Turkey Samples Research Articles

Circulation and Molecular Characterization of Hemorrhagic Enteritis Virus in Commercial Turkey and Meat Chicken Flocks in Australia.

Currently, there is no available vaccine against hemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) in Australia. Although it is assumed that subclinical HEV infections occur and may be associated with an increase in colibacillosis in Australian commercial turkey flocks, the prevalence of infection with this virus in the country is largely unknown. The aims of this study were to determine the extent of HEV infection in commercial flocks in Australia and to investigate the diversity of Australian HEV strains. Serum and spleen samples were collected from breeder and grower turkeys and serum was collected from breeder and grower chickens by the two major poultry integrator companies in Australia. Of the turkey samples, 727/849 (86%) sera were positive for anti-HEV antibodies by ELISA. HEV DNA was detected in 215/278 (77%) spleen samples positive by PCR. Of the meat chicken sera, 115/144 (80%) samples were seropositive. Sequencing the whole genome of three HEV field isolates showed that the Australian strains are highly similar and cluster separately from strains from other geographic regions although several point mutations were shared with HEV strains considered to be virulent. In conclusion, HEV infection is ubiquitous in Australian commercial poultry flocks. The impact of the many genomic point mutations detected in Australian HEV strains on virus pathogenicity is unclear.

A quantitative interspecies comparison of the respiratory mucociliary clearance mechanism

Collectively coordinated ciliary activity propels the airway mucus, which lines the luminal surface of the vertebrate respiratory system, in cranial direction. Our contemporary understanding on how the quantitative characteristics of the metachronal wave field determines the resulting mucociliary transport is still limited, partly due to the sparse availability of quantitative observational data. We employed high-speed video reflection microscopy to image and quantitatively characterize the metachronal wave field as well as the mucociliary transport in excised bovine, porcine, ovine, lapine, turkey and ostrich samples. Image processing techniques were used to determine the ciliary beating frequency (CBF), the velocity and wavelength of the metachronal wave and the mucociliary transport velocity. The transport direction was found to strongly correlate with the mean wave propagation direction in all six species. The CBF yielded similar values (10–15 Hz) for all six species. Birds were found to exhibit higher transport speeds (130–260 upmum/s) than mammals (20–80 upmum/s). While the average transport direction significantly deviates from the tracheal long axis in mammals, no significant deviation was found in birds. The metachronal waves were found to propagate at about 4–8 times the speed of mucociliary transport in mammals, whereas in birds they propagate at about the transport speed. The mucociliary transport in birds is fast and roughly follows the TLA, whereas the transport is slower and proceeds along a left-handed spiral in mammals. The longer wavelengths and the lower ratio between the metachronal wave speed and the mucociliary transport speed provide evidence that the mucociliary clearance mechanism operates differently in birds than in mammals.

Patients’ approach to medicines in COVID-19

Several different guidelines and therapeutic recommendations have been reported for the treatment of COVID-19 since the announcement of the pandemic. In our study, the attitudes and approaches of patients with a medical indication for COVID-19 who were given drugs towards drug usage were evaluated. We aimed to present our data on the drug usage characteristics of patients to contribute to the literature. A total of 399 patients were included in the study. In the study, 51.1% of the patients were female, and 48.9% were male. The highest number of the patients were in the 18-30 age group (27.6%), the lowest number of the patients were 65 years old or older (9.8%). Twenty-five questions prepared by the researchers were asked to the patients to evaluate "their knowledge and attitudes on drug usage and disease prevention in COVID-19." Of the patients, 75.7% were not smokers. No history of chronic disease was present in 65.5% of the patients. It was determined that no drug was recommended for 9.8% of the patients, and hydroxychloroquine and favipiravir were recommended together in 49.9%. The rate of the use of chloroquine alone was 4.8%, and the rate of using only favipiravir was 32.8%. Eighty-two percent of the patients reported that they regularly used the drugs that were recommended. Among the patients, 11.5% either never used the recommended drugs or did not use them at the recommended dose and time. Of the 46 (11.5%) patients who did not use the prescribed drugs regularly, none died. In other words, improvement was observed in the patients who did not use the drugs that were recommended to them. Our aim in this study was to determine the rate and characteristics of the drugs prescribed by physicians in diagnosed patients. In this cross-sectional sample of Turkey, it was determined that the rate of recommended drug usage was sufficient with the data of the city where the study was carried out.

