Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are mainly transmitted by arthropod vectors to vertebrate hosts including humans, resulting in fever and neurological signs. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of antibodies to TBEV and WNV, and TBEV-RNA and WNV-RNA in Turkish children with fever and/or arthritis. For this purpose, 110 sera and buffy-coat samples were collected; sera were analyzed by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies to TBEV and WNV, and buffy-coat-derived white blood cells were analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR for TBEV-RNA and WNV-RNA. IgM antibodies to TBEV were detected in five children between the ages of 3 and 7 years; no IgG antibodies to TBEV were detected. IgG antibodies to WNV were detected in two children and IgM antibodies to WNV were detected in six children, between the ages of 3 and 7 years. One of the children had IgM antibodies to WNV and to TBEV. Children who had antibodies to TBEV and WNV had fever and/or arthritis but no obvious neurological signs. Molecular diagnostic approaches revealed that neither TBEV-RNA nor WNV-RNA was present in any of the buffy-coat samples, not even in children with IgM-specific antibodies. Our serological results indicate that children in Turkey are exposed to TBEV and WNV.

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ABSTRACT. Leishmania infantum is widespread in Mediterranean countries including Turkey and can cause a serious disease in both humans and dogs. Dogs are considered to be its main reservoirs. The current epidemiological study was carried out in Istanbul for detection of leishmaniosis among dogs. A total of 246 dogs were included in the study. Twenty one (8.54%) blood samples were found to be positive based on PCR diagnosis, using primers specific for the kinetoplast DNA of Leishmania. Infection rate was 6.51% in 169 dogs living in shelters and 12.99% in 77 client-owned dogs. The rate was significantly (p<0.001) higher in the dogs (37.93%) presenting one or more clinical symptoms which may be attributable to leishmaniosis, than in the asymptomatic dogs (4.61%). Eleven (52.4%) of 21 PCR positive dogs presented clinical symptoms whereas the rest of the dogs (47.62%) were asymptomatic. The major clinical sign in PCR positive animals was dermatological problems. Amongst PCR positive dogs, skin lesions were present in 11, weight loss in 2, lymphadenopathy in 2, epistaxis in 2 and lethargy in 2 dogs.

Bu çalışmada Türkiye'de daha önce etkisi denenmemiş olan fipronilin doğal enfeste olan kedilerde pirelere (Ctenocephalides felis, Ct. canis) ve köpeklerde pire (Ct. canis, Ct. felis, Pulex irritans) ve kenelere (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) karşı etkisi değerlendirilmiştir. Fipronil damlatma çözeltisi (Spotline®, TOPKİM İlaç Sanayi AŞ), 0.067 ml/kg (6.7 mg aktif madde/kg) dozu esas alınarak pratik uygulama dozlarında, omuz bölgesinde, kıllar ayrılarak, iki ayrı noktaya, deriye temas edecek şekilde damlatılarak uygulanmıştır. Tedaviden sonra hayvanlar birkaç gün (3-5 gün) ektoparazit yönünden incelenmiştir. İlaç etkisi, tedavi sonrasında hayvanların parazitten tamamen arınma oranına göre hesaplanmıştır. Fipronil, kedi (15 kedi) ve köpeklerde (16 köpek) pireleri ve köpeklerde (12 köpek) keneleri öldürerek ve/veya uzaklaştırarak %100 etkili bulunmuştur. Tedaviden sonra, yoğun pire enfestasyonu görülen yavru köpeklerle bir araya konulan bir köpekte 9 gün boyunca renfestasyon ve arkasından ölüm sonucu yoğunluğu giderek azalan canlı ve ölü pireler görülmüştür. İlacın hayvanlarda olumsuz bir etkisi gözlenmemiştir.