Studies analyzing viral load in COVID-19 patients and any data that compare viral load with chest computerized tomography (CT) severity are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the severity of chest CT in reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-positive patients and factors associated with it. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was extracted from nasopharyngeal swab samples by using Bio-speedy viral nucleic acid buffer. The RT-PCR tests were performed with primers and probes targeting the RdRp gene (Bioexen LTD, Turkey) and results were quantified as cycle threshold (Ct) values. Chest CT of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive patients (n = 730) in a period from 22 March to 20 May 2020 were evaluated. The total severity score (TSS) of chest CT ranged 0–20 and was calculated by summing up the degree of acute lung inflammation lesion involvement of each of the five lung lobes. Of the 284 patients who were hospitalized, 27 (9.5%) of them died. Of 236 (32.3%) patients, there were no findings on CT and 216 (91.5%) of them were outpatients (median age 35 years). TSS was significantly higher in hospitalized patients; 5.3% had severe changes. Ct values were lower among outpatients, indicating higher viral load. An inverse relation between viral load and TSS was detected in both groups. CT severity was related to age, and older patients had higher TSS (p < 0.01). Viral load was not a critical factor for hospitalization and mortality. Outpatients had considerable amounts of virus in their nasopharynx, which made them contagious to their contacts. Viral load is important in detecting early stages of COVID-19, to minimize potential spread, whereas chest CT can help identify cases requiring extensive medical care.

Objective: Toxoplasma gondii, rubella, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) are among the TORCH (Toxoplasma, Others, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex virus) group microorganisms. Knowing regional epidemiological data on TORCH group infections is important, especially when deciding whether to perform routine screening at the regional and national levels. Our study aimed to evaluate the frequency of T. gondii, rubella, and CMV IgM and/or IgG antibodies in female patients admitted to a state hospital in İstanbul. Method: T. gondii, rubella, and CMV IgG and IgM antibody results tested in patient sera between January 2017 and December 2020 were evaluated retrospectively. Results: The results of 33 636 samples were evaluated. The highest rate of seropositivity was detected in the 20-29 age group (n=4626, 26.72%). The highest of antibody positivity was reported in 2019 (33.29%). The IgG seropositivity rate was 24.1% for T. gondii, 93.5% for rubella, and 98.3% for CMV. Conclusion: Except for the differences in T. gondii seroprevalence, the results of our study seem to be similar to those of other studies both in our country and globally. The seronegativity rate (74.9%) for T. gondii was high in our research, which indicates that pregnant women should be carefully monitored for T. gondii infection in our region. We conclude that more comprehensive studies are needed to establish national screening programs for TORCH group agents. Keywords: CMV, rubella, TORCH, toxoplasma, seropositivity

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) diagnosis relies on clinical signs, serological tests, radiological findings and histopathology. Lack of pathognomonic features or clinician inexperience can make CE diagnosis challenging. In this study, we aimed to investigate the demographic, serological, and radiological characteristics of individuals with a preliminary diagnosis of CE. A total of 1,410 serum samples from 1,265 patients were analysed for the presence of IgG antibodies Anti-Echinococcus granulosus IgG using chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) and indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA). Among these, 148 samples showed serological and radiological findings compatible with CE. Echinococcal cysts were confirmed by ultrasonography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging. Among the 148 patients compatible with CE, 88 were women (59.5%) with a mean age of 45.0 ± 19.1 years, and 60 were men with a mean age of 35.4 ± 18.3 years. Although there was no significant difference between the sexes regarding the number, location, size, or complications, the mean age of female patients was higher than that of male patients. Our findings suggest that radiological methods are essential for assessing cyst size and activity, while serological methods provide complementary diagnostic value and contribute to generating important epidemiological data. As CE is a zoonosis, collaboration with veterinary surveillance is essential for effective control.

Background: Several commercial and in-house methods have been developed for identifying microorganisms directly from blood culture bottles (BCBs) using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Accurate and rapid identification can significantly reduce the reporting time for critical patients. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate a simple, cost-effective method for detecting microorganisms from BCBs using the VITEK MS system and to compare the results with conventional blood culture and Gram staining methods. Methods: A total of 296 monomicrobial blood cultures were processed using an in-house extraction protocol and analyzed via the VITEK MS system. The results were compared to conventional culture methods, and statistical significance was assessed using chi-square analysis. Results: Gram-negative pathogens were identified with 92.0% accuracy, while Gram-positive pathogens were correctly identified in 66.4% of cases using the in-house method. Statistical analysis revealed that this difference was significant (P < 0.01), highlighting the method's higher reliability for Gram-negative bacteria. These results underscore the importance of refining protocols for Gram-positive bacteria to enhance overall diagnostic performance. Conclusions: The in-house method provided a cost-effective and feasible alternative for routine laboratory settings. While identification was highly successful for Gram-negative bacteria, further refinement is needed to improve accuracy for Gram-positive bacteria.

Anti-rods and rings (anti-RR) antibodies represent a rare cytoplasmic antinuclear antibody (ANA) pattern typically associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and interferon-based therapy. However, emerging evidence suggests a broader clinical relevance beyond HCV. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, immunofluorescence characteristics, autoantibody associations, and clinical contexts of anti-RR antibodies in a large Turkish patient cohort undergoing routine ANA screening. Serum samples were retrospectively analysed for ANA using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) between January 2022 and October 2024. Samples displaying anti-RR patterns were further evaluated for specific ANA profiles using line immunoassay. Clinical and demographic data were collected from medical records. Among 57,644 patients tested for ANA, 11,752 (20.39%) were ANA-positive, with only 91 cases (0.16%) exhibiting an anti-RR pattern. These cases were predominantly female (60.44%) with a median age of 52 years. Isolated anti-RR patterns were observed in 70.33% of patients, while the remainder showed mixed patterns, most commonly with AC-4,5,31 and AC-1 ANA patterns. Anti-RR positivity showed no significant association with classical ANA-specific autoantibodies. Clinically, anti-RR-positive patients displayed diverse diagnoses, including autoimmune diseases (21.98%), nephropathic conditions (9.89%), hepatic (7.69%) and pulmonary (6.59%) disorders, with the majority (53.85%) categorized under other conditions. Anti-RR antibodies, while rare, occur across a spectrum of diseases and may be associated with heterogeneous clinical conditions beyond hepatitis C infection. Their detection warrants careful interpretation within the appropriate clinical and laboratory context. Prospective studies are needed to explore their pathophysiological roles and diagnostic utility in diverse patient populations.