Yapay Zekâ ile 2020-2025 Yıllarında Cinsiyete Göre Dindarlık Durumunun Tahmini

Religiosity continues to be the subject of both qualitative and quantitative studies in many branches of science. In this context, the dimensions of religiosity and its relationship with other variables are discussed. The aim of this study is to predict the future status of religiosity in the context of gender, based on current religiosity data. As a method, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) technique, which provides both a systematic review description and a prediction for the future, is based on. In the sample of Turkey, a total of 75 master's and doctoral theses which based on quantitative methods were scanned and made ready for processing. Religiosity scores were normalized and converted into a standard scoring system. MATLAB software was preferred to benefit from mathematical algorithms. In ANN, predictions were made for the future by using the Time Series Method. According to the results obtained from the research, the religiosity of male and female students decreased after a certain period of time. In addition, religiosity in male and female adults continues to increase in the general total. Accordingly, it can be stated that the religiosity of young people who receive high school and undergraduate education is affected by the environment and time they live in. In addition, it can be said that there is an increase in the level of religiosity as a result of both the lifestyles of adults and the socio-cultural situation in our country.

PRELIMINARY RESEARCH ON SOME MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF EUROPEAN RED WOOD ANTS (FORMICA PRATENSIS RETZIUS, 1783) ALONG THE TURKEY-BULGARIA CROSS-BORDER AREA

Formica pratensis (Hymenoptera: Formiciadae) is one of the members of the wood ants group and is represented in Europe with the hairy N morph common in the south and the less hairy P morph common in the north. The species is naturally distributed in European part of Turkey (Thrace Region) and in the neighboring parts of Bulgaria. Former studies of Bernhard Seifert showed that the N morph is the dominant morph in south Bulgaria, but the situation in Turkey is not known. In the present study, we sampled workers from some colonies of F. pratensis in Turkey and Bulgaria and obtained a pilosity data for each colony in the two countries. The comparison of our data with that of Seifert showed that the Bulgaria samples well fit with the pilosity data of P morph and Turkey samples were apparently less hairy but hairs are longer than all other populations. The results helped us to show that F. pratensis can have ecomorphological traits other than that fitting the definition of N and P morphs and that traits may differ from one to another population distributed even along in a small scale of area.

A MULTICLASS METHOD FOR THE ANALYSIS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESIDUES IN MILK POWDER AND WHEY POWDER BY UPLC-MS/MS

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) multi-class method was developed and validated for the determination of 27 antibiotic residues from five classes (macrolides, sulfonamids, quinolones, lincosamids, diaminopyrimidines) in milk powder and whey powder which are commonly used as raw material of many products in the food industry. A simple, inexpensive and fast sample preparation based on the extraction of samples with methanol is the main advantage of the validated method. The validation of the method was performed following the requirements outlined in the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, which is required procedure for the methods used in analysis of official audits samples in Europe and Turkey. Matrix effect and uncertainties related with sample preparation and instrumental analysis were minimised by using matrix-matched calibration. The method is capable of detecting residues at very low concentrations.

A META-ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL OF THE EMPLOYEES IN TURKEY AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL CYNICISM LEVELS

: In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted on the studies conducted on the psychological capitals and cynicism levels of the employees working in the public and private sector in Turkey between the years 2012-2020. In this framework, it was aimed to reveal the general direction and effect size of the relationship by synthesizing individual studies in Turkey sample via meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was conducted using correlation values and sample sizes of 14 studies with a sample size of 4265 in total which met the criteria created to identify the studies to be included in the analysis. As a result of the meta-analysis on the relationship between psychological capital levels and organisational cynicism of the employees in Turkey, the hypothesis that there would be a negative correlation between psychological capital levels and organisational cynicism levels was accepted. It was determined that effect sizes under the random effect model (-0,246) were weak.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the TIMSS 2015 mathematics attitude questionnaire: Exploratory structural equation modelling approach

In the current study, the appropriateness of the Mathematics Attitude Questionnaire administered to middle school 8th grade students in the TIMSS 2015 application to the exploratory structural equation and confirmatory factor analysis models was examined. The study was conducted on 6079 students making up the sample of Turkey. In the TIMSS 2015 application, the attitude items are presented under four headings called students’ interest in mathematics, students’ views on engaging teaching in mathematics lessons, students’ self-confidence in mathematics, and students’ value mathematics. As a result of the investigation of the factor structure of these items, the attitude questionnaire with its 5 factors and 35 items was accepted to be suitable for the Exploratory Structural Equation Model (ESEM). Moreover, invariance of the TIMSS 8th grade mathematics attitude questionnaire depending on gender was investigated at six stages as configural, weak (metric), strong (scalar), strict, variance-covariance, and latent mean invariance through ESEM. It was concluded that the questionnaire satisfied all the invariance conditions.

