ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Forensic odontology plays important role in identification of human remains in mass disasters such as air crash, tsunami, and accidents. Palatal rugae act as an ideal requisite for human identification as they are present in all victims and are resistant to changes such as aging and trauma. The study aimed to analyze differences in shape and number of palatal rugae in population from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. METHODS: This study was conducted in SIBAR institute of Dental Sciences, Guntur, India in 2012 on 200 subjects, gender matched and equally divided as 100 from Andhra Pradesh and 100 from Telangana states. Rugae were studied using Kapali.S classification. Association between rugae shape and gender variation between the two populations were tested by chi-square analysis and student t-test. RESULTS: Average number of rugae was more (11.84±3.03) in subjects of Andhra Pradesh, compared to Telangana (9.50 ±1.65) population. Males of Andhra Pradesh showed significantly higher mean number of total rugae than in Telangana males. Distribution of total number of different rugae shapes in males and females of both the populations showed significant variation in wavy and circular rugae patterns. Wavy, curved and straight rugae were significantly higher in males and females of Andhra Pradesh compared to Telangana population. Telangana population showed significant increase in circular rugae. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed statistically significant variation in shape and total number of rugae between observed populations of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a global health problem, although the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly modified the course of HIV disease into a manageable disease with improved quality-of-life mainly in the developed countries. Very few studies are available regarding effect of HAART on oral lesions in developing countries like India. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to document and compare oral lesions in HIV-seropositive patients before and after HAART. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oral manifestations were recorded in 320 HIV seropositive patients attending to the Voluntary Counseling and Confidential Testing Centre at the Government General Hospital, Guntur, before and after treating with HAART and the results were statistically analyzed using Student's t-test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Oral Candidiasis was significantly reduced in patients under HAART after 3 months. Furthermore, there was decreased incidence of periodontal diseases, but increased hyperpigmentation in patients undergoing HAART. CONCLUSION: The oral manifestations of HIV infection have changed due to the advent of HAART. Many opportunistic infections have resolved as a result of an improved immune system. Though the risk of hyperpigmentation in those with HAART has increased the prevalence of oral candidiasis and periodontal diseases were less in patients who had access to HAART.
ABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To know the prevalence of Candidal colonization, and to isolate and know the Candidal species prevalent in the oral cavity from the oral rinse samples collected from the individuals attending to the Voluntary Counseling and Confidential Testing Center (VCCTC) and the antiretro-viral therapy (ART) Center at Government General Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, South India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 50 HIV negative asymptomatic individuals (Group I); 50 HIV positive individuals (people living with HIV AIDS [PLWHA's]), who are naïve to antiretro-viral therapy (direct walk-in clients of VCCTC) (Group II); and 50 HIV positive individuals with CD4+ count less than 250 and who are started on highly active anti retroviral therapy (HAART) (Group III). Routine mycological tests for the isolation of pure cultures of Candida and also the speciation procedures were done. RESULTS: In the study group, 53 (Group I=11; Group II=23; Group III=19) were culture positive. The prevalence of Candida was comparatively high in the age range between 41-50 years in Group II; 51-60 years, in Group III. A male predominance was observed in the Group I (M:F=16:6) and Group III (M:F=20:18), with a slight female predominance in the Group II (F:M=24:22). The overall culture positivity was 35.3%. Candida albicans was the highest prevalent species (47.17% of the isolates). A comparison of the culture positivity with the CD(4) counts of the study subjects was statistically highly significant. A pair wise comparison of the culture positivity with that of the colony forming units/mL from the subjects showed a high significance between Group I and Group II, and between Group I and Group III. CONCLUSION: Candidal infections in immuno compromised patients are often severe, rapidly progressive, and difficult to treat and such patients have a definitive risk of developing oral candidiasis wherein, even the members of the normal oral flora may become pathogenic. Candida albicans is the common isolate. Nonalbicans species are also emerging as opportunistic pathogens. In view of this changing pattern, it is strongly recommended that species identification can help in much better treatment strategies, and thus, gain a good control over the disease. The findings of this study would be helpful in any further studies which, if done prospectively on a larger cohort, can be confirmatory.
