Background CoronaVac, an inactivated whole-virion SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, has been shown to be well tolerated with a good safety profile in individuals aged 18 years and older in phase 1/2 trials, and provided a good humoral response against SARS-CoV-2. We present the interim efficacy and safety results of a phase 3 clinical trial of CoronaVac in Turkey.Methods This was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Volunteers aged 18-59 years with no history of COVID-19 and with negative PCR and antibody test results for SARS-CoV-2 were enrolled at 24 centres in Turkey. Exclusion criteria included (but were not limited to) immunosuppressive therapy (including steroids) within the past 6 months, bleeding disorders, asplenia, and receipt of any blood products or immunoglobulins within the past 3 months. The K1 cohort consisted of health-care workers (randomised in a 1:1 ratio), and individuals other than health-care workers were also recruited into the K2 cohort (randomised in a 2:1 ratio) using an interactive web response system. The study vaccine was 3 μg inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virion adsorbed to aluminium hydroxide in a 0•5 mL aqueous suspension. Participants received either vaccine or placebo (consisting of all vaccine components except inactivated virus) intramuscularly on days 0 and 14. The primary efficacy outcome was the prevention of PCR-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 at least 14 days after the second dose in the per protocol population. Safety analyses were done in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04582344) and is active but no longer recruiting.

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Patients with a Brucella infection occasionally manifest central nervous system involvement. Clinicians, especially serving in endemic areas or serving patients coming from endemic areas should consider the likelihood of neurobrucellosis in the patients with unexplained neurological and psychiatric symptoms, and should perform the necessary tests on blood and CSF.

COVID-19 pandemic is now a global threat to human health reaching up to 2 million infected people all around the world. Since its first recognition in Wuhan, many topics were discussed intensively about COVID-19, both in the public and scientific community. Personal protective equipment, especially masks, has been among the hottest topics during this pandemic. Regardless of which mask is used, performing hand hygiene frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub or with soap and water if hands are dirty is the most effective preventive measure for COVID-19. The type of mask used when caring for COVID-19 patients will vary according to the setting, type of personnel/person, and activity. Although the main transmission route for COVID-19 is droplets, during aerosol generating procedures airborne transmission may occur. Keeping the distancing and medical masks and eye protection during close contact efficiently protects against respiratory diseases transmitted via droplets. Airborne precautions include goggles and respiratory protection with the use of an N95 or an equivalent mask respirator to prevent airborne transmission.

Background. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is resistant to various antibiotics and can cause serious nosocomial infections with high morbidity and mortality. In this clinical study, we investigated the risk factors in patients who were diagnosed with P. aeruginosa-related nosocomial infection. Methods. A retrospective case control study including patients with P. aeruginosa-related nosocomial infection. Patients who were resistant to any of the six antibiotics (imipenem, meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, amikacin, and ceftazidime) constituted the study group. Results. One hundred and twenty isolates were isolated. Various risk factors were detected for each antibiotic in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, previous cefazolin use was found as an independent risk factor for the development of imipenem resistance (OR = 3.33; CI 95% [1.11–10.0]; p = 0.03), whereas previous cerebrovascular attack (OR = 3.57; CI 95% [1.31–9.76]; p = 0.01) and previous meropenem use (OR = 4.13; CI 95% [1.21–14.07]; p = 0.02) were independent factors for the development of meropenem resistance. For the development of resistance to ciprofloxacin, hospitalization in the neurology intensive care unit (OR = 4.24; CI 95% [1.5–11.98]; p = 0.006) and mechanical ventilator application (OR = 11.7; CI 95% [2.24–61.45]; p = 0.004) were independent risk factors. Conclusion. The meticulous application of contact measures can decrease the rate of nosocomial infections.