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Introduction: Mobile phones are dynamic source of microorganisms in households and professional settings. The aim was to determine the prevalence of bacterial contamination of the mobile phones, identify bacterial isolates, assess their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and define the efficiency of using disinfectant. Methodology: This study included 233 dental students from Near East University, Faculty of Dentistry. Swab samples taken from mobile phones before and after disinfection were inoculated onto 5% sheep blood medium and eosin methylene blue medium and incubated aerobically at 37°C for 24-48 hours. Mold-growing mix cultures were sub-cultured on the sabouraud dextrose medium and allowed to grow at room temperature. Conventional microbiological techniques and VITEK 2 automated identification system were used for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were verified by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique according to the European Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Committee criteria. Mold colonies were identified macroscopic and microscopically according to their phenotypic properties using lacto-phenol cotton blue stain. Results: Microbial contamination of mobile phones was 81% (120.953 cfu/ml) in swab samples taken without using alcohol-based wipes however, microbial contamination in swab samples taken after one-time disinfection was determined to be 21% (201 cfu/ml). The most common microorganisms isolated were coagulase negative Staphylococci (69%) and Aspergillus niger (13%). All of the isolated bacteria were susceptible to all antibiotics used. Conclusions: This study represents the first data on the rate of microbial contamination on mobile phones in Northern Cyprus and the efficiency of the use of alcohol to disinfect the mobile phones.

Introduction: Currently, several molecular assays are available to detect and quantify HBV DNA in clinical samples. We aimed to characterize and compare the clinical performance of newly designed NeuMoDx PCR to the existing artus PCR. Methodology: The plasma HBV DNA levels of 96 clinical and 5 external quality control samples were measured by NeuMoDx and artus assays simultaneously in Kocaeli University, Turkey. The linearity, agreement and the correlation between two assays were determined by Deming regression analysis, Bland-Altman plotting, the chi-square and the relative absolute error statistical analyzes. For all statistical analyzes, the XLSTAT statistical program was used. Results: The mean (standard deviation; SD) age was 45.07 ± 12.29. HBsAg S/Co median (range) was 4,273.4 ± 1,138.1 and ALT U/L median (range) was 27 ± 16. The mean (SD) of HBV DNA was 1.46+E6 ± 1.0+E4 for NeuMoDx and 1.54+E5 ± 4.7 + E4 for artus assays. The Deming regression indicates a linear correlation (95% confidence). The chi-square test indicates strong correlation (p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis confirms that the measurement difference is acceptable. The relative absolute error analysis for artus showed relatively less and more consistent error rate. With 5 external quality check samples, the statistical significance was low (p = 0.566). Conclusions: The NeuMoDx HBV assay showed an excellent analytical performance by providing a rapid, high throughput technology in a random-access testing system in clinical samples and may be a new solution for viral load quantification in the management of HBV infections.

Mutations associated with the pol and the S gene can emerge as a consequence of the high replication capacity and proofreading deficiencies of hepatitis B virus during replication. The current study was constructed to evaluate primary, partial, compensatory and the escape mutations in chronic hepatitis B patients in Northern Cyprus. The samples of HBsAg positive treatment naïve 100 patients were involved in this study. HBV pol gene region was sequenced, amplified and HBV pol/S gene mutations were determined. The samples of thirty-two patients were excluded because of their low viral load (HBV < 1000 ıu/ml). Among the sequenced 68 samples, there was a partial mutation (1.5%) and 36.7% displayed a resistance profile to lamivudine, adevofir, and telbivudine. Immune response escape, vaccine escape, HBIg and diagnosis escape mutations were determined in 24%, 10%, 6%, and 4% samples of the patients, respectively. Additionally, there were six different combined mutations. These data underscored that there is no concern for primary mutations in Northern Cyprus, however, we have identified a compensatory mutation (rtV173M) that may have primary mutation characteristics by combining with other mutation patterns. Additionally, HBsAg escape mutants demonstrated that detection of the S gene together with the pol gene mutations might be beneficial and important to monitor the surveillance of S variants.

Mutations associated with the pol and the S gene can emerge as a consequence of the high replication capacity and proofreading deficiencies of hepatitis B virus during replication. The current study was constructed to evaluate primary, partial, compensatory and the escape mutations in chronic hepatitis B patients in Northern Cyprus. The samples of HBsAg positive treatment naive 100 patients were involved in this study. HBV pol gene region was sequenced, amplified and HBV pol/S gene mutations were determined. The samples of thirty-two patients were excluded because of their low viral load (HBV < 1000 iu/ml). Among the sequenced 68 samples, there was a partial mutation (1.5%) and 36.7% displayed a resistance profile to lamivudine, adevofir, and telbivudine. Immune response escape, vaccine escape, HBIg and diagnosis escape mutations were determined in 24%, 10%, 6%, and 4% samples of the patients, respectively. Additionally, there were six different combined mutations. These data underscored that there is no concern for primary mutations in Northern Cyprus, however, we have identified a compensatory mutation (rtV173M) that may have primary mutation characteristics by combining with other mutation patterns. Additionally, HBsAg escape mutants demonstrated that detection of the S gene together with the pol gene mutations might be beneficial and important to monitor the surveillance of S variants. Mutations associated with the pol and the S gene can emerge as a consequence of the high replication capacity and proofreading deficiencies of hepatitis B virus during replication. The current study was constructed to evaluate primary, partial, compensatory and the escape mutations in chronic hepatitis B patients in Northern Cyprus. The samples of HBsAg positive treatment naive 100 patients were involved in this study. HBV pol gene region was sequenced, amplified and HBV pol/S gene mutations were determined. The samples of thirty-two patients were excluded because of their low viral load (HBV < 1000 iu/ml). Among the sequenced 68 samples, there was a partial mutation (1.5%) and 36.7% displayed a resistance profile to lamivudine, adevofir, and telbivudine. Immune response escape, vaccine escape, HBIg and diagnosis escape mutations were determined in 24%, 10%, 6%, and 4% samples of the patients, respectively. Additionally, there were six different combined mutations. These data underscored that there is no concern for primary mutations in Northern Cyprus, however, we have identified a compensatory mutation (rtV173M) that may have primary mutation characteristics by combining with other mutation patterns. Additionally, HBsAg escape mutants demonstrated that detection of the S gene together with the pol gene mutations might be beneficial and important to monitor the surveillance of S variants.