Tuberculosis continues to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Although tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs, other organs can also be affected, leading to extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPT) or disseminated tuberculosis. This study retrospectively analysed the incidence, clinical sites and risk factors for EPT in 252 patients with EPT between 1 January 1991 and 30 June 2003. EPT was defined as clinical, laboratory, imaging, and/or histopathological evidence of mycobacterial infection in a site other than hilar lymph nodes or lung parenchyma. In our study group, tuberculous lymphadenitis (36.5%) was found to be the most common clinical presentation of EPT. 119 (47.2%) patients developed the severe form of EPT, according to the WHO report, and 133 (52.8%) patients developed the less severe form. A case history of pulmonary tuberculosis was found to be a risk factor for the development of EPT (p <0.05). The study showed that EPT is still a public health problem. These findings suggested that pulmonary tuberculosis may play a critical role in the development of EPT. 12-month therapy may be chosen in patients with EPT considering acceptable adverse effects without relapses.

Prolonged duration of pre-existing symptoms and female gender are predictors of neurological sequelae of TM. Early identification of such patients and prompt initiation of anti-tuberculosis therapy may improve their outcome.

OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to investigate neurological symptoms in patients with COVID-19 and contribute to this area of limited knowledge. BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence shows that neurotropism is a common feature of Coronaviruses (CoVs). Like the other CoVs, SARS-CoV 2 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The brain is thought to express ACE2 receptors detected on glial cells and neurons. There are also ACE2 receptors in skeletal muscles. Our study aimed to investigate neurological symptoms in patients with COVID-19 and contribute to this area of limited knowledge. METHODS: A total of 51 patients, presented to hospitalized in our hospital between March 23, 2020 and April 16, 2020 were included in the study. The diagnosis of all patients included in the study was made according to the WHO interim guideline. The patients were divided into two subgroups as mild and severe course according to the severity of the disease. RESULTS: Neurological symptoms were detected in 16 (31.37 %) patients. Muscle injury was detected in 10 (19.61 %) patients. The most common neurological symptom was headache (n: 9, 17.65 %). When the frequency of all neurological symptoms was compared in those with severe and mild disease, no signifi cant differences were found between the groups. When the frequency of muscular involvement was compared in patients with severe and mild course, no signifi cant differences were found between the groups. CONCLUSION: The nervous system and skeletal muscle system may be among viral targets. Detection of some neurological fi ndings may be valuable in predicting the course of the disease. Some laboratory values can allow predicting disease severity and neurological symptoms (Tab. 5, Ref. 23).

COVID-19 is a disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The introduction of vaccines against COVID-19 caused great enthusiasm around the world as immunization might end the pandemic. However, it was previously stated that COVID-19 cases would rarely continue to occur despite immunization. Fourteen days after the second dose of the vaccine, a 66-year-old male patient with a negative COVID-19 PCR test result and high levels of IgG and low levels of IgM-A against SARS-CoV-2 was admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) due to the clinical picture of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to stress the need for continuing preventive measures in vaccinated individuals, too, by presenting the clinical findings of the patient, who was considered to have developed ARDS due to COVID-19, as high levels of IgG and IgM-A against SARS-CoV-2 were detected on day 8 during ICU admission.

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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Eradication of HCV before transplantation is therefore of utmost importance in HCV-infected patients with ESRD who are candidates for kidney transplantation. The appropriate treatment for HCV infection in patients with ESRD and suboptimal response rates is still unclear. Here, we present our data from five cases who were being monitored by two healthcare centers for ESRD and HCV infection, who were candidates for kidney transplantation and were treated with a triple regimen containing telaprevir. All patients were started on triple therapy from the beginning including pegylated interferon-alfa2a (135 μg once a week), ribavirin (200 mg three times a week), and telaprevir (750 mg three times a day). Rapid virologic response was observed in all of the patients but treatment was discontinued in one patient at week 6 because the patient developed nausea and vomiting and was unable to feed orally. For the remaining four patients, side effects included weakness, lack of appetite, metallic taste, and mild anemia. The triple therapy with telaprevir seemed to be successful in HCV-infected patients who were candidates for renal transplantation.

The incidence of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria is increasing in the past years. The pathogens such as glycopeptid-resistant enterococci, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have emerged widely and they contribute an increase. The treatment of the patients infected with the multidrug-resistant pathogens is extremely difficult. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro susceptibility of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and staphylococci against linezolid that may provide new alternative to treat. Methods: A total of 80 isolates of staphylococci (30 MRSA, 30 MSSA, and 20 Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci [MRCoNS]) obtained from various clinical specimens and 20 VRE isolates recovered from blood and rectal swab specimens were sent to our microbiology laboratory. Linezolid susceptibility was determined by disc diffusion methods and E-test for all isolates. In addition, for all isolates, sensitivity to other antibacterials was detected by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method according to guidelines established by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Results: The results showed that all strains were fully susceptible to linezolid (minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] ≤2 µG/ml). The linezolid effectiveness is not different between the MRSA and MSSA strains. MICs were changed for MRSA from 0.018 to 2 µg/ml, MSSA from 0.25 to 1.5 µg/ml, and MRCoNS from 0.19 to 1 µg/ml. MICs were changed from 0.38 to 2 µg/ ml for VRE strains. Discussion and Conclusion: As a result of the present study, it was decided that linezolid appears to be a good alternative in the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, especially those resistant to glycopeptides or with reduced sensitivity.

First identified in China in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly evolved into a global pandemic. The presence of haematological malignancies are expected to increase the risk of adverse outcomes from this viral infection due to the immunosuppression brought about by the underlying cancer and the effects of therapy. We present a 55-year-old woman diagnosed with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) who had been heavily pretreated with multiagent chemotherapy, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autoHCT), allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) and was complicated with EBV associated posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) and chronic graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). The patient was recently treated with brentuximab and donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) for relapse after alloHCT. She suffered from severe COVID-19 pneumonia and eventually succumbed to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiorgan failure. Of note, this is the first reported case of COVID-19 in a HL patient who was being treated with brentuximab for relapse after alloHCT.