Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi最新文献

{"title":"Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> among Children with Beta-thalassemia Major and its Effect on Selected Immune Parameters.","authors":"Ghufran Gubari Shannoon, Hussain A Mhouse Alsaady, Ahmed A Khalifa","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.58224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.58224","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The seroprevalence of anti-<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> antibodies among children with beta-thalassemia major is not explored yet. The effect of <i>T. gondii</i> infection on the immune response of patients and to analyse its potential association with selected immune parameters, namely interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12, IL-17, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and the concentrations of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cluster of differentiation markers in serum is examined. The study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of anti-<i>T. gondii</i> antibodies and the immunological impact in children with β-thalassemia major.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study included 90 children (71 BTM and 19 controls), aged 6-15 years. Serum, obtained from 5 mL blood samples, was used to detect anti-<i>T. gondii</i> immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM antibodies by rapid tests, ELISA, and VIDAS, while cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. After serological testing, participants were classified into 4 groups: thalassemia + parasite, thalassemia only, parasite only, and healthy control. Data were analysed using chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p<0.05), with results expressed as mean ± standard error for statistical comparison between study groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The total seroprevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> was 30.0% (27/90); it was 35.21% among thalassemia patients and 10.53% (2/19) in the control group. Among thalassemia patients, IgM and IgG seropositivity rates were 8.45% (6/71) and 26.76%, respectively; in controls, they were 0.0% and 10.53% (2/19). BTM children showed significantly lower levels of IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ (p<0.05), whereas IFN-γ (p>0.12).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Children with BTM showed a significantly higher seroprevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> than healthy controls. Infection was associated with significant alterations in immune parameters, indicating increased immune dysregulation in these patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 3","pages":"125-132"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148907336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of the Parasite Rescue and Transformation Assay for <i>Leishmania tropica</i>: Analysis of Preconditioning and Back Transformation Dynamics.","authors":"Tülay Aksoy, Ahmet Yıldırım, Ahmet Özbilgin","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.04934","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.04934","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to compare the effects of three culture media [RPMI-1640, Schneider's insect medium (SIM), and M199] on <i>Leishmania tropica</i> promastigote propagation, preconditioning, and back-transformation of intracellular amastigotes, with the aim of establishing a standardized parasite rescue and transformation assay (PRTA) capable of consistently generating infective metacyclic forms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nine experimental groups were designed by combining the three media during the preconditioning and back-transformation phases. Promastigotes were expanded in the test media and then used to infect differentiated THP-1 macrophages to obtain intracellular amastigotes. Back-transformation was monitored morphologically under an inverted phase-contrast microscope, and metabolic activity was quantified using the ATP-based CellTiter-Glo assay.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The highest back-transformation efficiency was observed in test 5 (SIM→SIM) [relative luminescence units (RLU): 49.567±9.099, p<0.05], with microscopic analysis revealing abundant viable transformed promastigotes. In contrast, other medium combinations produced either limited or no transformation. Test 9 (M199→M199; RLU: 0.089±0.071) and test 1 (RPMI→RPMI; RLU: 0.118±0.080) showed minimal back-transformation without statistical significance (p>0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings demonstrate that culture medium composition is a key determinant of <i>L. tropica</i> promastigote differentiation. SIM medium supported the most efficient generation of metacyclic promastigotes, likely because it approximates vector-like conditions. The PRTA model described here offers a reproducible <i>in vitro</i> system for studying parasite differentiation and provides a practical framework to support infection biology and antileishmanial drug development.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 3","pages":"118-124"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148907323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation of the Detection Frequency of <i>Demodex</i> spp. in Marmara University Faculty of Medicine Students According to Mask Use and Personal Hygiene Habits During the COVID-19 Pandemic.","authors":"Fatih Mehmet Akıllı, Büşra Betül Özmen Çapın, İhsan Salih Avşar, Taha Ceylan, Nurça Ademoğlu, Sarper Yiğit Güldoğan, Umut Can Dağcı, Arzu İlki","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.87487","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.87487","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Despite the existence of studies evaluating the effect of personal hygiene habits on <i>Demodex</i> mites, which are permanent ectoparasites of humans, there is a paucity of research examining the effect of mask use on the prevalence of <i>Demodex</i> mites during the period of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The present study set out to investigate the impact of mask use during the pandemic and personal hygiene habits on the prevalence of <i>Demodex</i> spp.