Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Effect of Plantago Major Extract on Periodontal Pathogens

Abstract Objective: To determine the in vitro antibacterial effect of different concentrations of the ethanol extract of Plantago major (plantain) on Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Material and Methods: Bacterial susceptibility tests were used in conjunction with the agar diffusion test and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test using the broth macrodilution technique. Results: Different concentrations of ethanol extract (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) dissolved in 70% ethanol were used, with a positive control (0.12% chlorhexidine + 0.05% cetyl-pyridinium chloride) and a negative control (70% alcohol). The extracts at 75% and 100% showed inhibition halos against both strains studied. With 0.12% chlorhexidine + 0.05% cetyl-pyridinium chloride, inhibition halos averaged 14.9 mm, in contrast to 70º alcohol, where no bacterial inhibition was observed. The MIC was 50% for both species. Conclusion: The ethanol extract of Plantago major presents an in vitro antibacterial effect on Porphyromonas gingivalis, they may have potential applications in food and pharmaceutical products.

Risk Factors for Early Childhood Caries Based on Identification of Veillonella spp. Using RT-PCR

Abstract Objective: To identify the occurrence of Veillonella spp. in children using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and to determine its role as a risk factor for ECC in children aged 2-3 years. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted and samples from 87 children aged 2-3 years, who lived in selected villages in the Bandung City area, Indonesia, were collected. Examination for dental caries was performed using standard checks for decay, missing, and filled surfaces (dfms), and saliva samples were taken. Microbiological examination was performed using RT-PCR with primers consisting of one primary set for Veillonella spp. and one universal primary set for 16S rDNA. We performed statistical testing using the Mann Whitney rank-sum test. Results: A total of 87 children were sampled, and an ECC prevalence of 71.3% was found, with a mean dmfs of 7.1 (± 9.1). The proportion of Veillonella spp. in caries-free children was 2.13 ± 2.30, while in children with ECC, it was 3.29 ± 6.83. Conclusion: The proportion of Veillonella spp. in children with ECC was higher than in caries-free children; therefore, Veillonella spp. may be a risk factor for ECC.

Isolation of Fungi and Gram Negative Bacteria from Toothbrushes and Bathroom Bioaerosols

Objective: To identify, using phenotypic methods, FGNB, NFGNB and Candida sp. in toothbrushes, and environmental samples of bathroom air in a group of students from the Dentistry School of the Universidad Central de Venezuela. Material and Methods: Thirty-four toothbrushes were supplied to the cohort during a 60-day period; environmental samples were collected in the rooms where toothbrushes were kept during this period. All samples were processed by traditional methods of microbiological counting isolation and phenotypic identification using selective and differential agar based on the international guidelines of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 38. Results: 82.36% of the toothbrush samples were positive to bacteria and fungi and 91.17% of the environmental samples were positive to enterobacteria. Conclusion: It is necessary to establish antiseptic protocols for the management, storage and disinfection of toothbrushes. The high rate of contamination may represent an opportunity for enterobacteria colonization of oral biofilms, reservoir to infection foci and metastatic infections in certain populations.

Identification and antimicrobial resistance of members from the Enterobacteriaceae family isolated from canaries (Serinus canaria) / Identificação e resistência antimicrobiana de membros da família Enterobacteriaceae isolados de canários (Serinus canaria)

The Enterobacteriaceae family contains potentially zoonotic bacteria, and their presence in canaries is often reported, though the current status of these in bird flocks is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the most common genera of enterobacteria from canaries (Serinus canaria) and their antimicrobial resistance profiles. From February to June of 2013, a total of 387 cloacal swab samples from eight domiciliary breeding locations of Fortaleza city, Brazil, were collected and 58 necropsies were performed in canaries, which belonged to the Laboratory of Ornithological Studies. The samples were submitted to microbiological procedure using buffered peptone water and MacConkey agar. Colonies were selected according to their morphological characteristics on selective agar and submitted for biochemical identification and antimicrobial susceptibility. A total of 61 isolates were obtained, of which 42 were from cloacal swabs and 19 from necropsies. The most isolated bacteria was Escherichia coli with twenty five strains, followed by fourteen Klebsiellaspp., twelve Enterobacterspp., seven Pantoea agglomerans, two Serratiaspp. and one Proteus mirabilis. The antimicrobial to which the strains presented most resistance was sulfonamides with 55.7%, followed by ampicillin with 54.1% and tetracycline with 39.3%. The total of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) was 34 (55.7%). In conclusion, canaries harbor members of the Enterobacteriaceae family and common strains present a high antimicrobial resistance rate, with a high frequency of MDR bacteria.

