Toxoplasmosis is a common infection worldwide caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite. The prevalence of Toxoplasmosis ranges from 17.5% to 69.5% in Turkey. Toxoplasmosis is mostly asymptomatic. It may cause fetal mortality in case of vertical passage. The most common clinical findings in congenital toxoplasmosis are chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus and cerebral calcification. Another group of susceptible patients for Toxoplasma gondii are immunesuppressive patients. Reactivation of a latent infection in the case of immunodeficiency can lead to fatal toxoplasmic encephalitis. Serological diagnostic methods based on the detection of specific antibodies for Toxoplasma gondii are the most commonly used diagnostic methods. However, it may be difficult to interpret the results in pregnant women, neonates, and the patients receiving treatment. It is stated that using more than one method together to improve the reliability of the diagnosis is a more accurate approach. In the prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, in patients with immunodeficiency, in ocular toxoplasmosis, the polymerase chain reaction is seen as having a higher sensitivity. The aim of this review is to present the general features, diagnostic methods and current approaches in toxoplasma infection, an important public health problem.

A significant portion of women encounter vaginal infections at some point in their lives. These infections have many effects such as infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), severe disseminated infections, and complications affecting fetal health during pregnancy. Vaginal infections can be symptomatic or asymptomatic, thereby concealing their presence. This study aimed to determine the frequency and causative agents of vaginal infections in symptomatic and asymptomatic women in Konya. The study included 200 patients aged > 18 years who visited the gynecology clinic for any reason and provided informed consent. Patients who reported at least one of the symptoms of vaginal discharge, burning, or itching were categorized into the symptomatic group, while those without any of these complaints were categorized into the asymptomatic group. Vaginal swab samples collected from the patients were evaluated for bacterial vaginosis (BV) using the Nugent scoring method on Gram-stained smears. Trichomonas vaginalis was investigated through Giemsa-stained microscopic examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Samples were also cultured on routine media to analyze fungal and bacterial growth. A total of 74% of the patients were symptomatic, and 26% were asymptomatic and were admitted to the gynecology outpatient clinic for reasons other than vaginitis. According to the Nugent scoring system, BV was observed in 21.6% of the symptomatic group and 13.5% of the asymptomatic group. T. vaginalis was detected in only seven patients (3.5%) through microscopic examination and PCR. Among the patients with T. vaginalis, five were in the symptomatic group, and two were in the asymptomatic group. The rate of vaginal candidiasis was found to be 34.5% in the symptomatic group and 21.2% in the asymptomatic group. Aerobic vaginitis was observed in 12.8% of the symptomatic group and 7.7% of the asymptomatic group. The positivity rates for BV, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis in asymptomatic patients are concerning. Considering the fetal complications and chronic effects of vaginal infections, the decision to establish screening programs in the asymptomatic patient group should be based on national data, considering the prevalence of the pathogen in the region and its outcomes.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular parasite. It is regarded as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in congenital contamination and immunosuppressive patients. This study aimed to determine the seropositivity of T. gondii in various ages and patient groups, as well as to reveal the current immune status, especially in risk groups. Results of T. gondii serology conducted between 2015 and 2019 in the medical microbiology laboratory in a university hospital were retrospectively analyzed. In the study, anti-T. gondii IgM, anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies, and anti-T. gondii IgG avidity test results were investigated by the enzyme-linked fluorescent assay method. Additionally, seropositivity rates among immunosuppressed patients and pregnant women, which are risk groups for toxoplasmosis, were revealed. In the identification of the immunosuppressed patients, groups with significant immunosuppression were retrospectively determined by examining their files. The serology of T. gondii was investigated in serum samples of a total of 20.875 individuals, among which 6.220 (29.8%) are males and 14.655 (70.2%) are females. Anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG positivity rates were significantly higher in women than in men. When all years are evaluated, IgM positivity in 16.448 patients and IgG positivity in 4.427 patients were investigated. In the 5-year period, T. gondii IgM seropositivity and T. gondii IgG seropositivity was among all the patients was 2.4% and 24.1%, respectively. While the rate of T. gondii IgG seropositivity in women of childbearing age was 36.1%, it was 42.4% in pregnant women and 14.6% in immunosuppressed patients. T. gondii serology follow-up of pregnant women and immunosuppressed patients in terms of reactivity of latent infection should be advised and toxoplasmosis should be considered in suspicious clinical cases.

