Calidad microbiológica del agua de unidades odontológicas de una clínica universitaria de Bogotá / Microbiological quality of water in dental units of a university clinic in Bogotá

Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la calidad microbiológica del agua destinada al uso en unidades odontológicas de una clínica universitaria de Bogotá, mediante el recuento de E. coli, Coliformes Totales, Enterococcus y Pseudomonas, con el fin de mejorar la calidad del agua, optimizar la prestación del servicio y proporcionar una mayor seguridad y confiabilidad a los pacientes y odontólogos. En este trabajo se determina que el agua destinada al uso de las unidades odontológicas no cumple, en lo referente a las características microbiológicas, con lo establecido por la Resolución 2115 del 2007, y la Norma Técnica Colombiana 813 (NTC 813) porque excede los límites aceptables para coliformes totales y Enterococcus, además presenta un importante recuento de Pseudomonas, las cuales al considerar factores como el estado inmunológico del paciente pueden llegar a causar enfermedad.

This study aims to evaluate the microbiological quality of water intended for use in dental units of a university clinic of Bogotá, using the E. coli count, total coliforms, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, in order to improve the quality of the water, optimize service quality, and provide greater safety and reliability to the patients and dentists. In this work, it was determined that the water intended for the use of the dental units does not meet, in regard to the microbiological characteristics, with the provisions of Resolution 2115 of 2007, and the Colombian Technical Standard 813 (NTC 813) because it exceeds the acceptable limits for total coliforms and Enterococcus, it also presents an important count of Pseudomonas which can lead to disease when considering factors such as the immune status of the patient.

Characterization and lytic activity of Pseudomonas fluorescens phages from sewage

Pseudomonas fluorescens phages from sewage were tested against P. fluorescens isolates of soil and sewage. The phages were characterized as to host range, morphology, structural proteins and genome fingerprint. Of the seven phages isolated, one was found to be abundant in sewage (5.9×10(7) pfu/mL), having broad host range, and distinct protein and DNA profile when compared to the other six phages. DNA restriction and protein profiles of the phages and their morphology indicate the diversity in the sewage environment. None of the isolates from the rhizosphere regions of various cultivated soils were susceptible to phages isolated from sewage.

Utility of lytic bacteriophage in the treatment of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia in mice.

Drug resistance is the major cause of increase in morbidity and mortality in neonates. One thousand six hundred forty-seven suspected septicemic neonates were subjected for microbiological analysis over a period of 5 years. Forty-two P. aeruginosa were isolated and the antibiogram revealed that 28 P. aeruginosa were resistant to almost all the common drugs used (multidrug-resistant). The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains is one of the most critical problems of modern medicine. As a result, a novel and most effective approaches for treating infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria are urgently required. In this context, one intriguing approach is to use bacteriophages (viruses that kill bacteria) in the treatment of infection caused by drug-resistant bacteria. In the present study, the utility of lytic bacteriophages to rescue septicemic mice with multidrug-resistant (MDR) P. aeruginosa infection was evaluated. MDR P. aeruginosa was used to induce septicemia in mice by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 10(7) CFU. The resulting bacteremia was fatal within 48 hrs. The phage strain used in this study had lytic activity against a wide range of clinical isolates of MDR P. aeruginosa. A single i.p. injection of 3 x 10(9) PFU of the phage strain, administered 45 min after the bacterial challenge, was sufficient to rescue 100% of the animals. Even when treatment was delayed to the point where all animals were moribund, approximately 50% of them were rescued by a single injection of this phage preparation. The ability of this phage to rescue septicemic mice was demonstrated to be due to the functional capabilities of the phage and not to a nonspecific immune effect. The rescue of septicemic mice could be affected only by phage strains able to grow in vitro on the bacterial host used to infect the animals and when such strains are heat-inactivated, they lose their ability to rescue the infected mice. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have opened a second window for phage therapy. It would seem timely to begin to look afresh at this approach. A scientific methodology can make phage therapy as a stand-alone therapy for infections that are fully resistant to antibiotics.