The effect of two artificial salivas on the adhesion of Candida albicans to heat-polymerized acrylic resin

PURPOSE: Xerostomia can diminish the quality of life, leads to changes in normal chemical composition of saliva and oral microbiata, and increases the risk for opportunistic infections, such as Candida albicans. Various artificial salivas have been considered for patients with xerostomia. However, the knowledge on the antifungal and antiadhesive activity of artificial saliva substitutes is limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate influence of two artificial salivas on the adhesion of Candida albicans to the polymethylmethacrylate disc specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two commercial artificial salivas (Saliva Orthana and Biotene Oral Balance Gel) were selected. 45 polymethylmethacrylate disc specimens were prepared and randomly allocated into 3 groups; Saliva Orthana, Biotene-Oral Balance gel and distilled water. Specimens were stored in the artificial saliva or in the sterile distilled water for 60 minutes at 37degrees C. Then they were exposed to yeast suspensions including Candida albicans. Yeast cells were counted using x40 magnification under a light microscope and data were analysed. RESULTS: Analysis of data indicated statistically significant difference in adhesion of Candida albicans among all experimental groups (P=.000). Findings indicated that Saliva Orthana had higher adhesion scores than the Biotene Oral Balance gel and distilled water (P<.05). CONCLUSION: In comparison of Saliva Orthana, the use of Biotene Oral Balance Gel including lysozyme, lactoferrin and peroxidase may be an appropriate treatment method to prevent of adhesion of Candida albicans and related infections in patients with xerostomia.

Cytokine profile in murine toxoplasmosis

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate which cytokines are produced after acute infection of mice with Toxoplasma gondii (T. Gondii) RH strain.@*METHODS@#Mus domesticus domesticus mice in infected group were inoculated with with highly virulent T. Gondii RH strain by intraperitoneally. Serum samples were obtained from infected and non-infected mice for cytokine levels for ELISA assay.@*RESULTS@#The concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12 in the cardiac blood sample of the infected mice were significantly higher than those in uninfected controls (P0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#According to our findings, immune response into T helper type 1 was predominant during acute T. gondii infection. Further characterization and purification of Toxoplasma molecule(s) implicated in the regulation of cytokines could lead to the development of new drug prospects to control Toxoplasma infection.