A família Enterobacteriaceae possui bactérias com potencial zoonótico e a presença destas bactérias em canários é relatada na literatura, porém a realidade dos plantéis de criadores de canários é desconhecida. Portanto, este trabalho teve como objetivo isolar enterobactérias de canários belga (Serinus canarius) com o intuito de conhecer os gêneros mais comuns nestas aves e suas respectivas resistências a antimicrobianos. De fevereiro a junho de 2013 foram coletadas 387 amostras de swabs cloacais de canários de oito propriedades da cidade de Fortaleza, Brasil e de 58 necropsias de aves do acervo próprio do Laboratório de Estudos Ornitológicos. As amostras foram submetidas a isolamento microbiológico utilizando-se água peptonada e ágar MacConkey. As colônias foram selecionadas de acordo com suas características morfológicas nas placas, submetidas à tipificação bioquímica para identificação e ao teste de sensibilidade a antimicrobianos. Foram isoladas 61 cepas, sendo 42 de suabes cloacais e 19 de necropsias. A bactéria mais isolada foi Escherichia coli com vinte e cinco cepas, seguida por catorze Klebsiella spp., doze Enterobacter spp., sete Pantoea agglomerans, duas Serratiaspp. e uma cepa de Proteus mirabilis. As cepas apresentaram maior resistência a sulfonamidas com 55,7%, seguidas por ampicilina com 54,1% e tetraciclina com 39,3%. Além disso, o total de cepas resistentes a múltiplas drogas (RMD) foi 34 (55,7%). Portanto, conclui-se que os canários albergam enterobactérias e que as cepas apresentam alto índice de resistência a antimicrobianos, com alta frequência de cepas RMD.

La pubertad en niños chilenos muestra un adelantamiento en el inicio del crecimiento testicular / Age of onset of puberty in Chilean boys according to testicular volume and Tanner stage

Background: A secular trend towards a younger age of puberty onset has been reported in Chilean girls. Aim: To evaluate the age of onset of puberty and prevalence of early puberty in Chilean boys. Material and Methods: A pediatric endocrinologist examined 319 children attending schools in central Santiago. Pubertal development was assessed by testicular volume (TV) and genital inspection (GI) using Tanner graduation. Precocious and early puberty development was diagnosed if TV ≥ 4 ml or GI > stage 2 occurred in boys younger than 9 years and at 9-10 years of age, respectively. Results: Pubertal onset occurred at 10.2 ± 1.5 years according to TV and at 11.1 ± 1.6 years according to GI (p < 0.01). Before the age of nine, 15.2% of children had a VT ≥ 4 ml, 3% had genital changes in GI and only 3% had both changes simultaneously. Early puberty was observed in 23.8% of children according to TV and 9.5% according to GI. However, no child of less than 11 years old had a TV ≥ 4 ml, genital changes and pubic hair simultaneously. Late pubertal stages occurred at the same age according to both criteria used. Body mass index z score was not associated with the age of pubertal onset. Conclusions: Testicular enlargement occurs one year earlier than changes in genitalia according to inspection. Testicular growth, but not late stages of puberty, are occurring one year earlier than previously reported in Chile 10 years ago.