Investigation of Intercultural Sensitivity and Ethnocentrism Levels of Midwife Candidates in Turkey Sample: A Cross-Sectional Study.

As women experience cultural practices during their lifespan, midwives' displaying a culture-specific approach from the school years is of great importance for the quality of care. This study was conducted to determine the intercultural sensitivity and ethnocentrism levels of midwife candidates in Turkey. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,616 midwifery students who studied in seven different regions of Turkey in the 2018-2019 academic year. Data were collected through a questionnaire, Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, and Ethnocentrism Scale. It was determined that the variables such as the region where the midwife candidates grew up and location of the university, their years at school, and having friends from different cultures were effective on their intercultural sensitivity and ethnocentrism levels (p < .05). Consequently, it is concluded that international student exchange programs and culture-sensitive-based care approaches during midwifery education will increase the intercultural sensitivity levels of students and contribute to reducing ethnocentrism levels.

Determination of Melatonin Differences between Day and Night Milk in Dairy Cattle

The aim of this study was to determine the difference between melatonin hormone in night milk and melatonin concentration in day milk of Holstein cows. In this study, daytime milk obtained from 40 heads Holstein cows in the first lactation raised in a private dairy cattle farm in Karapınar district of Konya state province in Turkey and night milk samples taken from the same cows that were kept in darkness for one week were used. The milk samples were collected from day and night milking in order to determine the melatonin concentration with the help of Bovine Melatonin (MLT) Elisa Kit. In this study, melatonin concentration in day time and night time milk were determined as respectively 103.70 ± 6.61 pg mL-1 and 163.13 ± 8.96 pg mL-1. The difference between melatonin levels of day and night milk was statistically significant (P<0.01). Since significant difference occurred between melatonin concentration between day and night milk at the end of the study, it can be stated that night milk can be used for medical purposes that is used cure of some illnesses and producers can be provided with a new production source.

Risk Assessment of Nine Coccidiostats in Commercial and Home Raised Poultry.

For the first time, this paper aimed to evaluate nine ionophore and synthetic coccidiostat residues in poultry muscle samples, obtained from different production types, by solid-liquid extraction followed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The fully validated methodology was successfully applied to a total of 101 chicken and turkey samples obtained from canteens, supermarkets, and home productions in Portugal. Halofuginone, diclazuril, decoquinate, narasin, lasalocid, and salinomycin were detected in 20.8% of the samples. Home raised samples showed a greater frequency, 47.1%. The synthetic coccidiostats halofuginone, diclazuril, and decoquinate were found in averages of 0.7 μg kg-1,2.9 μg kg-1, and 3.7 μg kg-1, respectively, while averages of 1.2 μg kg-1, 1.6 μg kg-1, and 1.3 μg kg-1 were found regarding the ionophores narasin, lasalocid, and salinomycin. As for the risk assessment, values lower than 8.06% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) were observed, indicating that exposure to coccidiostats through consumption of poultry meat does not represent risk to consumers.

Effect of plant-derived antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg in ground Turkey

Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) is a highly invasive human pathogen for which turkeys can serve as reservoir hosts. Colonization of turkeys with SH may result in potential contamination and is a greater challenge to prevent in comminuted products. Antimicrobial efficacy of 3 GRAS-status plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs), lemongrass essential oil (LG), citral (CIT), and trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), against SH in ground turkey, a comminuted product implicated in several outbreaks, was evaluated in this study. Ground turkey samples inoculated with ∼3.50 log10 CFU/g of a three-strain SH cocktail were treated with either LG, CIT, or TC at either 0.5, 1, or 2% (vol/wt). Samples were stored at 4°C, and bacterial enumeration was performed on d 0, 1, 3, and 5. Appropriate controls were included alongside all treatments. Fluorescence microscopy was performed to evaluate the direct impact of the PDAs against SH in vitro. Appearance and aroma difference testing of raw patties was also performed for select treatments with trained sensory panelists. Treatment with 2% TC yielded a 2.5 log10 CFU/g reduction by d 1 and complete reduction by d 5 (P < 0.05). By d 3, 2% CIT and 2% LG resulted in SH reduction of at least 1.7 log10 CFU/g (P < 0.05). Addition of 1% TC resulted in reduction of at least 1.8 log10 CFU/g by d 3 (P < 0.05). Participants could distinguish PDA-treated raw patties by aroma. Most participants (7/11) could not distinguish patties treated with 0.5% TC based on appearance. Microscopic images indicate that all PDAs resulted in disruption of the SH membrane. Results of the present study indicate that the three tested PDAs, LG, CIT, and TC are effective against SH in ground turkey, indicating their potential use as interventions to mitigate Salmonella contamination in comminuted turkey products.

Disentangling the Roles of Modernization and Secularization on Fertility: The Case of Turkey

Second demographic transition (SDT) theory argues very low fertility results from the simultaneous processes of modernization and secularization. However, this theory has primarily been examined in the Christian countries of Northern and Western Europe. The assumption that modernization and secularization are co-occurring processes may not apply in other non-European, non-Christian contexts. Notably absent are studies of Muslim-majority nations, where modernization has occurred separate from secularization because the primary interpretation of Islam views the pursuit of secular knowledge as important as the pursuit of religious knowledge. Therefore, there is a critical need to examine the applicability of SDT theory to fertility in a Muslim-majority country. Using data from the 2008 and 2013 Demographic and Health Surveys of Turkey (sample size 13,575), and a series of Poisson regression models, we examine the independent and joint effects of modernization and secularization on married women’s parity. Overall, we find that modernization and secularization are independently associated with married women’s parity. We conclude that the specification of the SDT theory that modernization co-occurs with secularization to limit fertility does not follow—and therefore does not—explain low fertility in the Muslim-majority country of Turkey.

Prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and enterotoxin production of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from retail raw beef, sheep, and lamb meat in Turkey

The main objective of this study was to isolate and identify Staphylococcus aureus from retail raw red meat samples and evaluate their enterotoxin gene and antibiotic resistance profiles. A total of 452 retail raw meat samples, including beef (n = 200), sheep (n = 125), and lamb (n = 127) randomly purchased from various supermarkets and butchers in Ankara between July 2019 and November 2020, were tested for the prevalence of S. aureus. The S. aureus strain was identified using morphological and molecular (16S rRNA and nuc gene) methods. Moreover, nine Staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes were screened using polymerase chain reaction. Antibiotic resistance of S. aureus was determined using the phenotypic disc diffusion method. The overall prevalence of S. aureus among screened samples was 21.23%. Additionally, 65.62% of S. aureus strains contained SE gene regions. The predominant SEs in the S. aureus strains were sea (50.79%), followed by sed (25.39%) and seb (23.80%). However, sec, see, seg, seh, sei, and sej genes were never detected. A substantial proportion (40–100%) of the isolates were found resistant to kanamycin, telithromycin, penicillin G, streptomycin, erythromycin, cloxacillin, ampicillin, pristinamycin, nalidixic acid, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was observed in 96.87% of the S. aureus strains. These results show a low prevalence of S. aureus in raw red meat samples in Turkey. However, a high rate of SEA raises serious health concerns. Due to the high levels of MDR observed in this study, there is a need to strictly control antibiotic use in animals in Turkey.

Occupational Аccidents and Near-Miss Events in the Internal Medicine Services: Turkey Sample in University Hospital

