Assessing the Contamination of the External Surfaces of Reused Calen®System Tubes

To determine the presence of contamination on the external surface of reused Calen® System tubes before (TA) and after (TB) the action of four disinfectants: 0.12% chlorhexidine, 2% glutaraldehyde, 70 % alcohol and 1% sodium hypochlorite.Material and Methods:Microbiological collection of 20 tubes from dental clinics was performed with the aid of sterile swabs moistened in saline and rubbed for one minute on their surfaces and inserted in tubes containing 4 ml BHI and incubated under microaerophilic conditions (37°C for 24h) for further Mc Farland (F0.5 to F10) and Gram staining analyses. For disinfection (TB), cotton wicks with 1 ml of disinfectant or distilled water (control) was rubbed for 30 seconds, and after drying by evaporation, new samples were collected from the surfaces, which were submitted tothe same incubation and Gram staining process for the analyses of slides.Results:Prevalence of F4 and F5 in the same proportion in TA and F1 in TB. Gram + cocci were present in 100% of TA and TB, and prevalence of Gram + cocci, Gram + and ûbacilli, spores, Gram -cocci and vibrios in descending order.Conclusion:All external surfacesof reused Calen® System tubes were contaminated before and after disinfection. In descending order, the disinfectant that provided a greater reduction in the Mc Farland scale and thus a greater reduction in the number of microorganisms was 1% sodium hypochlorite, followed by 2% glutaraldehyde, 0.12% chlorhexidine, 70% alcohol and distilled water (control)...

The presence of Helicobacter pylori in the liver depends on the Th1, Th17 and Treg cytokine profile of the patient

The hypothesis that Helicobactermight be a risk factor for human liver diseases has arisen after the detection of Helicobacter DNA in hepatic tissue of patients with hepatobiliary diseases. Nevertheless, no explanation that justifies the presence of the bacterium in the human liver has been proposed. We evaluated the presence of Helicobacterin the liver of patients with hepatic diseases of different aetiologies. We prospectively evaluated 147 patients (106 with primary hepatic diseases and 41 with hepatic metastatic tumours) and 20 liver donors as controls. Helicobacter species were investigated in the liver by culture and specific 16S rDNA nested-polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing. Serum and hepatic levels of representative cytokines of T regulatory cell, T helper (Th)1 and Th17 cell lineages were determined using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The data were evaluated using logistic models. Detection of Helicobacter pylori DNA in the liver was independently associated with hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus, pancreatic carcinoma and a cytokine pattern characterised by high interleukin (IL)-10, low/absent interferon-γ and decreased IL-17A concentrations (p < 10-3). The bacterial DNA was never detected in the liver of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis that are associated with Th1/Th17 polarisation. H. pylori may be observed in the liver of patients with certain hepatic and pancreatic diseases, but this might depend on the patient cytokine profile.

Contaminação de resinas compostas na prática odontológica / Contamination of resin composites in dental practice

Objetivo: Verificar a presença ou a ausência de microorganismos em amostras de resinas compostas (RC), fotoativadas ou não, e nas superfícies (S) de suas bisnagas durante o uso clínico em três clínicas odontológicas (A, B, C) da cidade de Fortaleza/CE. Método: Os seguintes grupos foram constituídos, de acordo com os substratos analisados para contaminação: G1 (controle, n=10) RC não fotoativada, G2 (n=10) RC fotoativada com LED, G3 (n=10) RC fotoativada com luz halógena, G4 (n=15) RC após uso clínico. Nas clínicas B e C, um G5 adicional (n=5) foi composto por RC desinfetada com álcool 70 após o uso. Um total de 145 especímes foram obtidos. Utilizou-se swabs para coleta de amostras de G4 e G5. Nos grupos G1 a G3, seccionou-se 2 mm de altura de RC, que recebeu ativação ou não durante 20 segundos com LED ou luz halógena. As amostras foram inseridas em tubos de ensaio com BHI e mantidas sob refrigeração até serem incubadas sob condições de microaerofilia. Resultados: Encontrou-se contaminação em 46,9% do total de amostras; G4 e G5 apresentaram-se 100% contaminados, com média McFarland 7,0 ± 3,02. Não houve diferença estatística de freqüência de contaminação entre as clínicas A, B e C, em todos os grupos, após Qui-Quadrado e Kruskal-Wallis (p=0,367 e p=0,090). Não houve diferença entre G1 e G2 e G3 após Mann-Whitney (p=0,396) nem entre G2 e G3 (p=0,487) após Qui-quadrado Pearson. Identificaram-se cocos (isolados, aos pares, em cadeia e em cachos), bacilos (isolados, aos pares e em cadeia) e leveduras. Conclusão: Verificou-se a presença de microrganismos nas amostras de resina composta e nas superfícies das bisnagas das três clínicas odontológicas investigadas.

