One Case of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Chief Complaint of Xerostomia and Abnormal Liver Function

Dry mouth is a common symptom in over middle- aged women. Xerostomia itself can be caused by multifactorial etiolgy. Dry mouth may occur with the use of medications, as a complication of connective tissue and autoimmune disease, such as Sjogren's syndrome or sicca syndrome, with radiation therapy to the head and neck or diabetes mellitus, or with a number of other condition. Even stress and anxiety can lead to a dry mouth. Also, Abnormal liver function is associated with drugs, viral infection, alcohol, obesity, autoimmne disease and a number of other disease. A 41-year-old women complaining of xerostomia and known abnormal liver fuction since 1 year was admitted to our medical examination center. In this case, Final diagnosis was systemic lupus erythematosus with autoimmune hepatitis and secondary Sjogren's syndrome through characteristic clinical finding, liver biopsy, positive Schirmer's test, salivary gland biopsy, and salivary scintigraphy. The various immunosuppresant medication has taken and then liver function indices and clinical symptoms were improved.

Detection and Isolation of Genital Mycoplasmas from Public Toilet Bowls

Genital mycoplasmas are sexually transmitted. There are considerable public concern that causative agents of sexually transmitted diseases might be transmitted nonsexually through public restrooms. In the present study, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and M. penetrans among genital mycoplasmas were identified in 100 public restroom toilet bowls (50 men's and 50 women's public restrooms, each). Mycoplasmas were genotypically identified by two methods; (1) PCR of primary selective culture and (2) direct PCR of original specimens before primary selective culture. From 50 men's public restrooms, M. hominis, U. urealyticum and M. penetrans were identified from PCR of primary selective cultures in 6%, 4% and 0% of the specimens, respectively and M. hominis and U. urealyticum was codetected in 2% of those. And M. hominis, U. urealyticum and M. penetrans were identified by direct PCR in 20%, 16% and 0% of the original specimens, respectively and co-detection rate of M. hominis and U. urealyticum was 4% in those. From 50 women's public restrooms, 38% was positive for M. hominis, 14% for U. urealyticum, 0% for M. penetrans and 10% for both U. urealyticum and M. penetrans by PCR of primary selective culture. And 50% was positive for M. hominis, 46% for U. urealyticum and 0% for M. penetrans and 34% for both M. hominis and U. urealyticum by direct PCR of the original specimens. These results indicate that the genital mycoplasmas can survive for considerable duration in toilet bowels, and might be transmitted by through public restrooms.