Background. Health institutions are considered occupational areas with high risk due to the need for human resources, including numerous specialists with distinct characteristics, use of intensive technology, and complex occupational processes. The importance of occupational health and safety, which aims to eliminate or minimize all these negativities, is increasing rapidly. The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency of exposure to occupational accidents and near-miss events of the nurses and physicians working in the internal ­medicine units of a university hospital, and their reporting status and factors affecting these characteristics. Materials and methods. This research is a descriptive study, and the data of the recent year have been evaluated. The research was carried out in internal medicine units of a university hospital in Istanbul. The data in this study were collected by using the “Evaluation Form for Occupational Accidents and Near-Miss Events” which was created by the researchers. Results. A total of 117 individuals, 83 women (70.94 %), and 34 men (29.06 %) participated in this study. Of the participants, 59 were nurses (50.43 %), and 58 were physicians (49.57 %). There was a significant moderate positive correlation (r = 0.305) between age and the number of occupational accidents (p = 0.039). The average number of occupational accidents experienced by nurses (1.31 ± 0.74) was found to be lower than physicians (2.80 ± 2.53) (p = 0.006). The number of near-miss incidents experienced by physicians (2.79 ± 4.30) was higher than the nurses (1.29 ± 83.00) (p = 0.032). Conclusions. Every workplace accident or near-miss event experienced by healthcare professionals should be reported and analyzed carefully to prevent future workplace accidents. Training of health professionals on health risks they may encounter and protective measures against occupational accidents have vital importance.

Trend Analysis of Lead Content in Roadside Plant and Soil Samples in Turkey

Lead (Pb) is one of the most common heavy metals which contaminate the environment. People may be exposed to Pb by inhaling the contaminated air droplets and dust particles through drinking water or eating contaminated foods such as vegetables grown in lead-contaminated soils. This study aimed to examine the changes in Pb levels measured in roadside plant and soil samples that have been exposed to heavy traffic for years. Sixty-three articles were searched using keywords from different databases. Twenty-five of the scanned articles were found to be relevant for the determined criteria. The Pb levels were evaluated according to the previously measured Pb levels in plant and soil samples collected from the roadside by years. In the data collected from databases over the years, it was observed that there was a decrease in Pb accumulation in both soil and plant samples. Pb levels were higher in industrial cities and metropolitan areas than in rural areas. In ealier studies, Pb levels have often been found to exceed safety limits. This may be due to the Pb added to gasoline in the past, as well as the low sensitivity of analytical methods used for measurement. The decrease over the years has been interpreted as the use of unleaded gasoline after 2004, taking essential measures to improve air quality and at the same time increasing the sensitivity of analytical methods.

Evaluation of care burden and caregiving preparedness in caregivers of patients with epilepsy: A sample in eastern Turkey

AimThis study was conducted to evaluate the care burden and caregiving preparedness in caregivers of patients with epilepsy. MethodsThis descriptive, cross-sectional study evaluated the caregivers of patients with epilepsy who were referred to the neurology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Erzurum, eastern Turkey, between February 2020 and February 2021. The study was carried out with 147 volunteers among the patients with epilepsy who were referred to the neurology outpatient clinic between the specified dates. The data were collected with Caregiver Question Form, the Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ), the Burden Interview (BI), and the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS). ResultsThe mean BI score of the caregivers who participated in the study was 43.14 ± 18.08, their mean PCS score was 14.12 ± 7.76, and their mean BDQ score was 10.53 ± 4.65. In the regression analysis conducted, it was found that being married, having little knowledge of patient care, undertaking all of the roles in caregiving and having caregiving duration of 24 months and longer had a negative effect on PCS total score, while having an undergraduate degree and higher had a positive significant effect. It was found that having an undergraduate degree and higher had a negative effect on BI total score, while all of the roles undertaken in caregiving had a positive significant effect on BI total score. It was found that PCS had a negative significant effect on BI total score (p < 0.001). ConclusionCaregivers of patients with epilepsy had a moderate level of burden and caregiving preparedness, and the patients cared for had a moderate level of disability. Caregiver burden increased as disability of patients with epilepsy and the tasks undertaken in caregiving increased, whereas burden decreased as caregiver education and caregiving preparedness increased.

