Browsing by Author "Özbilgin A."
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Item Giardiasis treatment in Turkish children with a single dose of ornidazole(2002) Özbilgin A.; Ertan P.; Yereli K.; Tamay A.T.; Kurt Ö.; Degerli K.; Balcioglu I.C.; Ok Ü.Z.; Onag A.This study was designed to compare the treatment efficacy of single dose of ornidazole with 5 d treatments of ornidazole and metronidazole in children with giardiasis. 175 children, between 2 and 15 y old, whose stool samples were found to be positive for Giardia lamblia cysts and/or trophozoites by either saline-Lugol, formalin-ethyl acetate or trichrome staining, were enrolled in the study. Of these children, 105 were treated with a single dose of ornidazole: 35 with 30 mg/kg, 35 with 25 mg/kg and 35 with 20 mg/kg; 35 were treated with 25 mg/kg per day of ornidazole for 5 d in 2 doses and 35 children were treated with 20 mg/kg per day metronidazole for 7 d in 3 doses. All cases were examined on the 7th, 10th and 14th days after treatment by the same methods; clinical symptoms were also evaluated. Giardia lamblia was eradicated in 34 of 35 (97%), 34 of 35 (97%) and 33 of 35 (94%) patients treated with 30, 25 and 20 mg/kg single doses of ornidazole, respectively. Eradication was achieved in all 35 patients treated with 25 mg/kg per day ornidazole for 5 d and in 31 of 35 (89%) patients treated with metronidazole. There was no statistically significant difference among doses of ornidazole (p > 0.05); however, all ornidazole treatment regimens were significantly more effective than metronidazole treatment (p < 0.05). No important side-effects were detected in any patients and clinical symptoms disappeared in all. Single-dose ornidazole treatment could be considered as a proper and effective alternative method for the treatment of giardiasis in children.Item Serological prevalence of Toxoplasma Gondii infection in children aged 1 month to 5 years in Manisa region, Western Turkey(2002) Yereli K.; Kasirga E.; Kilimcioglu A.; Ertan P.; Tamay A.T.; Özbilgin A.Objective: Toxoplasmosis is a protozoan infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasma gondii infections are generally asymptomatic in immunocompetent cases. However, congenital toxoplasmosis may easily occur when seronegative women are being primarily infected during pregnancy. Routine serological testing is the only way of detecting toxoplasma antibodies in patients without any symptoms of toxoplasmosis. Design: In this study, seroprevalence rates according to age groups were determined in children living in Manisa region, Turkey. Materials and Methods: Sera were analyzed by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) and enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA) methods. Results: Of the 200 children, 9 (4.5%) had only IgG, 2 (1.0%) had only IgM and 2 (1.0%) had both IgG and IgM types toxoplasma antibodies. Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that in Manisa region, Turkey, the antibody presence was increased with age and the overall toxoplasma antibody prevalence was 6.5% among children in the first five years of life.Item Incidence of giardiasis among siblings in Turkey(2003) Balcioglu I.C.; Limoncu E.; Ertan P.; Yereli K.; Özbilgin A.; Onag A.Background: Giardiasis, a common infection among children, is caused by a flagellated protozoan called Giardia lamblia. It is well known to be contagious in common living places. This is an epidemiologic study investigating the incidence of giardiasis among the siblings of patients with giardiasis living in the same household. Methods: Stool samples of 50 patients with a G. lamblia positive sibling in the same household, and 50 patients with a G. lamblia negative sibling in the same household, were examined for giardiasis by saline-Lugol, formalin-ethyl acetate concentration and trichrome staining methods. Other causes of diarrhea were excluded by microbiologic laboratory tests. Results: Thirty-eight per cent of siblings of G. lamblia positive patients and 8% of siblings of G. lamblia negative children were found to be positive for G. lamblia cysts and/or trophozoites. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The results suggested that the examination of G. lamblia among the siblings of patients with giardiasis both in the same age group and living in the same household should be considered.Item Efficacy of azithromycin in a murine toxoplasmosis model, employing a Toxoplasma gondii strain from Turkey(Elsevier, 2003) Deǧerli K.; Kilimcioǧlu A.A.; Kurt Ö.; Tamay A.T.; Özbilgin A.A murine toxoplasmosis model with Balb/C mice was used to investigate the therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of azithromycin in a native strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Initially, seven groups - four studies and three controls - were established and 103 tachyzoites of this native strain of T. gondii were injected intraperitoneally to the mice in groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7. Azithromycin was given to groups 1-4 at different times of infection orally between 100 and 300 mg/kg/day for 10 days. Azithromycin was found to be effective at 200 mg/kg/day and above in the prophylaxis, at 250 mg/kg/day and above in the treatment of toxoplasmosis. These results suggest that azithromycin is effective in the prophylaxis and early infection of a highly virulent strain of T. gondii, and it doubled the survival time in the late infection. Azithromycin could be an alternative treatment regimen for human toxoplasmosis, if supported by further clinical investigations. