The first case of haemorrhagic meningitis due to Bacillus anthracis in the European part of Turkey is reported here. B. anthracis, sensitive to penicillin, was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid and blood cultures. Although appropriate therapy was administered, the patient died two days after hospitalization.
Adult ; Anthrax/*complications ; *Bacillus anthracis ; Fatal Outcome ; Humans ; Male ; Meningitis, Bacterial/*microbiology ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/*microbiology

This study was designed to define the epidemiology of a food-borne outbreak caused by Salmonella enteritidis that affected only one squadron of a military battalion located in the vicinity of the city of Edirne in Turkey. The outbreak was analyzed by a standard surveillance form of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The relationship between the eaten foods and cases was analyzed by Fisher's exact chi-square test, and odds ratios were calculated by a case-control study. The outbreak affected 60 of 168 soldiers in the squadron, 16 of whom were hospitalized. S.enteritidis was cultured in stools from 13 of the hospitalized soldiers and from 3 soldiers who had prepared the food. All strains were completely susceptible to antibiotics; their plasmid profiles were also identical. The highest attack rate detected was 55.7% in an omelet eaten 24 hours before (p < 0.001). Furthermore, it was the riskiest food according to the case-control study (OR=7.88; 95% CI=3.68-16.89). The food samples were unobtainable because they had been discarded. All of the hospitalized cases recovered, and none of the control cultures of stools yielded the pathogen after three weeks. In conclusion, although our results didn't indicate the exact source of the outbreak microbiologically, the omelet was considered to be the source based on the epidemiological proofs.
*Disease Outbreaks ; Eggs/microbiology ; Human ; Salmonella Food Poisoning/*epidemiology/etiology ; Salmonella enteritidis/*isolation & purification ; Turkey/epidemiology

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to assess the factors that influence the longevity and replacement frequency of Provox voice prostheses following their placement.

METHODSThe medical records of 27 patients who received Provox voice prostheses after total laryngectomy and attended follow-up regularly between 1998 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The success rate of the Provox voice prostheses (i.e. whether speech was achieved), quality of speech achieved, number and type of complications encountered, frequency of prostheses replacement and reasons for prostheses replacements were evaluated.

RESULTSAll 27 patients were men and their mean age was 63.0 (range 43-78) years. The mean follow-up period was 60.3 (range 1-168) months. Fluent and understandable speech was achieved in 85.0% of the patients. The mean duration before prosthesis replacement had to be performed was 17.1 (range 1-36) months. The most frequent complication was fluid leakage through the prosthesis. There was a strong positive correlation of 77.1% between the longevity of prostheses and postoperative follow-up duration (r = 0.771; p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe voice prosthesis is a tool that can be delivered in a practical fashion and replaced easily with no serious complications. It is a means by which speech can be restored, with a high success rate, after total laryngectomy. In the present study, we found that postoperative follow-up duration was the most important factor influencing the longevity of the Provox voice prosthesis.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laryngeal Diseases ; surgery ; Laryngectomy ; Larynx, Artificial ; Longevity ; physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Prosthesis Design ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors