Salivary lactoferrin levels, disease severity and correlates in patients with chronic periodontitis presenting to a tertiary health facility in Nigeria

Objective: This study compared the concentration of salivary lactoferrin in patients with and without chronic periodontitis and investigated correlations with clinical variables of the disease. Methods: The study included 102 participants (51 cases and 51 controls) who presented at the Periodontology Clinic of University of Benin Teaching Hospital and met the selection criteria of '4mm and above' periodontal probing depths (PPD) and positive bleeding on probing (BOP) using community periodontal index (CPI) probe. Healthy participants (controls) were patients that had PPD less than or equal to 3mm, absence of BOP and simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S) not more than 1.2. Baseline OHI-S and CPI scores were recorded. Saliva samples were collected and analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the mean (SD) lactoferrin concentration of control participants 5.27(0.59) mg/l and case participants 6.74(0.61) mg/l (p<0.001). Participants with probing pocket depths (PPD) of 6mm or more had a significantly higher mean concentration [6.85(0.06) mg/l] than that of those with PPD 4-5mm [6.71(0.67) mg/l] (p< 0.001)Lactoferrin levels were highest in participants with 'poor' oral hygiene [6.85(0.60) mg/l] and lowest in those with 'good' oral hygiene [6.65(0.83) mg/l]. Conclusion: Salivary lactoferrin levels were higher among participants with chronic periodontitis than those without chronic periodontitis and correlates positively with the main clinical characteristics of the disease

Human Bite and Human Immune Defiency Cirus (HIV) Transmission

Background: The concentration of human immune deficiency virus (HIV) in the saliva of a carrier is low. As a result; human bite is not considered the traditional route of HIV infection transmission.Aim: To report a case of HIV sero-positivity following a human bite. Setting: University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital; Port Harcourt.Case report: A 30-year-old HIV sero-negative woman who became sero-positive following a bite by a known HIV infected commercial sex worker is presented. Both were engaged in a physical fight over a disagreement.Conclusion: This case highlights the possibility of HIV infection through human bite

Detection des anticorps anti-VIH dans la salive: etude preliminaire

Nous avons examine parallelement le sang et la salive de 129 personnes par 4 tests de depistage du VIH. Les tests utilises sont: l'immunocapture Wellcozyme HIV1-HIV2; le Wellcozyme HIV1-HIV2; le Serodia HIV et le Combotest HIV1-HIV2. Nous avons observe des reactions faussement negatives dans les salives de personnes seropositives. L'importance de la fausse negativite varie selon la trousse et la methode utilisees. Dans les tests executes sur salive; l'immunocapture Wellcozyme est le plus sensible des 4 tests. Il pourrait etre utilise dans le cadre d'une enquete epidemiologique