Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi最新文献

Objective: The study aims to determine the presence of L1014F, L1014S, L1014C alleles, which are responsible for knockdown resistance and Ace-1 G119S alleles, which are responsible for acetylcholinesterase insensitivity in Anopheles superpictus, the secondary vector of malaria in Turkey.

Methods: In this study, 60 Anopheles superpictus adult females were collected from Aydın, Denizli, and Muğla provinces. Then, allele-specific primers for kdr L1014F, L1014S, and L1014C alleles, and the Ace-1 G119S allele were designed. The presence of these alleles was screened in three Anopheles superpictus populations by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Although L1014S allele frequency was too low in Aydın, Muğla, and Denizli populations, neither kdr L1014F and L1014C nor Ace-1 G119S mutations were found in any population.

Conclusion: In this study, kdr L1014S mutation was detected for the first time in the Aegean Anopheles superpictus populations.

Objective: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animal species and causes toxoplasmosis. Especially infections that occur during pregnancy can lead to serious clinical symptoms. This study retrospectively revealed the T. gondii seroprevalence of pregnant women in Kastamonu province, Turkey.

Methods: Anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG positivity of 1.294 pregnant women between the ages of 15-44 years who applied to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatients of Kastamonu Training and Research Hospital from January 2018 to January 2022 were investigated retrospectively. The IgG avidity test was performed for both anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG positivity.

Results: Anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG seropositivity were determined as 1.1% (n=14) and 20.3% (n=263), respectively. Anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG positivity were detected together in 11 pregnant women. IgG avidity test results of only six pregnant women could be reached, two pregnant had high IgG avidity, and four pregnant had low IgG avidity. Anti-T. gondii IgG positivity rate increased with increasing age (p=0.039).

Conclusion: The number of seronegative pregnant women was considered high in Kastamonu. It is significant for expectant mothers to know about prevention methods in order not to acquire toxoplasmosis.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral zoonotic infectious disease transmitted by ticks, accompanied by fever, bleeding, myalgia, weakness and similar non-specific symptoms, and can have an acute and serious course. In this article, two CCHF cases seen during the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in a non-endemic province are described. The common feature of both cases; contact with animals in the endemic region during the feast of sacrifice, non-specific symptoms, liver function test, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase elevation, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, tick and livestock contact of patients with non-specific symptoms should be questioned.

Objective: It was aimed to characterize the sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) gene in Anopheles sacharovi using molecular methods for the first time, and to reveal the expression levels of An. sacharovi in the developmental stages and female generation in different tissues such as salivary gland, midgut and adipose tissue.

Methods: The adult female An. sacharovi collected from the Sultan Sazlığı region and the development stages in the insectarium constituted the study material. cDNA isolation was performed following total RNA extraction from An. sacharovi strains. The 216 bp fragment of the SCP-2 gene was amplified with optimized primers in cDNA templates and was sequenced. Genetic characterization of the sequences was provided in silico analysis.

Results: Twelve of the SCP-2 nucleotide sequences of 14 isolates included in the sequence analysis were 100% identical and the SCP-2 sequences of the other two isolates that were homologous to each other showed a single nucleotide change at base 183. The 216 bp fragment of the SCP-2 gene region was found encoding the 72 amino acid chain. SCP-2 gene sequences clustered the isolates monophyletically on the basis of mosquito species and strains, and that Anopheles sacharovi isolates formed a subcluster together with Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles funestus within the Anopheles cluster in phylogenetic analysis. Because of q-polymerase chain reaction-mediated expression analysis, SCP-2 gene was expressed highest in adult males, followed by an adult female, ss L4, L3, L2, L1, and pupal stages, respectively. In adult female tissues, the SCP-2 gene was expressed the highest in the fat body, followed by the midgut and salivary glands, respectively.

Conclusion: SCP2, which is an important vaccine candidate or target drug site for Anopheles sacharovi with high vector potential, was firstly characterized in this study and the developmental stages and expression differences in the tissues of the mosquito were revealed.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate Anaplasma phagocytophilum and related strains (A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and like 2) in sheep and goats for the first time in Sivas province with molecular techniques.

Methods: The study material was composed of 247 animal (159 sheep and 88 goats) blood samples from four districts of Sivas province (Sivas City Center, Kangal, Koyulhisar, and Yıldızeli). A. phagocytophilum and related strains were screened with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-RFLP, and DNA sequence analysis.

Results: A. phagocytophilum related strains were found in 44.93% (111/247) of the small ruminants using PCR. The infection rate was 45.91% (73/159) in sheep and 43.18% (38/88) in goats. In this study, 110 samples were positive for only A. phagocytophilum-like 1, while A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and like 2 were mix-infection in one sample. A. phagocytophilum was not detected in sheep or goats. Two randomly selected PCR products were sequenced in both directions, and the consensus sequences were deposited on the GenBank under accession numbers: ON598644 and ON598645. Nucleotide similarity of 99.34-100% was determined between A. phagocytophilum-like 1 isolates obtained in this study and those of A. phagocytophilum-like 1 isolates present in the GenBank database.

Conclusion: This study provides the first molecular data on A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and like 2 in Sivas province. Considering the high positive rate of the A. phagocytophilum-like 1 in sheep and goats, there is a paucity of data on clinical symptoms and vector species of the pathogen. Therefore, further studies are needed to investigate the vector tick species and clinical symptoms of the pathogen in the host.