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Standardized skin surface biopsy were obtained from Marmara University Faculty of Medicine students' foreheads and cheeks during the pandemic. Two areas were sampled: foreheads and cheeks. A quantity of immersion oil (ranging from one to two drops) was deposited on the sampled slide area. The slide was covered with a coverslip, then a microscope was invetigated (x4, x10 and x40). Infestation was indicated by the presence of five or more <i>Demodex</i> per cm². Volunteers were asked to complete a questionnaire about their personal hygiene habits. SPSS v.16.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) software was used to analyse the results.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 104 volunteers, comprising 43 women and 61 men, participated in the study. <i>Demodex</i> spp. was detected in 49.0% (n=51) of the participants, 51.2% (n=22) of women and 47.5% (n=29) of men. <i>Demodex</i> spp. were identified in 46.2% (n=48) of the samples obtained from the cheek and 13.5% (n=14) of the samples obtained from the forehead. It was determined that all participants with mites were using masks. The detection frequency exhibited an upward trend in proportion to the duration of mask change. <i>Demodex</i> spp. was identified in 52.8% of subjects with a documented history of acne, and a significant correlation was observed between the frequency of facial cleansing and the presence of <i>Demodex</i> spp. (p=0.036).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The research indicates that the increase in <i>Demodex</i> spp. in the cheeks of individuals using medical masks during the pandemic is attributable.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 3","pages":"133-138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148907378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Dermatologists' Opinions in the Face of Increasing Scabies Cases: A Survey Study.","authors":"Nurcan Metin, Esma Uslu, Enes Kirik, Zeynep Utlu","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.47124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.47124","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Scabies is a common and highly contagious parasitic skin disease that continues to pose a significant public health burden worldwide and in Türkiye. This study aimed to evaluate the approaches, experiences, and challenges of dermatologists in Türkiye regarding the diagnosis and treatment of scabies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 107 dermatologists. Data were collected anonymously via an online questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sulfur-based magistral formulations were the preferred treatments among adults, pregnant women, and children over two years of age, whereas permethrin remained the first-line choice for children under two years of age. Although permethrin has traditionally been considered the gold standard, 47.7% of dermatologists reported inadequate treatment responses, while 41.1% found it effective. Conversely, 74.8% of respondents reported successful outcomes with sulfur therapy. Nearly 60% of dermatologists reported using oral ivermectin as a second-line therapy, while 20% prescribed it as a first-line therapy in appropriate cases. Approximately 70% of participants reported frustration in managing scabies cases. Most emphasised the need to reduce hospital burden, extend consultation times, and involve family physicians in screening and follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Scabies remains a growing healthcare problem in Türkiye. Strengthening primary care involvement, improving patient education, and reconsidering treatment strategies are essential for effective disease control.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 3","pages":"139-145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148907397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infection Dynamics of a <i>Leishmania tropica</i> Isolate in the BALB/c Mouse Model: Effects of Pre-infection Culture Conditions on Experimental Infectivity.","authors":"Ahmet Yıldırım, Tülay Aksoy, İbrahim Çağrı Şekerci, Ahmet Özbilgin","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.93723","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.93723","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the effects of distinct pre-infection culture conditions [RPMI-1640 and Schneider's insect medium (SIM)] on the experimental infectivity of a clinical <i>Leishmania tropica</i> isolate and to determine how culture-associated differences are reflected in infection dynamics in the BALB/c mouse model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A clinical <i>Leishmania</i> isolate, obtained from a patient with cutaneous leishmaniasis and cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen, was recovered in NNN medium. Species identification was performed using an internal transcribed spacer 1-targeted probe-based real-time polymerase chain reaction followed by melting-curve analysis. Following post-thaw recovery, logarithmic-phase promastigotes were transferred to RPMI-1640 or SIM and maintained for five days without serial subpassaging before experimental infection. BALB/c mice (n=5 per group) were subcutaneously inoculated in the right hind footpad with 1×10⁷ promastigotes. Infection dynamics were evaluated over six weeks by monitoring footpad diameter, amastigote burden, and promastigote recovery.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Molecular analysis identified the clinical isolate as <i>L. tropica</i> (MHOM/TR/2025/CBU152). Mice infected with SIM-derived promastigotes developed visible lesions from week 2. At the same time, longitudinal footpad measurements differed significantly between the SIM and RPMI groups from week 1 onward (Sidak-adjusted p<0.0001 at each time point). By week 6, the mean absolute footpad diameter reached 4.22 mm in the SIM group, compared with 3.52 mm in the RPMI group. Amastigote burden was significantly higher in the SIM group than in the RPMI group [median (interquartile range [IQR]): 6 (5-6) vs. 2 (2-2); p=0.0079]. Promastigote recovery on day 7 was also significantly higher in the SIM group [median (IQR): 1.15 (1.12-1.18) vs. 0.15 (0.14-0.16)×10⁶/mL; p=0.0079]. No evidence of infection was observed in the control group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Pre-infection culture conditions significantly influence the experimental infectivity of an <i>L. tropica</i> isolate in BALB/c mice. SIM-derived promastigotes exhibited a more infectious phenotype than RPMI-derived promastigotes, supporting SIM preconditioning as a useful approach for establishing experimental <i>L. tropica</i> infection in BALB/c mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 3","pages":"111-117"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148907363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the Genetic Diversity of <i>Culiseta longiareolata</i> Populations in Southern Iran: Insights from the <i>COI</i> Gene.","authors":"Saeed Shahabi, Amir Hossein Roozitalab, Raziyeh Shahheidari, Azim Paksa","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2025.42103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2025.42103","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong><i>Culiseta longiareolata</i> (<i>Cs. longiareolata</i>), a mosquito species found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, is an important vector for various diseases like West Nile encephalitis, and malaria. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of the <i>Cs. longiareolata</i> mosquito population in Fars province, southern Iran due to the critical role of genetic diversity in shaping the adaptability and survival of mosquito populations and also adaptation of mosquitoes to environmental changes, insecticides, and pathogens.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, samples of <i>Cs. longiareolata</i> mosquitoes were collected from 12 locations in Fars province, Iran. Larval stages were collected using the dipping method, while adults were captured with aspirators and mosquito nets, then stored at -20 °C for later DNA extraction. The <i>COI</i> gene was amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for genetic analysis. The sequencing was done by Bioneer Company in South Korea, and the results were analyzed using bioinformatics tools like Chromas, ClustalW2, and MEGA7. The final sequences were registered in GenBank for further analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The phylogenetic analysis using the maximum likelihood method revealed that <i>Cs. longiareolata</i> samples from Iran clustered with populations from various countries. The analysis involved 17 nucleotide sequences with 504 positions, using the Tamura-Nei model. The genetic diversity index was 0.0165, with 6 haplotypes and a haplotype diversity of 0.721. Demographic expansion indices suggested a potential expansion event in the population. A total of 274 mosquitoes were collected, with 18 examined by PCR and 6 sequenced for the study.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides the first comprehensive genetic assessment of <i>Cs. longiareolata</i> populations in southern Iran using the <i>COI</i> gene which contributes valuable baseline data for future molecular and ecological studies. The findings reveal a moderate level of genetic diversity and clear genetic connections with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern populations, highlighting possible regional gene flow. The research highlights the significance of genetic diversity in comprehending mosquito dynamics and enhancing disease control efforts. Ongoing genetic monitoring is essential for managing vector-borne diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 2","pages":"86-92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148253768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative Analysis of the Intracellular Efficacy of Conventional Antileishmanial Drugs Against <i>Leishmania tropica</i>: A Translational Approach Using the THP-1 Macrophage-Amastigote Model.","authors":"Ahmet Yıldırım, Tülay Aksoy, Ahmet Özbilgin","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.82474","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.82474","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to quantitatively assess the intracellular susceptibility of <i>Leishmania tropica</i> (<i>L. tropica</i>) to conventional antileishmanial drugs using the parasite rescue and transformation assay (PRTA), which involves controlled lysis of infected THP-1 macrophages, release of viable amastigotes, their transformation into promastigotes under defined <i>in vitro</i> conditions, and subsequent luminometric analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong><i>L. tropica</i> (MHOM/TR/2007/CBU001) promastigotes were cultured in Novy-MacNeal-Nicolle and Schneider's insect medium; THP-1 cells were cultured in RPMI-1640. PMA-differentiated THP-1 macrophages were infected to establish the macrophage-amastigote model. Intracellular susceptibility to five conventional drugs (amphotericin B, miltefosine, pentamidine, sodium stibogluconate, and meglumine antimoniate) was evaluated by PRTA through luminometric quantification (CellTiter-Glo^®) of transformed promastigotes, with microscopic enumeration of amastigotes in Giemsa-stained slides used for validation. Inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) values were calculated from dose-response curves and compared using Student's t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Amphotericin B and pentamidine showed the highest efficacy; miltefosine demonstrated moderate activity; antimonials exhibited relatively low efficacy. IC50 values obtained by luminometric and microscopic methods were highly concordant: the paired t-test revealed no significant difference (t=0.2172, p=0.8387), and Pearson's correlation confirmed a strong positive relationship (r=0.9944, p=0.005).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Luminometric analysis of transformed promastigotes provides accuracy comparable to that of microscopic enumeration of intracellular amastigotes, while being more efficient in time, labor, and resources. By enabling functional assessment of parasite metabolism, supporting high-throughput and automation with low operator dependency, this standardized method represents a reliable, scalable, and translationally relevant platform with strong clinical predictive value, particularly for species-specific models such as <i>L. tropica</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 2","pages":"54-61"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148253770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical and Immunological Overlap Between Visceral Leishmaniasis and Rheumatic Disorders: A Comparative Review on Diagnostic Challenges","authors":"Hatice Yazısız, Veli Yazısız","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.97198","DOIUrl":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.97198","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rheumatic diseases are complex systemic disorders characterized by multi-organ involvement and diverse laboratory abnormalities. The diagnostic approach involves a comprehensive evaluation of clinical and serological markers and the exclusion of conditions with overlapping presentations, such as other rheumatic diseases and systemic infections. