Browsing by Author "Ozturk, Servet"

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Citation Count: 0
Syphilis Co-Infection in Individuals Living with HIV: Data from Tertiary Hospitals
(Doc design informatics Co Ltd, 2023) Ozturk, Servet
Objective: Our study aimed to reveal the syphilis coinfection data in patients living with HIV. In this context, data on coinfection rates, the period in which syphilis was diagnosed, reinfection rates, and the determination of the population at risk for syphilis in patients living with HIV/AIDS were presented. Methods: Patients with HIV/AIDS confirmed between January 2016 and December 2020 at a training and research hospital were retrospectively screened for syphilis serological examinations (RPR, TPHA). The conventional diagnostic algorithm was used in all patients. Results: The rate of syphilis co-infection was 23.38% (47/201) in 201 individuals living with HIV in our patient population. Of 47 HIV/syphilis co-infected patients included in the study, 4.2% were female, and 95.8% were male. The mean age of our patients was 41.11 +/- 12.42 years. Primary syphilis was diagnosed in 6 (14.2%) patients; secondary syphilis was diagnosed in 3 (7.1%) patients, and 38 (80.8%) patients were diagnosed in the latent syphilis period. We did not have a patient diagnosed with tertiary syphilis, neurosyphilis, or congenital syphilis. Twenty-six patients (55.3%) were heterosexual, 17 patients (36.2%) were men who had sex with men (MSM), and four patients (8.5%) were bisexual. While syphilis co-infection rates were 17.9% (26/145) in heterosexual individuals, it was 37.5% (21/56) in MSM and bisexual individuals. While 32 patients (68%) were in the HIV infection stage, 15 (32%) were diagnosed with AIDS. Reinfection was detected in 8.51% (4/47) of the patients. Conclusion: Most HIV/syphilis co-infected patients are male individuals who have sex with men diagnosed with latent syphilis. HIV/AIDS and syphilis infections are increasing every year in our country. Undetectable= Untransmissible approach causes prevention methods to be thrown into the background. Sexual protection with barrier methods in patients living with HIV continues to maintain its importance today due to co-infections.
Citation Count: 0
Updating the Signal-to-cutoff Level to Reduce Anti-hepatitis C Virus False Positivity
(Kowsar Publ, 2021) Ozturk, Servet; Agalar, Canan
Background: Anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) is the only screening test being used in the diagnosis of hepatitis C. In this study, we examined anti-HCV positivity rates in our hospital. Objectives: The aim of administering the anti-HCV test was to distinguish patients with hepatitis C infection from false positivity in patients with reactive results. Methods: The anti-HCV tests were performed at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019. The patients were evaluated retrospectively in terms of age, gender, anti-HCV titer, the clinic for which the examination was requested, the reason for the examination, and the history of hepatitis C. Results: In this study, 511 patients who had two negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results were evaluated as false positive cases and enrolled. The cut-off value was found to be 7.5 IU/ml, with the highest sensitivity of 94.4% and specificity of 94.5% (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.982). The lowest anti-HCV titer (5.2) was from patients without acute hepatitis, who were HCV-RNA positive and diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C. Conclusions: It may be more appropriate to report anti-HCV cut-off value of 0 - 5 as negative, 5 - 7.5 as borderline, and > 7.5 as positive. Working with a more acceptable cut-off level with a greater number of tests can help identify patients with asymptomatic HCV infection. Also, it can possibly reduce the cost due to a decrease in the number of PCR tests administered.