Efeitos do aditivo do leite materno com ferro sobre as propriedades bacteriostáticas do leite materno / Effects of human milk fortifier with iron on the bacteriostatic properties of breast milk

OBJETIVO: Comparar o crescimento bacteriano em colostro puro e colostro com aditivo do leite materno contendo ferro. MÉTODOS: Foram comparadas 78 amostras de colostro puro ou colostro com adição de aditivo do leite materno contendo ferro para avaliar o crescimento de Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus e Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Para a análise qualitativa, discos de papel-filtro foram imersos em amostras de cada grupo e incubados por 48 horas com 10¹ Unidades Formadoras de Colônias/mL de cada cepa. Para a avaliação quantitativa, 1 mL de cada cepa contendo 10(7) Unidades Formadoras de Colônias/mL foi homogeneizado com 1 mL, tanto de colostro puro quanto de colostro com aditivo do leite materno, espalhado em placa de Petri e incubado a 37ºC. O número de Unidades Formadoras de Colônias foi contado 24 horas depois. RESULTADOS: A análise qualitativa não mostrou nenhuma diferença no crescimento bacteriano. Na avaliação quantitativa, o crescimento de Escherichia coli (EC) no grupo C foi de 29,4±9,7 x 10(6) CFU/mL, enquanto no grupo FM85 foi de 31,2±10,8 x 10(6) CFU/mL. A diferença entre o crescimento médio foi de 1,9±4,9 x 10(6) CFU/mL (p = 0,001). Não houve diferenças no crescimento de Staphylococcus aureus e Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CONCLUSÃO: A adição de ferro a essa concentração reduz a ação bacteriostática do leite materno contra Escherichia coli.

OBJECTIVE: To compare bacterial growth in pure colostrum versus colostrum with human milk fortifier (HMF) containing iron. METHODS: The growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 78 samples of pure colostrum or colostrum with added iron-containing HMF was compared. For qualitative analysis, filter paper discs were immersed in samples from each group and incubated for 48 hours with 10¹ colony forming units (CFUs)/mL of each strain. For quantitative assessment, 1 mL of each strain containing 10(7) CFUs/mL was homogenized with 1 mL of either colostrum or colostrum with human milk fortifier, seeded into a Petri dish, and incubated at 37ºC. Twenty-four hours later, the number of CFUs was counted. RESULTS: The qualitative analysis showed no difference in bacterial growth. In the quantitative evaluation, E. coli growth in the control group was 29.4±9.7 x 10(6) CFU/ mL, while in the HMF group it was 31.2±10.8 x 10(6) CFU/mL. The difference between the average growth was 1.9±4.9 x 10(6) CFU/mL (p = 0.001). There were no differences in S. aureus and P. aeruginosa growth. CONCLUSION: Addition of iron at this concentration reduces breast milk bacteriostatic action against E. coli.

Ficus cunia agglutinin for recognition of bacteria.

Interaction of bacteria with lectin using anti-lectin antibody by ELISA is an established method. In the present study, we have devised a simple ELISA using a biotinylated lectin and antibiotin-HRP. Ficus cunia agglutinin (FCA), which has shown the specificity towards alpha/beta anomers of GlcNAc and other-NAc containing sugars like LacNAc and GlcNAcbeta(1-4/6)GlcNAc, was used as a model lectin for the study of interaction with immobilized microorganisms on ELISA plate. The bacterial cells of E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus showed binding with FCA and the degree of binding was dependent on the bacterial surface antigen. This method is considered a simple technique to study the lectin-bacteria interaction.

Antibodies to Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia typhi, Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis among healthy population in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Rickettsial diseases except those belonging to spotted fever group rickettsioses are poorly studied in South America particularly in Brazil where few epidemiological reports have been published. We describe a serosurvey for Rickettsia rickettsii, R. typhi, Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella henselae, B. quintana, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis in 437 healthy people from a Brazilian rural community. The serum samples were tested by indirected micro-immunoflourescence technique and a cutoff titer of 1:64 was used. The seroprevalence rates for R. rickettsii, R. typhi, C. burnetii, B. henselae, B. quintana, and E. chaffeensis were respectively 1.6 percent (7 samples); 1.1 percent (5 samples); 3.9 percent (17 samples); 13.7 percent (60 samples); 12.8 percent (56 samples), and 10.5 percent (46 samples). Frequent multiple/cross-reactivity was observed in this study. Age over 40 years old, urban profession, and rural residence were significantly associated with some but not all infections rate. Low seropositivity rates for R. rickettsii, R. typhi, and C. burnetii contrasted with higher rates of seropositivity for B. quintana, B. henselae, and E. chaffeensis. These results show that all tested rickettsial species or antigenically closely related possible exist in this particular region.

