The Covid-19 pandemic is also a considerable risk for forensic workers, among other healthcare providers. The risk of contamination is serious in post-mortem procedures. SARS-CoV2 is a microorganism classified as Hazard Group 3. However, the lack of adequate scientific work on Covid-19 should prompt us to be even more cautious when handling potentially infected persons or materials. Before starting the post-mortem investigation a risk assessment should be carried out and the suitability of facilities, personnel and equipment should be evaluated. An autopsy room conforming to BSL 3 standards would be ideal but is not mandatory. For suspicious or approved cases however a number of procedural changes must be made concerning the body's removal, storage and inspection procedures. Facilities, equipment and training issues need to be revised against existing and potential risks of infection. In addition to proper ventilation and insulation, personal protective equipment, aerosol reduction measures and disinfection applications are required. As of yet it is still unclear how long this public health issue, which has grown to become a pandemic, will last. This article highlights preventive measures to be taken into consideration in post-mortem processes when a Covid-19 infection is suspected or confirmed. It should be noted that there is no standard guide yet in this regard. A guide should be created according to international standards and revised according to changing conditions.

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are among the most important health issues in Turkey. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are less frequently observed in the country. The individuals who had blood transfusions, patients undergoing hemodialysis, and intravenous drug addicted individuals, people who had tattoos/piercings, communal living environments, contamination of a family member, and prisoners are the main risk groups.ObjectivesThe current study aimed to discuss the prevalence and the genotypes of hepatitis and HIV infections among a specific group, namely individuals incarcerated in prisons.Patients and MethodsTwo-hundred and sixty-six prisoners sentenced for crimes such as robbery, sexual assault, assault substance abuse or selling drugs in the Kahramanmaras closed prison were recruited for the study. Demographic data and the presence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV were investigated in the study subjects.ResultsOut of the 266 cases included in the study, 89.5% were male, 10.5% were female and the mean age was 31.21 ± 8.99 years. Risk factors were detected in 27.4% of the subjects. Out of the 73 subjects, among whom the risk factors were detected, 20.3% had intravenous substance use, 3.8% had a history of operation/transfusion, 1.9% had a history of indentation and 1.5% had unprotected sexual contact. The rate of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity was 2.6%, the ratio of anti-HBs positive subjects was 35.0% and immunity was achieved with vaccination in 43% of the subjects. Anti-HCV was positive in 17.7% of the prisoners and the genotype 3 and genotype 1 were 68.1% (n = 32) and 2.1% (n = 1), respectively.ConclusionsContinued substance abuse among most of the drug addicted individuals in prisons, common use of injection materials, tattoos and other circumstances that cause blood contact increase the risk of blood-borne infections.

In this study, urinary catheter utilization rates, the causative agents for catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and their antimicrobial susceptibilities in intensive care units (ICUs) in 2009 were investigated at Gazi university hospital. We aimed to determine the causative agents and risk factors for CAUTIs, and antimicrobial susceptibilities of the pathogens; and also sensitivities of Candida spp. to antifungal agents with Microdilution and E-test. The most common etiological agents of CAUTIs were Candida spp. (34.7%). The most frequently isolated Candida spp. was C.albicans (52.4%). All C. albicans spp. were sensitive to fluconazole. Microdilution, used as a reference method to determine the sensitivity to antifungal agents, was compared with E test. E test was found to be sufficient to analyze sensitivity to amphotericin B, caspofungin, fluconazole and voriconazole, but inappropriate for itraconazole. E.coli and Klebsiella spp. were found to be causative agents for CAUTI in 20.6% and 9.9% of cases respectively. Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. were isolated in 14% and 8.2% of the cases, respectively. All E.coli and Klebsiella strains were found sensitive to carbapenems. Carbapenem sensitivity was found in 47.1% and 30% of the cases infected with Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter strains, respectively. According to our results, fluconazole therapy seems to be an appropriate choice for the treatment of CAUTIs caused by C.albicans. Third and fourth generation cephalosporins should not be used for empirical treatment because of the high prevalence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase production among E.coli and Klebsiella isolates.

Previously a consensus report about management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a major health problem all over the world had been prepared by Study Group for Viral Hepatitis of the Turkish Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. It was first published in the Klimik Journal in 2014.

ÖzetTürk Klinik Mikrobiyoloji ve İnfeksiyon Hastalıkları Derneği Viral Hepatit Çalışma Grubu, dünyada yaklaşık olarak 170 milyon kişide bulunan kronik hepatit C virusu (HCV) infeksiyonunun yönetimine ilişkin bir uzlaşı raporu hazırlamak üzere bir toplantı düzenlemiştir. Raporda konuyla ilgili literatür ve uluslararası kılavuzlar, HCV infeksiyonunun epidemiyolojisi ve doğal seyri, kronik hepatit C (KHC)'nin ülke ekonomisine maliyeti, akut hepatit C (AHC) ve KHC tanısı, AHC tedavisi, KHC'de tedavinin amaçları, tedavi yanıtlarının tanımları, tedavinin sonlandırılma AbstractStudy Group for Viral Hepatitis of the Turkish Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases convened a meeting to develop a consensus report on management of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a global public health problem, affecting nearly 170 million people worldwide. Relevant literature and international guidelines were reviewed, and recommendations agreed are presented at the end of each section such as epidemiology and natural history of HCV infection, economic burden of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), diagnosis of acute hepatitis