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Item Is there an association between clinical symptoms and intestinal parasitic infections?(2005) Limoncu M.E.; Kurt Ö.; Gümüş M.; Kayran E.; Balcioǧlu I.C.; Dinç G.; Özbilgin A.Intestinal parasitic infections are major causes of childhood diseases in rural regions. The significant causes of this problem are the insufficient resources to improve the infrastructure in these regions and inadequate health services in both the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the association between intestinal parasitic infections and clinical symptoms of infected children. Cellophane tape and stool samples of 100 children, aged between 7-10 years, from two villages of Manisa city, were examined for intestinal parasites and their symptoms were recorded. Although some symptoms, such as abdominal pain, anorexia and fatigue were found to be common in infected children, no significant relationship was found between symptoms and intestinal parasitic infections. © 2005 Bioscience Ediprint Inc.Item Is Toxoplasma gondii a potential risk for traffic accidents in Turkey?(Elsevier Ireland Ltd, 2006) Yereli K.; Balcioǧlu I.C.; Özbilgin A.In Turkey, traffic accidents are the major causes of mortality and morbidity. According to the statistics made by Turkish Security Headquarters in the year 2000, 7500 people are killed in the traffic accidents every year. Drivers are mostly blamed for the traffic accidents. Tired, weary, sleepy and absentminded driving are common reasons for traffic accidents due to many reasons. Among these reasons mental and reflex conditions of drivers are significant. Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common zoonoses throughout the world. In immunocomponent adults, toxoplasmosis has no clinical signs or symptoms and infection in such people can only be detected by serological examinations. This kind of latent or dormant toxoplasmosis can be located in neural or muscular tissues and cause prolonged reaction times of the muscles. Extended reaction times also lead to deceleration of the reflexes which could be a major cause of the traffic accidents. By the light of this situation, the incidence of Toxoplasma gondii is investigated among the population who were involved in a traffic accident while driving. A total of 185 people (100 men and 85 women), aged between 21 and 40 years, living in Izmir and Manisa cities, were enrolled in the study group (SG) during a period of 6 months time. Their informed consents were taken initially and the laboratory tests of all these individuals related to blood alcohol levels after the accidents were found negative. The control group (CG) were also consisted 185 people (95 men and 90 women), residents of the same region, in same age group. The people in CG had no clinical signs or symptoms concerning toxoplasmosis. All collected sera were examined using a commercial IgG and IgM ELISA kit. According to the results of serological tests of the SG, 45 (24.32%) sera were IgG positive, six (3.24%) were IgM positive and 10 (5.40%) were both IgG and IgM positive. On the other hand in CG, 12 (6.48%) people found IgG positive, one (0.54%) found IgM positive and three (1.62%) found both IgG and IgM positive. This data was considered as statistically significant by Yates corrected χ2-test. (p < 0.05). In conclusion, there is an increased risk for traffic accidents for drivers owing to these high seroprevalence of latent toxoplasmosis. Prospective studies are still necessary on this subject but latent toxoplasmosis of drivers should be taken into account while developing strategies to prevent traffic accidents in Turkey. © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Item In vitro and in vivo activities of Haplophyllum myrtifolium against Leishmania tropica(2007) Östan I.; Saǧlam H.; Limoncu M.E.; Ertabaklar H.; Toz S.