Objective: Oral candidiasis, in the form of Candida-associated denture stomatitis, represents a common disease in a large percentage of denture wearers, and Candida albicans remains the most commonly isolated species. In this study, we aimed to evaluate biofi lm production, coagulase and hemolytic activity of Candida species isolated from denture stomatitis patients. Materials and Methods:This study included 70 patients (31 female, 39 male). Forty-eight of the patients were found to have a positive culture. A total of 48 Candida isolates representing fi ve species, C. albicans (n=17), C. glabrata (n=10), C. krusei (n=9), C. kefyr (n=7) and C. parapsilosis (n=5), were tested. Their coagulase activities were evaluated by a classical tube coagulase test with rabbit plasma. A blood plate assay on 3% enriched sheep blood Sabouraud-dextrose agar (SDA) was used to determine their in vitro hemolytic activities. Biofi lm production was determined by a visual tube method.Results: Twenty-one Candida isolates exhibited coagulase activity, and the coagulase activities of the C. albicans (64.7%) isolates were higher than other species. C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. kefyr and C. krusei species demonstrated beta hemolysis. C. parapsilosis strains failed to demonstrate any hemolytic activities. Fifteen (88.0%) of the C. albicans strains were biofi lm positive. Six (35.2%) of these strains were strongly positive, 8 (47.0%) C. albicans strains were moderately positive and 1 (5.8%) C. albicans strain was weakly positive. Sixteen (51.6%) of the non-albicans Candida strains were biofi lm positive while 15 (48.3%) did not produce biofi lms. Conclusion:The results of this present study indicate coagulase, hemolytic activity and biofi lm production by Candida spp. isolated from patients with denture stomatitis. Investigations of these virulence factors might be helpful in gaining information about the possible virulence of oral Candida species related to denture stomatitis.

Denture-induced stomatitis usually occurs in persons who wear a complete or a partial denture. Among the many aetiological and predisposing factors, Candida spp. are believed to play an important role in the initiation and progression of the infection. Seventy cases who attended the clinics of the Dental Faculty, University of Atatürk, Turkey were investigated from the viewpoint of denture-induced stomatitis. After questioning the patients for their personal information, they were examined clinically and smears were obtained from lesions of the palatal mucosa and the contiguous denture surface by calcium aliginate swabs, and inoculated onto Sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with 1% chloramphenicol, and CHROMagar Candida. Individual yeast species were identified by a germ tube test, development of blastospores, chlamydospores and pseudohyphae and assimilation tests employing the commercial kit API 20C AUX system. According to the results obtained, 70% of the cases had denture-induced stomatitis, and in 68% of them mycological culture results were positive. Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated fungus (68.75%). On the other hand, fungal growth was much more pronounced in the cultures made from the inner surface of the dentures. In conclusion, this study showed that candidal infections are not the predisposing factor in the occurrence of denture-induced stomatitis, but they play a major role, as also some other factors, especially those related with dentures.

Objective: Fabrics can become contaminated with high numbers of microorganisms that may be pathogenic to patients in a hospital setting and can play an important role in the chain of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the survival of several clinical bacterial and fungal isolates on several fabrics commonly used in hospitals. Materials and Methods:Bacterial and fungal survival was tested on the following materials, each of which are commonly used in our hospital: 100% smooth cotton, 60% cotton-40% polyester, 100% wool and 100% silk. One isolate each of Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positive Escherichia coli, inducible beta-lactamase (IBL) positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa, IBL-positive Acinetobacter baumannii and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were used to contaminate fabrics. The survival of these microorganisms was studied by testing the fabric swatches for microbial growth. Results:The median survival times for all the tested bacteria and fungi were as follows: 26 days on cotton, 26.5 days on cotton-polyester, 28 days on silk, and 30 days on wool. Among the bacterial species tested, E. faecium had the longest survival time on cotton-polyester fabrics. For the fungal isolates, it was observed that C. tropicalis and C. krusei survived for the shortest amount of time on cotton fabrics in the present study. Conclusion:This survival data indicate that pathogenic microorganisms can survive from days to months on commonly used hospital fabrics. These findings indicate that current recommendations for the proper disinfection or sterilization of fabrics used in hospitals should be followed to minimize cross-contamination and prevent nosocomial infections. Sonuç: Bu sonuçlar, patojen mikroorganizmaların hastanelerde sık-lıkla kullanılan kumaş türleri üzerinde günler, aylar gibi uzun süreler boyunca canlılıklarını devam ettirdiklerini göstermektedir. Dolayısıy-la bu çalışma; çapraz kontaminasyonu en aza indirmek ve hastane infeksiyonlarını önlemek için, hastanelerde kullanılan kumaş malzemelerin temizliği, dezenfeksiyonu veya sterilizasyonu için güncel önerilerin uygulanması gerekliliğini vurgulamaktadır.

The aim of the present study is to ascertain esterase activities of various species of Candida. A total of 125 strains isolated and identified by conventional methods were tested for esterase activity using the Tween 80 opacity test. Our results showed that 58 of 59 strains of Candida albicans, all of the Candida tropicalis strains (n = 38) and all of the Candida guilliermondii strains (n = 3) produced positive results, whereas the remaining Candida species did not. The Tween 80 opacity test is a useful method because it is simple, economical and easy to prepare and interpret.

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The coagulase activities of various Candida spp were assessed using a classical tube test. A total of 125 clinical Candida isolates representing eight species (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. kefyr, Geotrichum candidum, C. krusei and C. guilliermondii) were incubated with rabbit, sheep or human plasma. After 24 h incubation, 29/64 (45.3%) C. albicans isolates and 23/61 (37.7%) non-albicans Candida strains were positive for coagulase in rabbit plasma, whereas 20/64 (31.2%) C. albicans and 6/61 (9.8%) non-albicans Candida isolates were positive for coagulase in sheep plasma. None of the tested Candida isolates reacted positively in human plasma. These results suggest that rabbit plasma is the most appropriate medium for detection of coagulase activity in Candida spp. Variations in coagulase production by Candida spp may be related to their pathogenicity. It is concluded that the laboratory detection of coagulase activity in clinical isolates of Candida spp may help the diagnosis of Candida-related infections.

In this cross-sectional, community-based study, sera were obtained from 573 subjects. Brucella sero-positivity was detected in 5.4% according to the standard tube agglutination test, rising to 11.9% when the Rose-Bengal test was used. Brucellosis is a serious public health problem in eastern Turkey.

The present study was designed to determine the antimicrobial resistance and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) activities of Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from the neonatal intensive care unit of Atatürk University Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey. Antibiotic susceptibility of 40 isolates was detected by the standard disk diffusion method according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards Guidelines. The double-disk synergy method was used to determine ESBL activity, which is associated with resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. Twenty-four (60%) of 40 K. pneumoniae strains were found to produce ESBL. Of the antibiotics tested, meropenem was found to be the most effective (100%), and ampicillin the least effective (0%). With the increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance, which poses a clinically significant risk to vulnerable patients, it is important that clinical microbiology laboratories have accurate and timely information concerning the strains of bacteria present to enable them to predict which antibiotics are likely to be effective in treating the infections they may cause.