Application of Genomic Medicine in Africa: 14th Conference of the African Society of Human Genetics and the 2nd International Congress of the Moroccan Society of Genomics and Human Genetics, Rabat, Morocco 2022.

The 14th African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG) Morocco Meeting and 2nd International Congress of the Moroccan Society of Genomics and Human Genetics (SM2GH), held in Rabat, Morocco, from December 12 through 17, 2022, brought together 298 attendees from 23 countries, organized by the AfSHG in collaboration with the SM2GH. The conference's overarching theme was "Applications of Genomics Medicine in Africa," covering a wide range of topics, including population genetics, genetics of infectious diseases, hereditary disorders, cancer genetics, and translational genetics. The conference aimed to address the lag in the field of genetics in Africa and highlight the potential for genetic research and personalized medicine on the continent. The goal was to improve the health of African populations and global communities while nurturing the careers of young African scientists in the field. Distinguished scientists from around the world shared their recent findings in genetics, immunogenetics, genomics, genome editing, immunotherapy, and ethics genomics. Precongress activities included a 2-day bioinformatics workshop, "NGS Analysis for Monogenic Disease in African Populations," and a Young Investigators Forum, providing opportunities for young African researchers to showcase their work. The vast genetic diversity of the African continent poses a significant challenge in investigating and characterizing public health issues at the genetic and functional levels. Training, research, and the development of expertise in genetics, immunology, genomics, and bioinformatics are vital for addressing these challenges and advancing genetics in Africa. The AfSHG is committed to leading efforts to enhance genetic research, coordinate training, and foster research collaborations on the continent.

La santé bucco-dentaire au Grand Maghreb : revue systématique de la littérature.

OBJECTIVES: Oral health problems are an important component of the overall burden of morbidity, determining the health status of populations and their expenditure on care. This study aims thus to analyze, through a literature review, the main indicators of oral health in the Maghreb countries between 1990 and 2020. METHODOLOGY: A bibliographic search was conducted during the month of October 2020 on three databases (Pubmed, Sciences Direct and Cochrane). A reading grid based on the STROBE criteria was used to evaluate the articles during critical reading. RESULTS: Of the 2492 references initially identified, 11 articles were selected after the critical reading. Analysis of the results revealed a high morbidity of oral diseases in the Maghreb countries dominated by dental caries and periodontal diseases with a major need for oral care. The prevalence of dental caries exceeded 50% in temporary dentition at 6 years age and 60% in permanent dentition at 12 years. For periodontal diseases, the prevalence exceeds 55% at 15 years age. In addition, inequalities in access to oral care between regions were noted. DISCUSSION: Oral health studies in the Maghreb are rare, old, and conducted at different times, making comparisons difficult between them. This study calls for regular national surveys for an objective and up-to-date assessment of the main epidemiological indicators. The development of an integrated strategy for the promotion of oral health is still a priority of national health systems in the Maghreb.

Assessment of dentists' knowledge in rabat concerning the management of dental expulsion.

INTRODUCTION: Dental avulsion is an emergency whose prognosis depends on the promptness of the treatment. Adequate management requires the acquisition of correct knowledge, attitude and practice, thus the prognosis of the avulsed tooth should be improved, both in the short and in the long term. AIM: This study was carried out in order to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists working in the city of Rabat, Morocco regarding their management of avulsed teeth and the factors associated with this level. METHODS: A 14-item questionnaire regarding dental avulsion and its management was administered to dentists working in private practice in Rabat using convenience-sampling methodology. The data obtained were entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences database (IBM, SPSS version 13.0, Chicago, USA) and analysed with a significance level established at p < 0.05. The knowledge, attitude and practice level was assessed using a scoring system. Chi2 and Fisher's Exact tests were used to compare the groups. RESULTS: A total of 205 dentists, representing 37% of all dentists working in the private sector in Rabat, completed the questionnaires. The level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of the dentists in this study was moderate with an overall median score of 5 [4;6]. Most of the participants answered the knowledge based questions correctly, except for those concerning the extra-alveolar period, the timing of endodontic treatment, and the type and duration of retention. CONCLUSION: Given the lack of other studies concerning Moroccan dentists, comparison with studies carried out in other countries is difficult, hence the need to carry out more Moroccan studies in order to improve this level.