Ö.; Özbel Y.; Özbilgin A.This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo leishmanicidal activity of an endemic Turkish plant and compare its efficacy with a reference drug. In addition to the in vitro activities of the ethanol, acidified and alkaloid extracts and furoquinoline alkaloids skimmianine and γ-fagarine, in vivo antileishmanial activitiy of the acidified extract of HaplophyUum myrtifolium Boiss. (Rutaceae) were investigated against Leishmania tropica (L. tropica), a causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis. All the extracts and pure compounds showed in vitro inhibitory activity against the promastigotes of. L tropica. The in vitro 50% inhibitory concentrations of γ-fagarine, acidified extract, ethanol extract, skimmianine and alkaloid extract against promastigotes were determined as 8.7,9.4,10.9,25.7 and 25.8 μ/ml respectively. In vivo results of HaplophyUum myrtifolium acidified extract showed that this plant has a limited effect on decreasing the lesion size of experimental mice infected with Leishmania tropica. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time both the in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activity of HaplophyUum mrytifolium have been reported in the same research.Item Rural life, lower socioeconomic status and parasitic infections(2007) Balcioglu I.C.; Kurt Ö.; Limoncu M.E.; Dinç G.; Gümüş M.; Kilimcioglu A.A.; Kayran E.; Özbilgin A.This study was conducted both to assess the prevalence of parasitic infections in two neighboring villages of Manisa province in Turkey, with different socioeconomic levels and investigate the influences of some individual and environmental factors on these infections. A total of 100 school children were enrolled and their cellophane tape and stool samples were examined for parasites. Pediculus capitis infestation was diagnosed by visual inspection of the hair. Although the prevalences of both intestinal parasitosis and pediculosis were high in both villages, there was a statistically significant difference for pediculosis, but not for intestinal parasitosis. Lack of social security and father's regular job were found to be highly correlated with all parasitic infections. Pediculosis was more common in younger children, girls and those in crowded families. These results indicate not only the high prevalence of parasitic infections, but also the urgent need for the improvement of basic health services and infrastructure in the rural areas, crowded with poorer immigrant population. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Item Two novel serum-free media for the culture of Trichomonas vaginalis(2007) Limoncu M.E.; Kilimcioǧlu A.A.; Kurt Ö.; Östan I.; Özkütük N.; Özbilgin A.Definitive diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis, one of the common causes of sexually transmitted diseases in Turkey, relies on the microscopic examination of both fresh preparations and culture material of genital secretions and urine. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic efficacies of two culture media, serum-free TB1 and TB2, including iron and vitamin B12, respectively, with the well-known medium, TYM. Growth rate reached peak levels 48 h in TYM and 72 h in both TB1 and TB2 after inoculation. The highest amount of viable trophozoites has been obtained from TB1, almost equal to TYM but significantly higher than TB2. Fresh preparations obtained from the vaginal secretions of 119 patients have been examined and vaginal samples have been inoculated in TB1, TB2, and TYM. Viable T. vaginalis trophozoites have been detected in ten (8.4%) of fresh preparations and 11 (9.9%) of each medium. It is concluded that serum-free TB1 medium could be used effectively in both the isolation and maintenance of T. vaginalis culture in vitro. © 2006 Springer-Verlag.Item [Cryopreservation of plasmodia with malaria models and establishment of a cryobank].; [Sitma modeli etkenleri ile kriyoprezervasyon çalişmalari ve kriyobanka oluşturulmasi.](2010) Özbilgin A.; Östan I.; Tabak T.; Aşar K.Cryopreservation is simply a method of keeping living cells frozen with the chance of regaining cellular viability, functions and antigenic structures whenever required, after heating. In the present study, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) was mixed with the red blood cells having 20% of parasitemia obtained from the mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei at a final concentration of 15%. For cryopreservation: both test tubes containing each Plasmodium species were kept 10 minutes at room temperature, 30 minutes at +4°C, 90 minutes at -20°C and finally at -80°C. Some were left at this temperature, while some were transferred into the liquid nitrogen tank at -196°C after being left at -80°C for three hours. Our observations and assessments demonstrated that both P. yoelii and P. berghei might keep their viability and virulence at -80°C and -196°C between the first and the sixth months of cryopreservation. It can be concluded that the cryopreservation of P. yoelii and P. berghei at -80°C and -196°C are successful, indicating the advantage of the establishment of parasite cryobanks in research laboratories.Item [Evaluation of mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) identified in Manisa province according to their breeding sites and seasonal differences].; [Manisa İl ve İlçelerinde Saptanan Sivrisinek Türlerinin (Diptera: Culicidae) Yaşam Alanlari ve Mevsimsel Deǧişikliklere Göre Deǧerlendirilmesi.](2011) Muslu H.; Kurt O.; Özbilgin A.To identify the mosquito species and the potential mosquito-related infectious diseases in Manisa province, mosquito larvae were collected from aquatic habitats in Manisa between October 2008 and October 2009. Mosquito larvae were collected from the surface water of study sites with a standard larvae collection spoon. The 1st and 2nd stage larvae brought to the laboratory were kept until they become adults, and their species were identified during 3rd or 4th larvae stages. In addition, species identification was made for 3rd or 4th stage larvae as well as pupae in aquatic samples, as well. A total of 8098 larvae samples were collected during the study and Culex (Culex) pipiens and Culex (Neoculex) martini were found to be the predominant species in Manisa. Three Culex [Culex (Culex) pipiens, Culex (Neoculex) martini, Culex (Maillotia) deserticola], two Culiseta [Culiseta (Culiseta) annulata, Culiseta (Allotheobaldia) longiareolata] and one Anopheles [Anopheles (Cellia) superpictus] species were identified. Anopheles superpictus, the vector of malaria; Culex pipiens, Culiseta annulata, Culiseta longiareolata, the vectors of tularemia and arbovirus infections such as West Nile Virus infection, were identified in Manisa province. Conduction of similar larger-scale studies will contribute to the prevention of vector-borne diseases in our region.Item Malaria in Turkey: Successful control and strategies for achieving elimination(2011) Özbilgin A.; Topluoglu S.; Es S.; Islek E.; Mollahaliloglu S.; Erkoc Y.Turkey is located in the middle of Asia, Africa and Europe, close to Caucasia, Balkans and Middle East in subtropical climate zone. Malaria has been known since the early ages of human history and it was one of the leading diseases in Anatolian history, as well. Today, chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium vivax is the only agent of autochthonous malaria cases in Turkey. The other Plasmodium species identified are isolated from imported cases of malaria. The most common vector of malaria in Turkey is Anopheles sacharovi followed by An. superpictus, An. maculipennis and An. subalpinus. In 2009, pre-elimination stage of Malaria Program was started due to dramatic decline in the number of malaria cases in Turkey (Total, 84; 38 autochthonous cases only in 26 foci in south-eastern Anatolia, and 46 imported cases; incidence: 0.1/100,000). As there were no detected cases of new autochthonous malaria in the first 8 months of 2010, elimination stage was started. The role of the persistent policies and successful applications of the Ministry of Health, such as the strict control of the patients using anti-malarial drugs especially chloroquine, avoidance of resistant insecticides, facilitation of access to patients via Health Transformation Program (HTP), establishment of close contact with the patients' families, and improvement of reporting and surveillance system, was essential. In addition, improvement maintained in the motivations and professional rights of malaria workers, as well in the coordination of field studies and maintenance of a decline or termination in vector-to-person transmission were all achieved with the insistent policies of the Ministry of Health. Other factors that probably contributed to elimination studies include lessening of military operations in south-eastern Anatolia and the lowering of malaria cases in neighbouring countries in recent years. Free access to health services concerning malaria is still successfully conducted throughout the country. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.Item The in vitro effects of azithromycin and Clarithromycin on promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania tropica; [Leishmania tropica promastigotları ve amastigotları üzerine azitromisin ve klaritromisinin in vitro etkisi](Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, 2012) Balcioğlu İ.C.; Ok Ü.Z.; Özbel Y.; Girginkardeşler N.; Özbilgin A.Leishmania (L.) tropica is one of the most common species responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the Old World including Turkey. The pentavalent antimonials are widely used as intralesional and/or intramuscular in the treatment of CL, but increase in resistance to these agents led to investigations on alternative drugs. In vitro antileishmanial activities of two macrolides, azithromycin and clarithromycin were evaluated on promastigotes in RPMI 1640 medium and amastigotes in macrophage series of L. tropica. ED50 values of azithromycin and clarithromycin were found to be 5 µg/ml and <5 µg/ml on promastigotes, and 