Objective: The presence of protozoan parasites in agricultural irrigation and drinking water resources at Denizli city center was investigated in detail for the first time.

Methods: The research was carried out between October 2017 and October 2018 and 84 water samples were taken from 7 different stations identified from the Denizli city center. After examining the samples by direct visualization (Native-Lugol), they were stained with quinton's acid fast, giemsa and trichrome dyes. The preparations were evaluated parasitologically under a light microscope.

Results: Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 21 (25%) of 36 agricultural irrigation water samples collected during the study, Cyclospora cayetanensis in 5 samples (5.95%) and Giardia spp. in 12 samples (14.28%). No parasite findings were found in any of the 48 drinking water samples collected.

Conclusion: The widespread use of animal husbandry and agriculture as grazing land in the sampling stations, the mixing of domestic wastewater into these waters without any treatment, and seasonal conditions cause the protozoan parasites to be seen more in certain periods. It is thought that waterborne protozoan infections that may occur in the future can be significantly prevented by taking the necessary precautions in terms of public health and environmental animal husbandry.

Objective: Demodex species are frequently found in blepharitis cases. This study aimed to compare the conjunctival flora of eyes with Demodex-positive blepharitis and Demodex-negative blepharitis with healthy individuals.

Methods: Eyelash epilation was performed to detect Demodex from 44 eyes of 44 patients with chronic blepharitis and 44 eyes of 44 healthy controls and examined under a microscope. A conjunctival swab was taken from the same eye and inoculated on eosin methylene blue agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar, chocolate agar, and 5% sheep blood agar. Aerobic conjunctival flora was evaluated among Demodex-positive blepharitis, Demodex-negative blepharitis and healthy eyes.

Results: Demodex spp. was detected in 3 (6.8%) of 44 healthy controls and 24 (54.5%) of 44 patients with blepharitis. The most frequently isolated bacteria in healthy controls were coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS) spp. (n=32, 72.7%), Streptococcus spp. (n=16, 36.4%), Corynebacterium spp. (n=13, 29.5%). The most frequently isolated bacteria in Demodex-positive blepharitis were CNS spp. (n=14, 58.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (n=11, 45.8%), Corynebacterium spp. (n=7, 29.2%). In Demodex-negative blepharitis, CNS (n=10, 50.0%), S. aureus (n=10, 50.0%), Corynebacterium spp. (n=5, 25.0%) were most commonly isolated. S. aureus growth was significantly increased in the Demodex negative and positive blepharitis groups compared with the healthy group (p=0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). Although CNS spp. growth decreased in both groups with Demodex-negative and positive blepharitis compared with the healthy group; the decrease was significant only in those with Demodex-negative blepharitis (p=0.045). In terms of other bacterial growth, there was no significant difference between healthy eyes and Demodex positive and negative eyes with blepharitis.

Conclusion: We found that Demodex blepharitis has no significant effect on conjunctival flora. Blepharitis itself may be the main factor in changes in the conjunctival flora.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of intestinal parasites in refugee and native patients who applied to a territory hospital in Turkey.

Methods: A total of 17911 patients who were admitted to our hospital between January 2018 and January 2019 were evaluated retrospectively in terms of intestinal parasites. The patients' stool samples were investigated for the existence of intestinal parasites by direct wet mount preparation, formalin ether concentration technique and cellophane tape method. The data obtained were compared between patient groups according to the examination method.

Results: The overall prevalence of E. vermicularis in refugee children was found twice higher than that in native patients and the most common symptom was abdominal pain in these patients. Intestinal parasite detection rates were significantly higher in the stool concentration method than in the direct wet mount examination. Cutaneous complaints and protein energy malnutrition/growth retardation were the most common clinical conditions besides gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with intestinal parasitosis.

Conclusion: In our study, the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. in refugees was found to be higher than in the normal population. Intestinal parasitic infections should be investigated with proper diagnostic methods especially in children with PEM/GR and cutaneous symptoms in addition to gastrointestinal problems.

Laboratory diagnosis of leishmaniasis is based on culture, microscopic examination, serological and molecular methods. The gold standard method is to see amastigotes in microscopic examination and to grow promastigotes in Novy, MacNeal, Nicolle (NNN) medium. NNN medium is frequently used for culture all over the world. In our study, it was aimed to investigate whether the use of RPMI-1640 medium is an appropriate method in cases where the gold standard NNN medium is not available for the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Smears were prepared from the needle aspiration fluid sample from the patient who applied to Manisa Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine and had lesions suspicious of CL, and were stained with Giemsa for the presence of amastigotes. The samples taken were directly inoculated into RPMI-1640 broth and incubated at 26 °C for the presence of promastigotes. On consecutive days after incubation, it was checked for promastigote growth. Genotyping of the grown isolate was performed with primers and probes specific to the internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) gene region with the help of real-time polymerase chain reaction. The amastigote form was observed in the microscopic examination of the needle aspiration fluid sample smear preparations taken from the patient. On the other hand, promastigote growth was observed in RPMI-1640 broth from the 3rd day. In addition, the isolate obtained from the CL patient was determined to be Leishmania tropica as a result of the species determination made by genotyping. It is thought that this study is important in terms of suggesting an alternative medium for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis in laboratories where the gold standard NNN medium is easily accessible. RPMI-1640 medium, which is easily obtained and prepared in parasitology laboratories, can help in the diagnosis of the disease and treatment follow-up, Leishmania spp. isolation and drug resistance studies.