A comparison of oral hygiene status and dental caries in children on long term liquid oral medications to those not administered with such medications.

Young chronically ill children receive a greater sugar load from liquid medications than do healthy children. They receive variety of oral liquid medications that healthy children do not This study was planned to know the levels of oral hygiene and Dental caries in children on long term liquid oral medicines (LOM) and to know out if any difference existed between these and children not on LOM. 51 children on LOM were compared to 54 not on LOM after equalising for age, oral hygiene and diet intake. Highly significant difference was found for dmft and dmfs in 2-6 year age group and dmft+ DMFT for 6-13 years age group, mostly posterior teeth were affected and for this the difference was statistically significant in 2-6 year old children. Percentage of children with dmft>5 significantly increased in 2-6 years old children on LOM, when compared to that of control. Percentage of various grades of lesions (relating to the severity) also increased with an increase in the duration of LOM.

Dental maturity as an indicator of chronological age: radiographic evaluation of dental age in 6 to 13 years children of Belgaum using Demirjian methods.

The study was designed to determine dental age from orthopantomograph using Demirjian method and to investigate applicability of Demirjian method for estimation of chronological age in children of Belgaum. The sample for the study consisted of 197 subjects between 6-13 years of age. When Demirjian method was applied to Belgaum children, mean difference between true and assessed age for males showed overestimation of 0.14 years (51 days) and females showed overestimation of 0.04 years (15 days). Demirjian method showed high accuracy when applied to Belgaum children.

Candidemia in neonatal intensive care unit.

The present study was conducted over a period of 6 months to determine the Candida species causing candidemia in a neonatal intensive care unit and to analyse the risk factors associated with acquisition of significant fungemia. Speciation of the 19 isolated Candida spp was done by the standard techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility of these isolates was determined by disc diffusion method against Amphotericin B, Fluconazole, Ketoconozole and 5-Flucytosine. Candida glabrata was the most common species involved (42.1%). Other species isolated were C. tropicalis (31.6%). Calbicans (21.1%) and C.parapsilosis (5.2%). All the isolates were sensitive to Amphotericin B. Resistance to other antigungal agents was seen only in C. globrata. Significant candidemia was seen in 14/19 (72.6%) of neonates. Risk factors found to be associated with significant candidemis in these neonates included intake of multiple broad-spectrum antibiotics (p<0.0001), use of total parenteral nutrition (p<0.045) and ventilators (p<0.0001).

Potential infection hazards of stethoscopes.

This study was conducted to assess the bacterial flora carried on stethoscopes used by medical personnel and to study the effect of disinfection of stethoscopes on the flora. In the 106 stethoscopes sampled, Gram-positive organisms were the most (60%) frequently isolated. Among them, Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 15.8% of the flora of which 21% were resistant to methicillin. The rate of isolation of S aureus and methicillin resistant S aureus (MRSA) was higher in critical care units. Disinfection was found to significantly reduce the bacterial count.

Comparison of Vitek Yeast Biochemical Card with conventional methods for speciation of Candida.

The ability of the Vitek Yeast Biochemical Card to identify yeast isolates was compared with conventional methods. Of the fifty yeast isolates tested same species identification was obtained in thirty-four isolates. The Vitek yeast biochemical card identified 13 isolates which could not be identified by the conventional tests. Though the Vitek Yeast biochemical card gave a good rapid identification the high cost of each test severely limits its routine use in most of the laboratories.

Passive smoking, domestic fuels and lung function in north Indian children.

A study was carried out in 200 school children from north India to find out the effects of passive smoking and exposure to domestic cooking fuels on their lung functions. Forced vital capacity and FEV1 were the lowest in boys whose households used biomass fuel (p < 0.05) and PEFR and FEF 25% and 50% were lowest in boys with their homes using kerosene as fuels. All these were the best for LPG fuel. However, in girls there was no significant difference in different parameters, although the values were lower in those using kerosene and biomass fuel. All parameters were lower in passive smokers irrespective of the type of fuel used although they were not statistically significant. However, FEF 50% was significantly less in passive smokers whose households used mixed fuels. The same was true for PEFR, PEFR %, and FEF 25% in cases of LPG fuel use.

Respiratory symptoms in Indian children exposed to different cooking fuels.

Smoke emission from fuels is an important source of indoor air pollution. Children spend considerable time indoors. It is therefore important to determine whether air contaminants from indoor air sources affect incidence of respiratory illness, cause symptoms and changes in pulmonary function status in them. Two hundred children in the age group of 7-15 were selected randomly. They were stratified according to the fuel used in their homes and respiratory symptoms were inquired from them according to a questionnaire recommended by the American Thoracic Society. The most symptomatic children were those whose households used kerosene (52%) and mixed fuels (46%) although different symptoms were present in varying extent in all 4 groups of children. Cough, cold, congestion or phlegm for one week or more occurred more frequently with mixed fuel use followed by kerosene. The present study thus showed that mixed fuel and kerosene fuel had worst effects on respiratory system in children whose households used these fuels.

Taurodontism and pyramidal molars.

The present study was conducted to investigate the occurrence of taurodontism and pyramidal molars in Goa children, hitherto considered rare in Indians. Radiographs of 300 children of 9 to 13 years were evaluated. The criteria of Keene (1966) was used to designate taurodonts. Ten children showed taurodontism: involving mandibular second molars in eight cases, maxillary first molars in three cases; and pyramidal molars in three cases, four cases showed associated findings. Hypodontia of one to fourteen teeth was observed in all four cases. In addition one case showed thinning of maxillary central incisors, rotation of lateral incisors, impacted supernumerary and a canine and polydactyly of hands and feet. The condition does not appear rare in this population group.