Sıtkı Tıplamaz, Zeynep Ergenc, Murat Yaman, Tuğçe Kalaman, Elvan Sayın, Fatih Hitami Usluoğulları, Zeynep Arzu İlki, Nurver Ülger Toprak, Eda Kepenekli Kadayıfçı, Mehmet Akif İnanıcı
{"title":"性虐待儿童中的性传播感染:在土耳其儿童维权中心实施 PCR 检测的审计项目。","authors":"Sıtkı Tıplamaz, Zeynep Ergenc, Murat Yaman, Tuğçe Kalaman, Elvan Sayın, Fatih Hitami Usluoğulları, Zeynep Arzu İlki, Nurver Ülger Toprak, Eda Kepenekli Kadayıfçı, Mehmet Akif İnanıcı","doi":"10.24953/turkjpediatr.2024.5188","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sexual abuse in children can sometimes result in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which can serve as crucial forensic evidence. Although PCR methods are now accepted as the gold standard for STI screening, they have not yet widely replaced traditional culture methods in Türkiye. This study aims to assess the necessity of implementing PCR-based STI testing at Child Advocacy Centers in Türkiye, where such testing is not routinely available.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Conducted between February and November 2023, this study included children who presented to the Child Advocacy Center of Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital. High-risk victims were identified based on criteria including a history of penetrative sexual abuse and factors such as multiple perpetrators or significant age disparity. Serological tests and genital swabs were collected and analyzed using both bacterial culture methods and a comprehensive STI PCR panel.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study included 20 victims, with a median age of 16 years. STI PCR testing detected pathogens in 19 out of 21 samples, including Chlamydia trachomatis (20%) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (5%). In contrast, culture methods identified no sexually transmitted pathogens.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PCR testing demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity for detecting STIs compared to traditional bacterial culture methods, as expected. Implementing PCR-based STI testing in Child Advocacy Centers is an urgent and essential need for providing an accurate diagnosis and robust forensic evidence, enhancing the care and legal protection of sexually abused children.</p>","PeriodicalId":101314,"journal":{"name":"The Turkish journal of pediatrics","volume":"66 5","pages":"618-624"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Sexually transmitted infections in sexually abused children: an audit project to implement PCR tests in a child advocacy center in Türkiye.\",\"authors\":\"Sıtkı Tıplamaz, Zeynep Ergenc, Murat Yaman, Tuğçe Kalaman, Elvan Sayın, Fatih Hitami Usluoğulları, Zeynep Arzu İlki, Nurver Ülger Toprak, Eda Kepenekli Kadayıfçı, Mehmet Akif İnanıcı\",\"doi\":\"10.24953/turkjpediatr.2024.5188\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sexual abuse in children can sometimes result in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which can serve as crucial forensic evidence. Although PCR methods are now accepted as the gold standard for STI screening, they have not yet widely replaced traditional culture methods in Türkiye. This study aims to assess the necessity of implementing PCR-based STI testing at Child Advocacy Centers in Türkiye, where such testing is not routinely available.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Conducted between February and November 2023, this study included children who presented to the Child Advocacy Center of Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital. High-risk victims were identified based on criteria including a history of penetrative sexual abuse and factors such as multiple perpetrators or significant age disparity. Serological tests and genital swabs were collected and analyzed using both bacterial culture methods and a comprehensive STI PCR panel.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study included 20 victims, with a median age of 16 years. STI PCR testing detected pathogens in 19 out of 21 samples, including Chlamydia trachomatis (20%) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (5%). In contrast, culture methods identified no sexually transmitted pathogens.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PCR testing demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity for detecting STIs compared to traditional bacterial culture methods, as expected. Implementing PCR-based STI testing in Child Advocacy Centers is an urgent and essential need for providing an accurate diagnosis and robust forensic evidence, enhancing the care and legal protection of sexually abused children.</p>\",\"PeriodicalId\":101314,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"The Turkish journal of pediatrics\",\"volume\":\"66 5\",\"pages\":\"618-624\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":0.0000,\"publicationDate\":\"2024-11-16\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"The Turkish journal of pediatrics\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"1085\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://doi.org/10.24953/turkjpediatr.2024.5188\",\"RegionNum\":0,\"RegionCategory\":null,\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"\",\"JCRName\":\"\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"The Turkish journal of pediatrics","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.24953/turkjpediatr.2024.5188","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
Sexually transmitted infections in sexually abused children: an audit project to implement PCR tests in a child advocacy center in Türkiye.
Background: Sexual abuse in children can sometimes result in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which can serve as crucial forensic evidence. Although PCR methods are now accepted as the gold standard for STI screening, they have not yet widely replaced traditional culture methods in Türkiye. This study aims to assess the necessity of implementing PCR-based STI testing at Child Advocacy Centers in Türkiye, where such testing is not routinely available.
Methods: Conducted between February and November 2023, this study included children who presented to the Child Advocacy Center of Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital. High-risk victims were identified based on criteria including a history of penetrative sexual abuse and factors such as multiple perpetrators or significant age disparity. Serological tests and genital swabs were collected and analyzed using both bacterial culture methods and a comprehensive STI PCR panel.
Results: The study included 20 victims, with a median age of 16 years. STI PCR testing detected pathogens in 19 out of 21 samples, including Chlamydia trachomatis (20%) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (5%). In contrast, culture methods identified no sexually transmitted pathogens.
Conclusion: PCR testing demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity for detecting STIs compared to traditional bacterial culture methods, as expected. Implementing PCR-based STI testing in Child Advocacy Centers is an urgent and essential need for providing an accurate diagnosis and robust forensic evidence, enhancing the care and legal protection of sexually abused children.