TurkeyThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in patients with neoplasia. One hundred and eight patients with neoplasia and 108 healthy controls were studied for the presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies using a micro ELISA and peroxidase-labelled anti-human IgG (rabbit) and IgM (goat). Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were detected in 68 (63 . 0 %) patients and in 21 (19 . 4 %) of the controls, which was a statistically significant difference. In addition, anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies were detected in seven (6 . 5 %) patients and in one (0 . 9 %) control. A high percentage of positivity for Toxoplasma antibodies in patients with neoplasia was detected. Therefore, parasitological surveys of this patient group should be periodically performed.

There might be a causal relationship between chronic toxoplasmosis and the aetiology of cryptogenic epilepsy.

We present a case of oral myiasis in a 15-year-old boy with tuberculosis meningitis. The diagnosis was based on the visual presence of wriggling larvae about 1 cm in size and on the microscopic features of the maggots, especially those relating to stigmatic structures. The larvae were identified as third-stage larvae of Sarcophaga sp.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) involves interactions between the cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and immune systems. This study investigated the seropositivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA in patients with CHF. Ninety-seven patients with CHF and 50 healthy volunteers were selected for this investigation. The seropositivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies among CHF patients (68 %) was significantly higher than in healthy volunteers (36 %). Thus, parasitological screening of this group of patients should be periodically performed to prevent the possible dissemination of toxoplasmosis.

The Dd of patients before PDL treatment was 13.0 (interquartile range (IQR): 5.0-28.0) and after 3 weeks of PDL treatment it was 6.0 (IQR: 3.0-12.0) with SSSB. After PDL treatment, the Dd was significantly lower than pretreatment the Dd (p = 0.002). The present study shows that PDL significantly reduced Dd in facial skin with one session.

One hundred and seventy three haemodialysis patients, and 40 healthy controls, were studied for the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by a micro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were detected in 97 (56.06%) haemodialysis patients and 8 (20%) controls with a statistical significance. In addition, anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies were detected in 1.73% of patients, but none of the controls. In conclusion, a high percentage of positivity for Toxoplasma antibodies in patients with CRF undergoing haemodialysis was noticed, thus parasitological surveys of CRF patients should be periodically performed to prevent the possible dissemination of toxoplasmosis through the dialysis procedure.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an infectious disease caused by various species of leishmania protozoan parasites. Lupoid CL is a rare form of CL that has a stunning similarity to other granulomatous cutaneous conditions of infectious or inflammatory origin. Verruca plana, also known as a “flat wart”, is a benign proliferation of the skin resulting from infection with human papilloma virus (HPV). Herein, we presented a case of lupoid CL mimicking verruca plana on the face.

Sülükler halkalı omurgasızlar sınıfındadır, kan ile beslenirler ve antik dönemden beri çeşitli hastalıkları tedavi etmek için flebotomide kullanılırlar. Hirudoterapi, tedavi için tıbbi sülüklerin uygulanmasıdır. Sülük tedavisinin terapötik kullanımı köklü bir yöntemdir ve eski Mısır'a, medeniyetin başlangıcına dayanır. 20. yüzyılın sonunda yeni terapi kavramları sülük tedavisinin yerini almıştır. Mikrovasküler cerrahi tekniklerle birlikte son yıllarda tıbbi sülüklerin kullanımında bir "yeniden doğuş" olmuştur. Hirudo medicinalis, sülükler arasında en geniş terapotik kullanıma sahiptir ancak dünya çapında birçok farklı tür test edilmiş ve incelenmiştir. Sülük tedavisi genellikle ağrısız olan bir ilk ısırığı, ardından 5 ila 15 ml kan emmeyi içerir. Başlıca terapötik faydaları sadece ısırma sırasında emilen kandan değil, aynı zamanda çeşitli biyoaktif maddelerden de kaynaklanmaktadır. Sülük tükürüğü; eglin, bdellin, hirudin, hyaluronidaz, calin, destabilas, apiraz, dekorin, hirustatin, triptaz inhibitörleri ve histamin benzeri maddeler, kompleman inhibitörleri, karboksipeptidaz A-inhibitörleri ve asetilkolin gibi çeşitli biyoaktif bileşikler içerir. Bu bileşikler; koagülasyonun inhibisyonundan, analjezik etkiden, kas gevşetici etkiden ve bağışıklık sistemi üzerindeki düzenlemeden sorumludur. Hirudoterapi; kardiyoloji, ortopedi, jinekoloji, oftalmoloji, plastik ve rekonstrüktif cerrahi gibi alanlarda geniş bir terapötik uygulama yelpazesine sahiptir. Bu derleme sülükler hakkında; tarihçesi, genel özellikleri, etki mekanizmaları ve tıbbi bir cihaz olarak uygulanmasını içeren genel bir bakış sunar.