Objective: To verify the presence or absence of microorganisms in resin composite samples (RCS), photoactivated or not, and on the surfaces of RC cartridges (RCC) during clinical use in three dental offices (A, B, C) at the city of Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Method: The following groups were formed in the three dental offices, according to the substrates analyzed for contamination: G1 (control, n=10) - non-photoactivated RCS, G2 (n=10) - RCS photoactivated with LED, G3 (n=10) - RCS photoactivated with halogen light, G4 (n=15) - RCC after clinical use. In the dental offices B and C, an additional G5 (n=5, control) was composed of RCC disinfected with alcohol 70 after clinical use. A total of 145 specimens were obtained. Swabs were used for sample collection in G4 and G5. In G1 to G3, 2-mm-thick increments of RC were obtained and photoactivated or not for 20 seconds with a LED or halogen light source. The samples were then placed in test tubes with BHI broth and maintained under refrigeration until incubation in microaerophilia. Results: Contamination was found in 46.9% of the samples; G4 and G5 had 100% of contaminated samples (mean McFarland value of 7.0 ñ 3.02). There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of contamination among the dental offices A, B and C, in all groups, after analysis by the chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p=0.367 and p=0.090). There was no statistically significant difference between G1 and G2 and G3 after analysis by the Mann-Whitney test (p=0.396) nor between G2 and G3 (p=0.487) after analysis by the Pearson's chi-square test. Cocci (isolated or arranged in pairs, chains or clusters), bacilli (isolated or arranged in pairs or chains) and yeast were identified. Conclusion: Microorganisms were detected on the RC samples and on the surfaces of the RC cartridges in the three dental offices evaluated in this study.

Efeito de diferentes concentrações do extrato hidroalcoólico de alecrim-pimenta sobre amostras microbiológicas de biofilme supragengival - estudo experimental in vitro / Antiplaque effect of the Lippia sidoides hidrooalcholic extract. An in vitro study

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes concentrações do extrato hidroalcoólico de alecrim-pimenta sobre amostras microbiológicas, comparando-o com uma solução de digluconato de clorexidina a O,12%. Estas amostras foram obtidas de um biofilme supragengival com uma semana de colonização, colocadas em meio de cultura BHI (Brain Heart Infusion) e replicadas em placas de ágar ûsangue contendo discos imersos em diferentes concentrações do extrato de alecrim-pimenta (0,1%, 0,5 %, 1%, 2%, 5% e 10%), em solução de clorexidina a O,12%, em solução salina e em álcool absoluto. As concentrações a partir de 2% demonstraram halo de inibição semelhante à dorexidina, enquanto que a solução alcoólica e de soro fisiológico não apresentaram efeito inibitório no crescimento bacteriano. Portanto, o extrato hidroalcoólico do óleo essencial de alecrim-pimenta nas concentrações de 2%, 5% e 10% exerceu efeito inibitório "invitro" sobre amostras microbiológicas de biofilme supragengival de forma similar à solução de clorexidina a 0,12%.