Prevalence and risk factors of Apical periodontitis in endodontically treated teeth: cross-sectional study in an Adult Moroccan subpopulation.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed at investigating the prevalence of Apical periodontitis in a Moroccan Adult subpopulation with a non-surgical root canal treatment and to assess associated risk factors including endodontic treatment quality, periodontal health status, coronal restoration cavity design and quality. METHODS: A total of 358 endodontically treated teeth were evaluated after more than 1-year period in a Moroccan subpopulation according to predetermined criteria. Studied parameters were assessed clinically and radiographically. The association between coronal restoration quality, cavity design, periodontal status, root canal filling quality, coronal restoration related features, presence or absence of the opposing dentition and the periapical status was determined. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, odds ratio and logistic regression. RESULTS: The present study revealed that gingival health, coronal restoration with CL II cavity design, and root canal filling quality influenced periapical status of endodontically treated teeth. Multivariate analysis showed that this association was statistically significant for gingival inflammation (95% CI 1.08-3.91, OR 2.05, p = 0.02), inadequate coronal restoration (95% CI 1.16-4.04, OR 2.16, p = 0.01), inadequate root canal filling length and homogeneity (95% CI 1.24-3.01, OR 1.93, P = 0.004), (95% CI 1.41-4.44, OR 2.50, p = 0.002) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that inadequate coronal restorations especially with large proximal margins (CL II cavity design) and gingival inflammation increased the risk of apical periodontitis in endodontically treated teeth. Prevalence of Apical periodontitis in the present study was 72.1%.

Female hospital workers in Morocco: factors influencing breastfeeding duration with self-reported experiences.

Health workers (HW) could be at risk of early weaning because of working conditions. Our aim was to determine factors influencing the duration of breastfeeding among Moroccan hospital workers, and to explore their breastfeeding (BF) experiences. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four hospitals in Rabat/Morocco (from November 2015 to April 2016), including each woman working in the hospital, with at least one living child and who accepted to be interviewed. Data of 203 hospital workers were analyzed. The median age was 39. The median duration of any breastfeeding was 8 months. Among different categories of HW, physicians had the lowest duration of breastfeeding. Factors significantly correlated to longer duration of breastfeeding were infant rank (p = 0.003), early initiation of breastfeeding (p < 0.001), access to milk storage generally (p = 0.04), husband's opinion on breastfeeding (p < 0.001) and category of hospital worker (p = 0.01). Three central themes emerged from the analysis of qualitative data: "Breastfeeding health worker has to assume her work duties as any other health worker", "the expression of need for support", and "the lack of knowledge on breastfeeding". In light of these results, we believe that physicians are a high-risk group of premature complete weaning; many actions should be taken for all HW to enhance their knowledge and giving them support.

[Role of enamel microabrasion associated with external bleaching in the management of patients with dental fluorosis]. / La micro-abrasion amélaire associée à l'éclaircissement externe: intérêt dans la prise en charge de la fluorose.

Dental fluorosis is a developmental anomaly affecting aesthetic appearance. The association between microabrasion and external bleaching has shown satisfactory outcomes because it improves aesthetic outcome in patients with light dental fluorosis. The purpose of this study was to update the role of this association as well as its different effects on the enamelled surface.

Knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices toward children oral health among mother's attending maternal and child's units, Salé, Morocco.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of severe dental caries is particularly prevalent and harmful in children. A better understanding of parental factors that may be indicators of children's risk of developing dental caries is important for the development of preventive measures. This study was conducted to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of mothers in Salé, Morocco regarding oral health and their predictors. METHODS: A cross-sectional KAP study was conducted of Mother and Child units in Salé, Morocco. Mothers attending the selected units from November 2014 to 29 January 2015 were recruited. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, administered by face-to-face interviews, to record socio-demographic factors and KAPs. The main outcome measures included knowledge about oral health diseases and preventive measures, and attitudes and practices related to oral health prevention measures and dental care. KAPs scores were then recoded based on responses and scores were determined for each KAP domain. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess predictors of KAP scores. RESULTS: Among 502 mothers included, 140 (27.8%) were illiterate and 285 (60.9%) were aware that fluoride has a beneficial effect in caries prevention. Mothers' own practices about dental care were statistically related to their children's use of dental care services (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the knowledge score was associated with mother's age (ß = 0.05; 95% CI; p < 0.001), education level, and median income (ß = 0.38; p = 0.04). Significant predictors of oral health-related practices were mother's education level and children's health status. CONCLUSIONS: Limited KAP scores were observed among the studied population. A great emphasis on oral health education and some risk factor modifications are recommended.

