Genetic characterization of measles viruses (MVs) combined with acquisition of epidemiologic information is essential for measles surveillance programs used in determining transmission pathways. This study describes the molecular characterization of 26 MV strains (3 from 2010, 23 from 2011) obtained from urine or throat swabs harvested from patients in Turkey. MV RNA samples (n = 26) were subjected to sequence analysis of 450 nucleotides comprising the most variable C-terminal region of the nucleoprotein (N) gene. Phylogenetic analysis revealed 20 strains from 2011 belonged to genotype D9, 3 to D4, 2 strains from 2010 to genotype D4 and 1 to genotype B3. This study represents the first report describing the involvement of MV genotype D9 in an outbreak in Turkey. The sequence of the majority of genotype D9 strains was identical to those identified in Russia, Malaysia, Japan, and the UK. Despite lack of sufficient epidemiologic information, the presence of variants observed following phylogenetic analysis suggested that exposure to genotype D9 might have occurred due to importation more than once. Phylogenetic analysis of five genotype D4 strains revealed the presence of four variants. Epidemiological information and phylogenetic analysis suggested that three genotype D4 strains and one genotype B3 strain were associated with importation. This study suggests the presence of pockets of unimmunized individuals making Turkey susceptible to outbreaks. Continuing molecular surveillance of measles strains in Turkey is essential as a means of acquiring epidemiologic information to define viral transmission patterns and determine the effectiveness of measles vaccination programs designed to eliminate this virus.

No abstract

Orf ve kutanöz şarbon, insanlarda enfekte hayvanlarla temas sonrası ortaya çıkan zoonotik enfeksiyonlardır. İnfeksiyon kaynakları, bulaşma şekilleri, inkübasyon zamanları, deri lezyonlarının konumu ve lezyonların karakteristiği bu 2 enfeksiyonda oldukça benzerdir. Bu bakımdan, klinik ve epidemiyolojik olarak yakın olan bu hastalıkların ayırıcı ön tanısı karakteristik deri lezyonları, histopatolojik bulgular ve hayvan teması öyküsü ile konulabilmektedir. Bu olgu sunumunda, hayvan teması hikâyeleri olan ve deri lezyonu ile başvuran 26 yaşındaki bir kadın ve 47 yaşındaki bir erkek hastada şarbon ile orf'un ayırıcı tanısı deri lezyonlarının karakteristiği ve şarbon temelli polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu analizine bağlı olarak yapılmıştır. Böylelikle, ilave tamamlayıcı laboratuvar testlerini ihtiyaç duyulmadan ve gereksiz ilaç kullanımını önleyerek iyi huylu yapısı ile orf tanısı almış bireylerin hasta refahına katkıda bulunduk.Anah tar Ke li me ler: Orf; kutanöz şarbon; ayırıcı tanı ABS TRACT Orf and cutaneous anthrax are zoonotic infections emerge following the human contacts with infected animals. Infection sources, transmission ways, incubation periods, location of skin lesions, and characteristics of the lesions are quite similar in these two infections. In this respect, the differential preliminary diagnosis of these diseases, which are clinically and epidemiologically similar, can be made by characteristic skin lesions, histopathological findings, and animal contact history. In this case report, the differential diagnosis of anthrax and orf was made in a 26-year-old woman and a 47-year-old man patient presenting skin lesions with histories of animal contacts based on the characteristics of skin lesions and analysis with an anthrax-based polymerase chain reaction. Hereby, we contributed to the patient welfare of individuals diagnosed as orf infection with its benign nature by preventing the multiple complementary laboratory tests and unnecessary over treatments.