In the past decades, cases of canine ocular onchocercosis have been reported worldwide, particularly in the United States and Europe. Onchocerca lupi, originally described from a wolf, has been implicated in some of these cases, and its zoonotic role has been hypothesized on the basis of the reexamination of two cases of human ocular onchocerciasis. In the present study, we describe, for the first time, the occurrence of O. lupi in the subconjunctival region of the human eye in a patient from Turkey. The nematode was identified as O. lupi based on its morphology and molecular phylogenetic analysis of partial cox1 and 12S ribosomal DNA genes. The results suggest that O. lupi should be considered in the differential diagnosis of other eye parasitic infections in humans. The role of dogs as natural hosts of O. lupi and the vectors of this zoonotic parasite need to be investigated.

Echinococcus granulosus is the causative agent of cystic echinococcosis in humans and many domestic animals, and remains an important global health problem. The aim of this study was to genotype E. granulosus isolates obtained from humans and animals in the Thrace Region of Turkey. A total of 58 isolates were obtained from patients who underwent surgery at several hospitals and from animals at a slaughterhouse in the province of Edirne. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 fragments, and polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) of the partial mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) gene, was used to characterize human and animal E. granulosus isolates. To investigate the genetic characteristics of isolates, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) and ND1 genes was performed. Fifty-eight E. granulosus isolates, including 42 from human, 13 from cattle and 3 from sheep were, analyzed. The results indicated two distinct genotypes: the G1 (sheep strain) and G7 (pig strain) genotypes. The sheep strain was shown to be the most common genotype of E. granulosus affecting humans, sheep and cattle. Among the concatenated partial CO1 and ND1 sequence data, eight haplotypes of Echinococcus species were identified in the present study. This is the first report indicating that the E. granulosus pig strain is present in humans in this region. We suggest that new strategies be designed for E. granulosus control programs in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to investigate a tularemia outbreak in the Thrace region of Turkey. The outbreak occurred in Demirkoy village of Edirne, in 2005. Of 400 villagers, 266 were examined and their sera were taken. Throat swabs and lymph node aspirates were cultured. Specific antibodies in patients and domestic animals were screened by a microagglutination test. PCR assays and cultures of the samples of patients, animal tissues, and water sources were performed, along with active surveillance to identify risk factors. Seven out of 10 cases were diagnosed as oropharyngeal form; the remaining three patients were asymptomatic. The cultures for tularemia were negative; however, PCR assays were positive in one lymph node aspirate and in water from one spring. Some animals had the specific antibody at low levels. Increased rodent population in the vicinity, exposure to wild rabbits, and drinking from one of the springs were identified as risk factors with the risk ratios (and 95% confidence interval) of 10.5 (10.3 - 10.7), 6.5 (5.43 - 7.57), and 2.1 (1.1 - 2.5), respectively. Therapeutic and preventive measures were taken. When tularemia cases have been detected in a region even a few decades earlier, tularemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients.

Giardia intestinalis is a common protozoon that infects humans and may cause water and food-borne outbreaks. It is regarded as a major public health problem worldwide and in Turkey as well. Molecular techniques are widely used to determine the epidemiology, genetic populations and taxonomy of G.intestinalis. It has two genotypes including genotype A and genotype B in humans. The purpose of the present study is to implement the molecular analysis and genotyping of the isolates of G.intestinalis obtained from human stool samples. A total of 39 isolates obtained from the stool samples of persons (30 male, 9 female; age range: 1-74 years, median age: 20) who have admitted to Trakya University Medical Research and Practice Health Center and Edirne State Hospital between September 2011- April 2013 were included in the study. The average number of cysts were identified both with native and lugol methods among all microscopically detected samples by screening at least 50 field with x400 magnification. The samples were then analyzed through loop-mediated isothermal amplification method (LAMP) for the presence of elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) gene, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the presence of beta-giardin (bg) gene regions. In addition, sequence analysis of bg gene was performed. Of 39 samples, 32 (82%) and 19 (48.7%) were found to be positive for G.intestinalis EF-1α and bg genes by LAMP and PCR methods, respectively. Genotyping was implemented in 17 out of 19 samples yielding nine genotype A and eight genotype B strains. The sub-genotypes of these strains were identified as A2 (n= 6), A3 (n= 3), B2 (n= 6), B3 (n= 1) and B4 (n= 1). In eight isolates that could be typed among 21 symptomatic patients, genotype B (n= 5) and in nine isolates that could be typed among 18 asymptomatic patients, genotype A (n= 6) were more frequently observed. There was no significant association between symptomatic or asymptomatic status and genotypic patterns of the cases (p= 0.347). The PCR positivity rate showed a significant difference between patients with higher cyst density and lower cyst density (p= 0.0001). In conclusion, molecular methods such as LAMP and PCR might have the potential to provide a substantial guidance for the analysis of outbreaks. In addition, the determined subtypes of G.intestinalis in our region is expected to contribute to the global epidemiological data.