Cryptosporidium spp., the causative agent of Cryptosporidiosis, is an obligate intracellular and extracytoplasmic protozoan. Cryptosporidium spp., emerges as a public health problem transmitted by contaminated water and food due to its features such as the widespread occurrence of oocysts in nature, low infective doses, ability to pass through the filters of treatment plants, resistance to disinfectants, and ability to survive in water and soil for months at appropriate humidity and temperature. Transmission to humans usually occurs through the fecal-oral route by ingestion of oocysts. However, endogenous auto-infection can ocur. Respiratory transmission has been reported. Cryptosporidium spp. infections may lead to serious life-threatening clinical conditions in children under two years of age and immunosuppressed patients. In order to prevent water and foodborne cryptosporidiosis outbreaks and protect public health, the causes of Cryptosporidium oocysts contaminating these resources should be determined, necessary precautions should be taken and combat methods should be determined. In this review, information on the life cycle, epidemiology, clinical findings, diagnosis, protection, and control of Cryptosporidium spp. is presented.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, yüksek mortaliteyle seyreden enfeksiyonlara yol açan fırsatçı bir patojendir. Bu çalışmada üniversite hastanesinde yatan hastaların kan kültürlerinde tespit edilen P. aeruginosa izolatlarının çeşitli antibiyotiklere karşı direnç profilinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu çalışmada Ocak 2018-Aralık 2023 tarihleri arasında kan örneklerinden izole edilen P. aeruginosa izolatlarının antibiyotik direnç profilleri retrospektif olarak incelenmiştir. Klinik izolatlar konvansiyonel yöntemler, VITEK 2 Compact (bioMérieux, Fransa) veya Phoenix (BD Diagnostic Systems, ABD) otomatize sistemleri ile tanımlanmıştır. Antibiyotik duyarlılıkları otomatize sistemleri ile test edilmiş ve European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) önerileri dikkate alınarak değerlendirilmiştir. En yüksek direnç imipenem (n=162, %39.4), meropenem (n=134, %32.6) ve piperasilin/tazobaktama (n=130, %31.6) karşı tespit edilmiştir. En etkili antibiyotiklerin ise amikasin (n=15, %3.6) ve tobramisin (n=17, %4.1) olduğu belirlenmiştir. Antibiyotiklerin direnç oranları yıllara göre incelendiğinde piperasilin/tazobaktam, seftazidim, sefepim, imipenem, meropenem ve levofloksasin direnç oranlarında istatiksel olarak anlamlı fark saptanırken (p0.05). Antibiyotik duyarlılık test sonuçlarına göre uygulanan tedavi protokolü ve akılcı antibiyotik kullanımı ile direnç oranlarının azalacağı düşünülmektedir. Bu nedenle düzenli sürveyans takibi yapılmalı ve tedavide uygun antibiyotik kombinasyonları seçilmelidir.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate E.histolytica-specific ELISA adhesin antigen test results in stool samples sent to the medical microbiology laboratory with suspicion of amebiasis. Materials and Methods: A total of 1120 stool samples were included in the study, which were sent to the medical microbiology laboratory with suspicion of amebiasis in the two-year period between January 2022 and December 2023. The results of ELISA adhesin antigen test studied on stool samples were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Of the 1120 samples in the study, 578 (51.6%) were obtained from male and 542 (48.4%) from female patients. The mean age of the patients was 33.92±24.33 (0-94) years. There were 335 (30%) samples from pediatric patients, and the mean age was determined as 4.48 ±4.78. The positivity rate of E.histolytica specific ELISA adhesin antigen test was 14.3% (n=161). Of the positive patients, 77 (47.8%) were male and 84 (52.2%) were female. There were 55 (34.1%) positive samples from pediatric patients. While there was no statistically significant difference between the positivity status and age of the patients, or between the positivity status and gender (p>0.05), the seasonal difference was considered significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: With the E.histolytica-specific ELISA adhesin antigen test, E.histolytica and non-pathogenic E.dispar can be differentiated and patients can be prevented from receiving unnecessary treatment.