Genotypes other than genotype 1 are quite rare; these are possibly acquired in other countries. Turkish patients with chronic hepatitis C still represent a rather homogenous group with genotypic diversity encountered rarely.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of arterial aneurysms through increased proteolysis of extracellular matrix proteins. Increased proteolysis due to elevated matrix degrading enzyme activity in the arterial wall may act as a susceptibility factor for the development of coronary aneurysms. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MMPs and presence of coronary aneurysms.

HDV genotyping was successfully performed by direct sequencing of the amplicons obtained from routine HDV-RNA screening PCR tests. All of the HDV isolates from the chronic delta hepatitis patients included in this study were found to be genotype I.

Girifl ve Amaç: Bu çal›flman›n amac›, bölgemizde, hepatit C virüsü infeksiyonunun olas› bulafl›m yollar›n›n ve yak›n dönemde hepatit C virüsü genotiplerinin da¤›l›m›n›n belirlenmesidir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Hepatit C virüsü risklerinin belirlenmesi amac› ile Ege Üniversitesi Hastanesi T›bbi Mikrobiyoloji Laboratuvar›na, 2005-2010

The diagnostic value of Brucella IgM/IgG flow assays was evaluated in comparison with serum agglutination and 2-mercaptoethanol tests by testing a selection of serum samples submitted to the laboratory because of clinical suspicion of brucellosis. All 39 admission and 11 follow-up samples that agglutinated in the serum agglutination test tested positive in the flow assay, whereas all 20 serum agglutination negative samples with clinical suspicion of brucellosis, 23 control samples from healthy individuals and 20 control samples from cases with chronic hepatitis tested negative in the flow assay. The Brucella IgM and IgG flow assays were slightly more sensitive than the agglutination tests in discriminating between specific IgM and IgG antibodies. The Brucella IgM and IgG flow assays are easy-to-perform and quick assays that can be used for the diagnosis of brucellosis. The flow assays are very useful, especially in rural settings where brucellosis is widespread and where well-equipped laboratories to perform the laboratory tests are not readily available.