Association between untreated carious lesions and asthma in adults at Rabat University Hospital, Morocco: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Depending on risk factors, cumulative risk of developing more dental caries by age has been reported. However, the association between dental caries and asthma is less studied among adults. The aims of this study were to evaluate the severity of untreated carious lesions in a population of asthmatic adults and to evaluate the mediation of socio-economic and oral health behaviour variables. METHODS: The study involved participants with diagnosed asthma (N = 100) and control (N = 100) subjects attending a tertiary hospital. Groups were matched by age and gender. Asthma was the exposure of interest. The outcome measure was the rate of carious lesions. Recorded variables included demographics, socio-economic status, tooth brushing habits and oral health status using WHO criteria. Poisson regression analysis examined the association between asthma and untreated dental caries. RESULTS: The adjusted model, after the inclusion of individuals' behaviours regarding oral health, social determinants and asthma, revealed a significant association between the number of untreated carious lesions and asthma (PR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.23-1.58; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with asthma showed a greater number of untreated carious lesions. Looking forward, better understanding of the association between asthma and oral health may require exploiting the interactions of behavioural, social determinant and biological factors.

U-shaped association between untreated caries and body mass index in adults at Rabat dental University hospital, Morocco: cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Many previous studies estimating the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and dental decay are conflicting. Most studies, however, examine the relationship using BMI as a categorical variable. This study evaluated the non-linear association between body mass index as a continuous variable and untreated dental decay. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of adults free of diseases attending a tertiary dental clinic was conducted. The number of untreated caries at the time of consultation was assessed using the WHO criteria. A multivariable Poisson regression model for severity of untreated dental decay was first established. Restricted cubic spline functions were used to consider potential non-linear associations between BMI and untreated dental caries. RESULTS: After multivariable adjustment, the prevalence ratios (PR) for the number of dental decay remained significantly associated with the age at beginning tooth brushing (PR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.25), BMI < normal (PR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.30-2.12), BMI > normal (PR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.03-1.65), SDI (PR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.50-0.75) and GI (PR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.30-1.94). When BMI was evaluated as continuous variable, it exhibited a significant U-shaped pattern with the number of untreated dental decay both in univariable and multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: The rate of untreated tooth decay was associated with both under- and overweight status.

Apexification of immature teeth with calcium hydroxide or mineral trioxide aggregate: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to conduct a quantitative systematic review, including published data, comparing the efficacy of mineral trioxide aggregate and calcium hydroxide as material used for the endodontic management of immature teeth. STUDY DESIGN: Relevant studies published through November 2009 were identified through literature searches using Pubmed (Medline) and Scopus databases. Controlled trials in which calcium hydroxide versus mineral trioxide aggregate were used for the apexification of immature permanent teeth were selected for this study. The evaluation included clinical outcome and apical barrier formation. The principal measure of treatment effect was risk difference. The overall effect was tested by using Z score. Heterogeneity was tested by using the χ(2) statistic and I square (I(2)). A fixed-effect model was used when the studies in the subgroup were sufficiently similar. A random-effects model was used in the summary analysis when there was heterogeneity between the subgroups. RESULTS: Based on reduction of relative risk with 95% confidence intervals we found that the rate of clinical success (P = .29) and apical barrier formation (P = .76) of the 2 interventions had no perceivable discrepancy. Regarding success and apical barrier formation, either calcium hydroxide or mineral trioxide aggregate may be used for the apexification of immature teeth.

Prevalence of apical periodontitis and factors associated with the periradicular status.

AIM: The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence of apical periodontitis and identifying the factors associated with apical periodontitis, particularly the influence of the quality of root canal fillings and coronal restorations on the periradicular status. METHODOLOGY: The study population consisted of adult patients, men and women, seeking routine dental care at the Endodontic Clinic in the school teaching hospital between September 2006 and July 2008. For each patient complete oral examination and periapical radiographs were made for pathological teeth. All teeth were assessed individually. AP was diagnosed according to defined criteria, other variables were root fillings, coronal fillings, trauma and caries. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used to calculate the risk of apical periodontitis related to tooth-specific risk indicators on the presence of apical periodontitis. A multiple logistic regression model to control for confounders and to determine their independent association with apical periodontitis was used also. RESULTS: AP was detected on teeth (63.79%). The prevalence of apical periodontitis in root canal-treated teeth was 39.5%. Of the dental variables caries, trauma, inadequate root fillings and inadequate restoration were significantly associated with AP. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AP in this study group was higher than in other populations. The probability of AP increased significantly after root canal treatment and coronal filling and was closely associated with the quality of the filling.

Repair of untreated horizontal root fractures: two case reports.

To present two cases of root fractures which have healed spontaneously without any treatment? This article describes two untreated horizontal root fracture of the maxillary incisors. The fractured teeth were without any sign or symptom, and tested as vital to thermal and electric pulp test. These fractures were discovered during a routine full-mouth radiographic examination.