Species distribution of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in clinical isolates from 2007 to 2010 in Turkey: a prospective study.

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) consists of a group of closely related species that differ in their epidemiological profiles, host ranges, pathogenicities, geographic distributions, and drug resistances. Identification of members in the MTBC is essential for monitoring the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) and implementing appropriate public health control measures. In this study, 188 consecutive MTBC clinical isolates from 2007 to 2010 were evaluated to determine the prevalence of MTBC species in Turkey. PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP) of the gyrB gene were used, and results for species other than M. tuberculosis were confirmed using the GenoType MTBC assay (Hain Lifescience, Nehren, Germany). Most of the strains were found to be M. tuberculosis (94.1%). The prevalences of M. bovis and M. caprae were 4.3% and 1.6%, respectively. Only one M. bovis BCG strain was identified. Overall, the frequency of bovine tuberculosis in humans was 5.3%. We had assumed that bovine TB infection was under control in animal herds, but primary M. bovis infections in humans caused by transmission from infected animals are still an issue in Turkey. Our results indicate that the frequent identification of M. bovis in routine mycobacteriological laboratory work has further importance due to the well-known resistance of this species to pyrazinamide.

The role of Helicobacter pylori in patients with hypothyroidism in whom could not be achieved normal thyrotropin levels despite treatment with high doses of thyroxine.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is a most frequent cause of chronic gastritis. H. pylori may decrease absorption of oral thyroxine by decreasing gastric acid secretion in the stomach. In this study, we aimed to investigate the change in thyroid function tests of the cases after H. pylori eradication who were not responding to high doses of thyroxine treatment before H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Hypothyroid cases who were not responding to high doses of thyroxine among the ones presented to Endocrinology and Gastroenterohepatology Clinics of Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital between 2009 and 2010 were included in the study. Thyroid function tests were performed two times in all cases before and after H. pylori eradication. Duodenal, antral and corporal biopsies, and jejunal aspirates and biopsies were taken during upper gastrointestinal system endoscopies performed in all patients. Cases without intestinal pathology were included in the study. RESULTS: Serum thyrotropin (TSH), free T3, and free T4 values before H. pylori eradication were 30.5 ± 28.8 IU/mL, 2.64 ± 0.56 pg/mL, and 0.92 ± 0.32 ng/mL, respectively, and after eradication were found to be 4.2 ± 10.6 IU/mL, 3.02 ± 0.61 pg/mL, and 1.3 ± 0.34 ng/mL, respectively (p values <.001, .002, and <.001, respectively). After H. pylori eradication treatment, TSH decreased in all of the cases, factitious thyrotoxicosis developed in % 21 of these cases. CONCLUSION: In hypothyroid cases, H. pylori gastritis may be responsible for an inadequate response to the treatment. H. pylori eradication in the cases receiving high doses of thyroxine has a risk for thyrotoxicosis.

[Detection of bla(CTX-M) beta-lactamase genes in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing gram-negative bacteria]. / Genislemis spektrumlu beta-laktamaz ureten gram-negatif bakterilerde bla(CTX-M) beta-laktamaz genlerinin arastirilmasi.

Widespread production of CTX-M type extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) in Enterobacteriaceae strains which are resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins is the most remarkable example for rapid and global spread of plasmid mediated antimicrobial resistance in bacteria. Consecutive 200 ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae strains out of 1640 isolates that were obtained from clinical samples (167 urine, 11 wound, 7 bronchoalveolar lavage, 3 peritoneal fluid, 2 cerebrospinal fluid, 2 biopsy, 2 tracheal aspirate, 2 conjunctiva, 1 abscess, 1 catheter) between February to July 2009 in our laboratory were included to this study. Among the 200 ESBL positive isolates 141 (70.5%) were Escherichia coli, 51 (26%) were Klebsiella pneumoniae, 5 (2.5%) were Enterobacter spp. and one of each (0.5%) Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella oxytoca and Proteus mirabilis. ESBL positivity was 11% among the 123 community-acquired strains and 13% among the 77 hospital acquired strains, the statistical difference being insignificant (p > 0.05). The prevalence of bla(CTX-M) beta-lactamase genes were detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction with the use of two general primer sets: CTX-MA1 and CTX-MA2 primers for the amplification of CTX-M-1, CTX-M-2 and CTX-M-9 enzymes group, and CTX825-F and CTX825-R primers for the amplification of CTX-M-8 and CTX-M-25 enzymes group. bla(CTX-M) genes were detected in 167 out of 200 strains (83.5%). CTX-M production rates in community and hospital acquired strains were found as 86.2% and 79.2%, respectively and no statistically significant difference was detected (p > 0.05). CTX-M producing strains were either E. coli (n = 132) or Klebsiella spp. (n = 35) and were expressing one of the enzymes from CTX-M-1, CTX-M-2 or CTX-M-9 groups. No strains carrying CTX-M-8 or CTX-M-25 group enzymes were detected. CTX-M production rates in ESBL producing E. coli strains in community and hospital were found as 92.5% and 95.7%, respectively, whereas the same rates for ESBL producing Klebsiella spp. strains were 67.8% and 66.7%. The difference between the CTX-M production rates of community and hospital acquired strains was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, CTX-M prevalence was found high in ESBL producing strains of both E. coli and Klebsiella spp. Since bla(CTX-M) gene acquisition usually results in the emergence of multiple drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains, screening for CTX-M type ESBL production in the laboratory has an important impact on monitoring the resistant strains which have endemic potential.