosocomial infection (control group) were enrolled in the study. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria were used for diagnosing BSIs. Potential risk factors were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: The BSI development rate was 15.7% (64/407), with an incidence rate of 18.2/1000 patient days. Distribution of pathogens among BSI patients were as follows: gram-positive cocci, 42.18% (27/64); gram-negative cocci, 34.3% (22/64); and Candida spp., 23.4% (15/64). Risk factors were determined as intubation, arterial catheter, tracheostomy, duration of intubation, duration of catheter use, duration of nasogastric catheter, underlying diseases of chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus, implemented treatments of sedation and enteral nutrition, and APACHE II score. CONCLUSION: : BSIs are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in intensive care unit patients. Determination of the local risk factors is important and necessary for decreasing the rate of BSIs and the mortality rates.