Caregiver Burden in Caregivers of Acute Stroke Patients: From a Biopsychosocial Perspective in a Turkey Sample

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate caregiver burden among caregivers of acute stroke patients with a biopsychosocial perspective in a Turkey sample.&#x0D; Methods: 72 stroke patients and 72 their caregivers were included the study. The mean age of the stroke patients included in the study was 65±12.39. The mean age of caregivers was 44.5±14 and 66.7% of them were females. Modified Motor Assessment Scale (MMAS), Standardized Mini Mental State Examination (SMMSE) and The Barthel Index (BI) were used to assess the patients with stroke. The caregivers were evaluated by using the Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale, Family Sense of Coherence Scale-Short Form (FSOC-S), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), WHOQOL-Bref-Short Form and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS).&#x0D; Results: There were significant positive correlation between the BCOS score and the SMMSE (r=0.36; p=0.002) and BI (r=0.22; p=0.05) scores. A significant positive correlation was found between the BCOS score and MSPSS’s family (r=0.31; p=0.007), friend (r=0.41; p

Report on the presence of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. in fresh meat marketed in Italy

Abstract Introduction Salmonella (S.) and Campylobacter (C.) are the most common agents of foodborne infections and a risk for immunocompromised patients. The present study reports the prevalence and characterization of S. spp. in imported poultry, beef and pork meat marketed in Italy over six years. Furthermore, we present data of prevalence and species identification for C. spp. isolated from poultry samples collected in the years 2016 and 2018. Methods Poultry (chicken and turkey), beef and pork meat samples were collected by Health Local Authorities all over Italy. The presence of C. was tested according to the ISO 10272 and the species identification was assessed using Multiplex PCR (C. coli e C. jejuni). S. was tested according ISO 6579 and serovars were identified through serum agglutination using S. antisera. Results The prevalence of S. in chicken and turkey was respectively 1.31% (4/306) and 0% in 2016, 7.89% (24/304) and 2.33% (7/300) in 2018, 14.4% (37/257) and 3.59% (9/251) in 2020; S. was never detected in beef meat but it was found in 1.05% (3/287) of pork samples in 2015, 1.98% (5/253) in 2017, 1.74% (5/287) in 2019. Among all the available samples, the most common serotypes identified were S. Infantis and S. Bredeney. The presence of C. was detected in 4.25% (13/306) of chicken samples and in 0.74% (2/272) of turkey samples in 2016, increasing respectively to 17% (17/100) and 1.06% (1/94) in 2018. Similar frequencies were found for coli and jejuni species. Conclusions The results show that poultry meat is the most relevant source of C. and S. Uncooked or not well-cooked meat can still be a risk for the consumers, despite the adoption of biosecurity measures suited to prevent S. to enter in farms. Source attribution and prevalence studies like this can be a useful tool to set up monitoring plans, identify priorities for food safety interventions and risk communication. Key messages The crucial role of source attribution studies to help Authorities to plan further controls. Public agencies and stakeholders should give clear communication about the risk of not well-cooked meat.

Investigation of neglected protists Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient diarrheal patients using both conventional and molecular methods.

IntroductionThe clinical significance of Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms is a controversial issue. Since the pathogenicity of these protists has not been fully elucidated, testing for these organisms is not routinely pursued by most laboratories and clinicians. Thus, the prevalence of these organisms and the subtypes of Blastocystis sp. in human patients in Turkey are not well characterized. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis in the diarrheic stool samples of immunodeficient and immunocompetent patients using conventional and molecular methods and to identify Blastocystis sp. subtypes using next generation sequencing.Material and methodsIndividual stool specimens were collected from 245 immunodeficient and 193 immunocompetent diarrheic patients between March 2017 and December 2019 at the Gazi University Training and Research Hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Samples were screened for Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis by conventional and molecular methods. Molecular detection of both protists was achieved by separate qPCRs targeting a partial fragment of the SSU rRNA gene. Next generation sequencing was used to identify Blastocystis sp. subtypes.ResultsThe prevalence of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis was 16.7% and 11.9%, respectively as measured by qPCR. The prevalence of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis was lower in immunodeficient patients (12.7% and 10.6%, respectively) compared to immunocompetent patients (21.8% and 13.5%, respectively). Five Blastocystis sp. subtypes were identified and the following subtype distribution was observed: ST3 54.4% (n = 37), ST2 16.2% (n = 11), ST1 4.4% (n = 3), ST6 2.9% (n = 2), ST4 1.5% (n = 1), ST2/ST3 11.8% (n = 8) and ST1/ST3 8.8% (n = 6). There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of Blastocystis sp. subtypes between immunocompetent and immunodeficient patients.Conclusion and recommendationOur findings demonstrated that Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis are commonly present in immunocompetent and immunodeficient patients with diarrhea. This study is the first to use next generation sequencing to address the presence of Blastocystis sp. mixed subtypes and intra-subtype variability in clinical samples in Turkey.