50-75 µg/ml and <3 µg/ ml on amastigotes, respectively, while ED90 values of the same drugs were 75 µg/ml and 25 µg/ml on promastigotes and 100 µg/ml and 10 µg/ml on amastigotes, respectively. Our data suggested that clarithromycin and azithromycin were effective on both L. tropica promastigotes and amastigotes in vitro. Clarithromycin was found to be more effective than azithromycin at lower concentrations on promastigotes and amastigotes. In vivo studies should be planned to detect intracellular concentrations of these drugs for the effective route and dosage. © 2012, Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi. All rights reserved.Item Feconomics®: A simple, novel and fast technique for stool concentration in parasitology laboratory; [Feconomics®: Parazitoloji laboratuvarında dışkının konsantrasyonu için basit, yeni ve hızlı bir yöntem](Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, 2012) Kurt Ö.; Akyar I.; Görgün S.; Kocagöz T.; Özbilgin A.Feconomics® is a new ready-to-use kit for fecal concentration that eliminates the need for centrifugation and floatation by using absorbent beads. To assess its efficacy in the diagnosis of intestinal parasites, a comparative, double-blind study was conducted in the Parasitology Laboratory of Celal Bayar University Medical School. Stools (Group I, n=251) submitted for routine ova and parasite examination were concentrated with both routine formalin ethyl acetate concentration (FEAC) technique and Feconomics®. Since the number of helminthes identified in the stool samples of patients were very low, helminthes obtained from the animal models in the laboratory were included (Group II, n=11). The iodine-stained samples of all stools and some of the positive samples stained with Gomori’s trichrome and Kinyoun’s acid fast stain were read by specialists. In Group I, 103 of 251 (41.04%) samples were found to be positive for one or more intestinal parasites; among them, 76 (30.28%) and 96 (38.25%) stools were found to be positive with FEAC and Feconomics®, respectively, and the difference was significant (P=0.000). Same parasites were identified with both methods among all 11 samples in Group II. There was no difference between the methods for the morphological integrity and visual appearances of the parasites having cyst or egg forms; yet, it was noticed that the vegetative forms of the parasites were only identified with Feconomics®. Review of our data indicated that Feconomics® may be suggested as a fast and effective fecal concentration method for Parasitology laboratories owing to the identification of higher number of parasites compared to FEAC, and parasites with only vegetative forms such as Dientamoeba fragilis. © 2012, Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi. All rights reserved.Item Animal models in parasitology; [Parazitolojide hayvan modelleri](2012) Özbilgin A.[No abstract available]Item Investigation of in vitro antileishmanial activity of moxifloxacin, linezolid and caspofungin on Leishmania tropica promastigotes.(2013) Limoncu M.E.; Eraç B.; Gürpinar T.; Özbilgin A.; Balcioǧlu I.C.; Hoşgör-Limoncu M.This study aimed to evaluate the potential in vitro anti-leishmanial activities of moxifloxacin, linezolid and caspofungin against Leishmania tropica. In vitro effects of all agents were studied by using the microdilution method. For this purpose, serial dilutions of the aforementioned agents were prepared in concentrations between 4096 μg/mL-0.008 μg/mL. Afterwards, promastigotes incubated in suitable medium were counted with the hemocytometer and adjusted as having a last concentration of 2.5 x 10(6) cells/mL in wells containing medium+antibiotic or antifungal. After incubation live promastigotes were counted with the hemocytometer and inhibitor concentrations (IC(50)) were determined by comparing with the control that contained no antibiotics or antifungal. IC(50) values of moxiloxacin, linezolid and caspofungin were found as 194.7 μg/mL, 896 μg/mL and 235.7 μg/mL, respectively. As a result, moxifloxacin was found to be effective in lower concentrations than the other studied agents against L. tropica promastigotes.Item In vitro cultivation of Plasmodium berghei: Application of drug resistance tests with Chloroquine and Artesunate; [Plasmodium berghei'nin in vitro kültürü: Klorokin ve artesunat i̇laç direnç testlerinin uygulanması](Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, 2013) Öostan I.; Kurt O.; Özbilgin A.The aim of this study is to assess the drug resistance testing of Plasmodium berghei after short-term culture in vitro. First stage, the life cycle of the malaria parasites was completed in an average of 24 h inside the red blood cells in vitro. Second stage, the inhibition rates of Chloroquine and Artesunate on the infected erythrocytes were determined. The results showed that P. berghei parasites were completed their erythrocytic schizogony in short term in vitro cultivation. In the drug resistance tests with Chloroquine and Artesunate, antiplasmodial resistance did not occur with both drugs and the efect of Artesunate is higher than Chloroquine.Item Evaluation of 131I-Pentamidine for scintigraphy of experimentally Leishmania tropica-infected hamsters(Informa Healthcare, 2014) Inceboz T.; Lambrecht F.Y.; Eren M.