Evolución de la resistencia de bacilos gramnegativo A ß-lactámicos: un estudio de seis años / Evolution of the resistance of gramnegative bacillito ß-lactams: a six year study

Los antibióticos ß-lactámicos son los antimicrobianos más frecuentemente prescritos en el mundo; por lo tanto, no resulta sorprendente que la resistencia de las bacterias a estas drogas contituya un problema de salud pública. Se analiza un total de 1.868 cepas de bacilos Gram-negativo distribuidas de la siguiente forma: Escherichia coli (735), Klebsiella pneumoniae (358), Enterobacter cloacae (138), Proteus mirabilis (121), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (334), Acinetobacter sp. (182); recolectados consecutivamente entre 1992 y 1997, a partir de pacientes ambulatorios. El método de difusión en agar se utiliza para determinar los patrones de susceptibilidad a diversos ß-lactámicos. La resistencia promedio para cada bacteria es la siguiente: E.coli, ampicilina (AMP) 52 por ciento, carbenicilina (CB) 50 por ciento, ampicilina-sulbactam (SAM) 29 por ciento, cefalosporinas de primera generación (CF) 16 por ciento, cefamandol (MA) 8 por ciento, cefoxitina (FOX), ceftriazona (CRO), ceftazidima (CAZ) y aztreonam (AZT) 3 por ciento para cada uno, cefotaxima (CTX) 2 por ciento y cefoperazona (CFP) 4 por ciento. K.pneumoniae: AMP y CB 97 por ciento, SAM 15 por ciento, CF 12 por ciento, MA 10 por ciento, FOX y CFP 5 por ciento, CTX, CRO y CAZ 4 por ciento, AZT 7 por ciento. E cloacae: AMP 95 por ciento, CB 30 por ciento, CF 87 por ciento, MA 19 por ciento, FOX 67 por ciento, CTX y CFP 8 por ciento, CRO 5 por ciento, CAZ y AZT 3 por ciento. P.mirabilis: AMP 27 por ciento, CB 12 por ciento, CF 19 por ciento, MA y FOX 4 por ciento, CTX 2 por ciento, CFP, CRO, CAZ, y AZT 0 por ciento en cada caso. Sólo imipenen (IMP) es 100 por ciento activo para las enterobacterias aisladas. Ps. aeruginosa: CB 28 por ciento, CTX 47 por ciento, CFP 4 por ciento, CRO 54 por ciento, CAZ e IMP 1 por ciento, ATZ 9 por ciento. Acinetobacter sp.: AMP 72 por ciento, CB 36 por ciento, CF 80 por ciento, MA 56 por ciento, FOX 61 por ciento, CTX 34 por ciento, CFP 36 por ciento, CRO 40 por ciento, CAZ 21 por ciento, IMP 6 por ciento y AZT 42 por ciento. La resistencia a ß-lactámicos es uno de los riesgos entre aislamientos de bacilos Gramnegativo, y sólo a través de un uso nacional de estas drogas es posible preservar su utilidad en la quimioterapia de infecciones bacterianas

Atividade antimicrobiana em xantonas / Antimycrobial activity in xanthones

Cerca de treze xantonas isoladas de duas espécies do gênero Haploclathra foram submetidos à açäo de microorganismos-teste. Foram eleitos um fungo (Thielaviopsis paradoxa), uma bactéria Gram-positiva (Corynebacterium michiganense pv michiganense) e uma bactéria Gram-negativa (Pseudomonas syringae pv pisi). Nenhuma das xantonas testadas apresentou resultados positivos na inibiçäo do crescimento dos microorganismos em questäo.

Estudo da atividade antimicrobiana de extrato de folha de Aristolochia gigantea Mart e Zucc / Study of the antimycrobial activity of extracts from the leaves of Aristolochia gigantea Mart and Zucc

Foram investigadas as atividades antibacteriana e antifúngica dos extratos éter de petróleo e alcaloídico de folhas de Aristolochia gigantea Mart e Zucc, pelo método de difusäo em agar. O extrato éter de petróleo mostrou atividade contra uma bactéria Gram-positiva. O extrato alcaloídico apresentou atividade contra duas bactérias Gram-positivas. Uma Gram-negativa, näo apresentando qualquer atividade antifúngica.