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a protozoan infection that primarily affects the reticuloendothelial system. Direct effects of parasite infiltration of the reticuloendothelial system, combined with the subsequent host immune response, produce clinical and laboratory findings that mimic those of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Furthermore, the exaggerated immune response observed in a subset of VL patients overlaps clinically with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). VL can mimic SLE and Felty’s syndrome and may trigger secondary HLH. Furthermore, in endemic regions, VL can present as a coexisting condition in patients with SLE and RA, often mimicking disease flares. In these vulnerable patient groups who are receiving immunosuppressive therapies, delayed diagnosis can significantly worsen the clinical course and prognosis of VL. This review explores the clinical and immunological manifestations of VL, providing a detailed comparative evaluation of its diagnostic overlap with HLH, MAS, SLE, and Felty’s syndrome.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":" ","pages":"93-101"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the Seroprevalence of Cystic Echinococcosis by the Indirect Hemagglutination (IHA) Method at Balıkesir University Faculty of Medicine: A Seven-year Analysis.","authors":"Neşe İnal, Yener Özel, Tuğba Kula Atik, Aslı Gamze Şener","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.13008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.13008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Echinococcosis is a zoonotic infection caused by cestodes of the <i>Echinococcus</i> genus. The most common form, cystic echinococcosis, is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the <i>Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato</i> species complex. The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in our hospital and to reveal the regional epidemiological characteristics of the disease based on the obtained data.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, 526 serum samples sent to the medical microbiology laboratory from various hospital departments and outpatient clinics with suspected cystic echinococcosis between 01.07.2018 and 01.07.2025 were evaluated. A commercial ELI.H.A Echinococcus (ELITech Microbio, France) kit was used. The clinical diagnosis, gender, age, delivery department, and demographic characteristics of the patients were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 526 patients evaluated in the study, 302 (57.4%) were female. Of the total applications, 60.5% originated from the general surgery outpatient clinic. Using the IHA test, seropositivity was detected in 21.5% of the 526 patients. When the distribution according to antibody titers was examined, the antibody levels detected in the serum samples were as follows: 6.8% (n=36) at 1/80, 6.1% (n=32) at 1/160, 4% (n=21) at 1/320, 4.9% (n=26) at 1/640, 3.8% (n=20) at 1/1280, 2.8% (n=15) at 1/2560, and 5.9% (n=31) at 1/5120. Among the 90 patients with available clinical data for cystic echinococcosis, the liver was identified as the most frequently involved organ (95.5%). Among 76 patients with available cyst size measurements, most cysts measured 51-100 mm (48.6%). According to the World Health Organization-IWGE classification, CE3b was the most common stage (23.6%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The obtained data indicate that cystic echinococcosis remains an important public health problem in Balıkesir. Therefore, in light of these findings, it is necessary to strengthen healthcare services for the diagnosis and follow-up of the disease and to place greater emphasis on preventive measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 2","pages":"66-71"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148253762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> Infection in Türkiye is More Then We Knew: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Necati Mumcu, Fatma Cevahir, Ayşegül Taylan Özkan","doi":"10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.04696","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2026.04696","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Fasciola hepatica</i> is a trematode that is easily visible to the naked eye. It infects sheep and cattle, but can sometimes be an accidental host in humans. This review was carried out to review the published studies on human <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> in Türkiye and to systematically examine the data obtained from the studies. Literature search was conducted using keywords such as \"<i>Fasciola hepatica</i>, Fascioliasis, Türkiye (Turkey)\" from \"Pubmed, Google Scholar, Google\" databases. In addition, poster presentations presented at congresses of national infectious disease societies on the subject were also included in the study. Eighty-four studies published in Türkiye between 1993-2022 and 183 cases examined in these studies were included in the evaluation. In this review, it was found that <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> infection is not rare in Türkiye, but clinicians were not aware of this and did not consider this infection in the differential diagnosis. It is seen that diagnostic methods such as serological and stool microscopy are not used adequately due to the fact that <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> infection is not considered in the differential diagnosis and the diagnosis methods is not available in every center. As <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> infection is not considered in the preliminary diagnosis and these diagnostic methods are not used sufficiently, we see that cases are often confused with primary or metastatic liver tumors in abdominal imaging, and therefore unnecessary invasive procedures are performed. In regions where <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> infection is endemic, <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> infection should be considered before performing a major surgical procedure in patients with typical clinical findings, elevated liver and cholestasis enzymes, and eosinophilia, and characteristic computed tomography or ultrasonography findings, and noninvasive diagnostic methods should be used first.</p>","PeriodicalId":34974,"journal":{"name":"Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi","volume":"50 2","pages":"102-110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148253813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}