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Objective:Melatonin (MLT) hormone has been reported to play a role in the immunopathogenesis and aetiology of many chronic inflammatory diseases. We aimed to investigate the role of MLT in Behçet’s disease (BD) by determining the serum MLT levels of patients with BD.Materials and Methods:A total of 40 patients (mean age, 35.3±9.0 years; age range, 19-57 years), including 19 women and 21 men, and 40 healthy individuals, including 20 women and 20 men, matched for age and gender (mean age, 37.7±11.2 years; age range, 19-65 years) were included in this study. Serum MLT levels of the participants were determined, and their demographic data, laboratory parameters, and clinical features were recorded. Disease activity was evaluated according to the BD current activity form 2006. The relationship between disease activity and serum MLT level was examined.Results:There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics and other laboratory parameters between the groups, except for serum MLT levels and mean platelet volume values (p

Enterococci have until recently been accepted as lowvirulent microorganisms. Although they are normal human commensals, they can act as opportunistic pathogens and cause serious and life threatening infections in especially immunocompromised individuals. Because of the fact that they have intrinsic and acquired resistance to many antimicrobial agents which is one of the most frequent isolated microorganisms from hospital-acquired infections in recently. There is increasing evidence that enterococci frequently have several specific important characteristics that allow them to survive for long periods on fomites in the hospital environments and colonize inpatients. All of these traits are attributed to the easy acquisition of multidrug resistance and virulence factors of the organisms. Amongst the enterococci, Enterococcus faecalis and Efaecium are medically the most important enterococci, with E.faecalis being the causative isolate in 80-90% of the cases. There are still many unknown aspects about virulence factors of clinical Enterococcus isolates. Increasing multidrug resistance in nosocomial Enterococcus strains from all over the world recently enhances the need fo r further investigation of enterococci, especially the virulence factors. In this review, it was discussed exogenous acquisition of bacteria, transfer of genetic elements between enterococci, acquired host’s immun response against enterococcal infections, expressions of the virulence genes, escape mechanisms from the host’s immune system of enterococci and important virulence factors in enterococcal immunopathogenesis. A better understanding of the virulence factors of Enterococcus and host’s immune response may cause to the progress of new therapeutic and prophylactic approaches. Supporting the existence of enterococci as commensal bacteria in human microbiota and their non-infectious behavior can be seen as a new strategy fo r effective prevention and treatment of enterococcal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute bronchiolitis is a disease characterized with bronchiolar inşammation due to viral infections in children younger than two years that is associated with wheezing, cough, tachypnea, retractions and prolonged expiration. Many pathogens, among which respiratory syncytial virus is the most common, play role in the etiology. Cellular damage due to viral pathogens and anatomic and immunological factors of the host play a role in the development of lower respiratory tract infections only in some children exposed to respiratory syncytial virus and other viruses. Viral infections in children may change Th1/Th2 immune response pattern. Severity of disease changes with the degree of inşammation due to the immune response. Moreover, an increase in disease severity may be observed due to the activation of the nonadrenergic non-cholinergic neurogenic system. Severe RSV infections may develop in children with genetic predisposition. We explained the role of environmental factors, genetic and structural susceptibility of the host, and contribution of immunologic response in this susceptibility, in addition to the role of responsible infectious agents, in the development and severe progression of bronchiolitis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disease affecting the skin, joints and also having association with metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease. Although recent progress has helped in elucidating the immunologic pathways and genetic basis of the disease, the etiology remains unknown. This review focuses on the role of cells involved in pathogenesis; T-lymphocytes, dendritic cell subgroups, macrophages, neutrophils, mast cells and keratinocytes and summarizes the immunopathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]