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Biomedical subjects

Y Aksu

Publications and source records attributed to Y Aksu.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects of a major earthquake on blood donor types and infectious diseases marker rates.

This observational study attempted to identify the effect of a natural disaster on the safety of blood supply and donor types with the influx of donors after a severe earthquake. Blood donation rate, blood discard rate and safety of blood donations responding to the earthquake, as projected from the infectious disease marker rate, were evaluated in blood donated immediately before (1 July-17 August) and after 17 August 1999 (17 August-21 August). These were compared with the results from the corresponding periods in 1998 and 2000 for donations at a university medical centre and two regional blood centres. 8055 units of allogeneic blood were collected at two regional blood centres, and 450 units were collected at a university medical centre during 4 days. Viral marker rates were nearly the same at the former but were slightly lower at the latter. The blood discard rate was nearly twice the comparative periods at the former, but it remained unchanged at the latter. Voluntary donors replaced the replacement donors during 4 days. This analysis highlights the size of the pool of potential donors that are available as a national resource that can be motivated to give blood with the right motivation.

Biomarkers↗

Management of spinal brucellosis and outcome of rehabilitation.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of cases. OBJECTIVE: To review cases of brucellosis in order to clarify diagnostic guidelines, treatment regimes and prognosis. SETTING: University Hospital, Turkey. METHODS: Study of 11 patients (9 male, 2 female) with either brucellar spondylitis or epidural brucellar abscess. Diagnosis made on clinical presentation, laboratory findings, radiographic evidence and a minimum brucellar anti body of 1 : 160, a positive bacteriological culture and/or histological finding of inflammation of granulomatous tissue. All patients were treated with a combination of oral antibiotics. Surgery was performed in 8 patients. RESULTS: At least 6 months antibiotic therapy using Rifampicin and Doxycycline is recommended. Surgery is indicated in the presence of spinal instability, cord compression or radiculopathy. In our series eight patients required surgery. CONCLUSION: The patients complaining of back pain, particularly in endemic areas should be investigated as possible cases of brucellosis.

Abscess↗

Submaxillary hypoglossal neurilemmoma.

Neurilemmomas of the hypoglossal nerve are uncommon neoplasms. A unique case of submaxillary hypoglossal neurilemmoma is presented with radiological and surgical results. Methods of diagnosis and differential diagnosis are discussed.

Adult↗

Trends in major transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors over 17 years in Istanbul, Turkey.

Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis are serious complications of blood transfusion. These infections are routinely screened by blood banks; such tests are obligatory for transfusion safety in Turkey. The results of screening 1 737 943 blood donations from blood centres in Istanbul between 1 January 1987 and 31 December 2003 for HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis were analysed retrospectively. Hepatitis B surface antigen rates fell from 5.98% in 1987 to 2.07% in 2003. Anti-HCV seropositivity was found to be approximately 0.5%, whereas anti-HIV seropositivity was approximately 0.001%. Rapid plasma reagin rates (test for syphilis) were 0.04% in 1987, and increased to 0.2% in 2002. The decreasing trends observed in data from the 17-year period studied indicate the value of safety measures taken, in particular the implementation of donor screening procedures in 1997.

Blood Banks↗