Propiedades antimicrobianas del cobre en tapones nasales de acetato de polivinilo y silicona. Un modelo in vitro de adherencia y supervivencia / Antimicrobial properties of copper in polyvinyl acetate and silicone nasal packs. An in vitro model of bacterial adhesion and survival

Introducción: Los tapones nasales más utilizados son los compuestos por acetato de polivinilo y silicona, existiendo complicaciones asociadas a su uso, como la cacosmia y el síndrome de shock tóxico, producido por S.aureus, con alta mortalidad. El cobre ha demostrado tener propiedades antimicrobianas en materiales biomédicos. Objetivo: Evaluar las propiedades antimicrobianas del cobre en tapones nasales modificados con cobre, frente a bacterias de la mucosa nasal. Diseño: Estudio Experimental. Materiales y Métodos: Se usó un sistema experimental in vitro utilizando tapones de acetato de polivinilo y silicona con láminas de cobre y sin cobre, que se cultivaron en un medio con cepas de S.aureus meticilino-sensible (SAMS) y S.aureus meticilino-resistente (SAMR). Resultados: Se observó una reducción en el porcentaje de sobrevida bacteriana en los distintos tapones nasales con cobre, respecto a aquellos sin cobre, tanto para los medios inoculados con SAMS y SAMR, los cuales fluctuaron entre un 61% y un 66% para tapones de acetato de polivinilo y entre un 78% y 86% para aquellos tapones siliconados. Conclusión: Se sugiere la incorporación de cobre en tapones nasales, abriéndose un amplio campo de investigación sobre el uso de tapones con cobre y la disminución de complicaciones infecciosas asociadas.

Background: Nasal packs are mostly made of polyvinyl acetate and silicone, being complications associated to their use such as cacosmia and toxic shock syndrome, produced by S. aureus, with high mortality rates. Copper has proven antimicrobial properties in biomedical materials. Objetive: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of copper in a modified prototype of nasal packs with cooper, against bacteria of the nasal mucosa. Desing: Experimental Study. Methods: An in vitro model was used with polyvinyl acetate and silicone nasal packs with and without copper, that were were grown in a medium with strains of methicillinsensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Results: There was a significant reduction of bacterial survival percentages in all modified nasal packs with copper, for both the culture medium inoculated with MSSA and MRSA, which ranged between 61% and 66% for the modified polyvinyl acetate nasal packs and between 78% and 86% for the modified silicone nasal packs. Conclusion: we suggest the incorporation of copper in the use of nasal packing, generating a wide investigating field about the use of copper in nasal packs and the decrease of infectious complications.

Mutations in EDA and EDAR Genes in a Large Mexican Hispanic Cohort with Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia

No abstract available.

Determination of lead, naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene and pyrene in street dust

Street dust is a potential source of lead exposure to humans, however scarce information about the pollution levels with lead and polyromatic hydrocarbons exists in Venezuela, limiting the appropriate evaluation of the levels of risk of the people. This work was aimed in the determination of the concentrations of lead, naphtalene, anthracene, phenanthrene and pyrene in the street dust of the most transited avenues and streets of Maracay city. Thirty street dust samples were collected at the streets and avenues, troll and bus main station. Lead was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry after acid digestion [Pb-total], also the fractions of lead soluble in 1 M MgCI2 and 0.5 M ammonium acetate [pH = 7] were quantified. The polyaromatic hydrocarbons concentrations were determined by capillary gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector. The Pb-total ranged between 734 and 11.439 micro g/g with the higher values at the most transited streets and avenues. About 60% of samples exhibited concentrations between 1.000 and 2.500 micro g/g, similar to the values reported in the literature for soils of urban areas. The fraction of lead soluble in magnesium accounted for less than 3% of Pb-Total, while the 0.5 M ammonium acetate solution represented more than the 75% of the total loads of the pollutant. The most contaminated samples were those taken at the toll with concentrations of 695.5 and 252.1 micro g/g phenanthrene and anthracene were the most abundant, while at the bus station all compounds were detected