Ş.; Girginkardeşler N.; Bekiş R.; Yilmaz O.; Er Ö.; Özbilgin A.We aimed to assess the ability of 131I-Pentamidine scintigraphy to detect the lesions of Leishmania tropica infection. An experimental model of cutaneous leishmaniasis was developed. The presence of cutaneous leishmaniasis was confirmed. Pentamidine was radioiodinated with 131I. The radiolabeled pentamidine was validated by the requisite quality control tests to check its radiolabeling efficiency, in vitro stability. 131I- Pentamidine (activity: 18.5 MBq/100 l) was injected intracardiacally into infected hamsters. Static whole body images of the hamsters were acquired under the gamma camera at 5 and 30 in, 2, 6 and 24 h following the administration. On the scintigrams, anatomically adjusted regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn over the right feet (target) and left feet (not-target) and various organs. Accumulation of 131I-Pentamidine at sites of infection is expressed as the target to non-target (T/NT) ratio. The results T/NT ratio decreased with time. In concluding the 131I-Pentamidine has poor sensitivity in detection of L. tropica infection. © 2014 Informa UK Ltd. All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.Item Putative bronchopulmonary flagellated protozoa in immunosuppressed patients(Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2014) Kilimcioglu A.A.; Havlucu Y.; Girginkardesler N.; Çelik P.; Yereli K.; Özbilgin A.Flagellated protozoa that cause bronchopulmonary symptoms in humans are commonly neglected. These protozoal forms which were presumed to be "flagellated protozoa" have been previously identified in immunosuppressed patients in a number of studies, but have not been certainly classified so far. Since no human cases of bronchopulmonary flagellated protozoa were reported from Turkey, we aimed to investigate these putative protozoa in immunosuppressed patients who are particularly at risk of infectious diseases. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples of 110 immunosuppressed adult patients who were admitted to the Department of Chest Diseases, Hafsa Sultan Hospital of Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey, were examined in terms of parasites by light microscopy. Flagellated protozoal forms were detected in nine (8.2%) of 110 cases. Metronidazole (500 mg b.i.d. for 30 days) was given to all positive cases and a second bronchoscopy was performed at the end of the treatment, which revealed no parasites. In conclusion, immunosuppressed patients with bronchopulmonary symptoms should attentively be examined with regard to flagellated protozoa which can easily be misidentified as epithelial cells. © 2014 Ali Ahmet Kilimcioglu et al.Item Leishmaniasis in Turkey: Determination of Leishmania species by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)(Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), 2014) Culha G.; Akyar I.; Yildiz Zeyrek F.; Kurt Ö.; Gündüz C.; Özensoy Töz S.; Östan I.; Cavus I.; Gülkan B.; Kocagöz T.; Özbel Y.; Özbilgin A.Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic in Southeastern Anatolia, mainly in Sanliurfa and Hatay provinces, and the causative agents are mostly Leishmania tropica and less frequently L. infantum. Here, we report the first MALDI-TOF analyses of Leishmania promastigotes obtained from the cultures of two CL cases from Osmaniye and Hatay provinces who were initially diagnosed by microscopy, culture and identified as L. infantum with Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR). Methods: Samples obtained from the skin lesions of patients were initially stained with Giemsa and cultivated in NNN medium. Examination of the smears and cultures revealed Leishmania amastigotes and promastigotes, respectively. The promastigotes (MHOM/TR/2012/CBU15 and MHOM/TR/2012/MK05) obtained from the cultures of both patients were used for RT-PCR targeting the ITS-1 region in the SSU of rRNA. The reference strains of four Leishmania species (L. infantum, L. donovani, L. tropica and L. major) were initially assessed with MALDI-TOF and their data were added to MALDI-TOF Biotyper Library. Results: Both RT-PCR and MALDI-TOF analyses indicated that the causative agent in both patient samples was L. infantum. Conclusion: Despite disadvantages such as requirement of culture fluid with nothing but promastigotes and high cost, MALDI-TOF analysis may be a fast, sensitive and specific diagnostic tool in especially large-scale research studies, where the cost declines, relatively.