ABSTRACT
A rare and difficult to diagnose case of subacute infective endocarditis caused by Bacillus cereus in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and Libman-Sacks endocarditis has been reported. Our aim is to highlight the importance of molecular methods such as MALDI-TOF and PCR to explain clinical and epidemiological issues about infections caused by unusual pathogen.
Subject(s)
Endocarditis, Bacterial , Endocarditis , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic , Bacillus cereus , Endocarditis/complications , Endocarditis/diagnosis , Endocarditis, Bacterial/complications , Endocarditis, Bacterial/diagnosis , Humans , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/diagnosisABSTRACT
The oral cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and anti-demineralizing effects of a tincture from Bauhinia forficata Link tincture (BFLT) were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo. Susceptibility tests (minimum inhibitory and microbicidal concentrations-MIC and time-kill assay-MMC) were performed against planktonic oral microorganisms. The contents of phenolic compounds were investigated. Cytotoxic potential was evaluated on oral fibroblasts after 1-5 min exposure to BFLT. Blocks of sound bovine enamel (N = 60) were inoculated with a saliva pool and sustained in a multiple plaque growth system for 48 h to form a biofilm. Biofilm blocks were randomly divided into groups-G (n = 10): G1-Baseline (48 h maturation biofilm), G2-BFLT 23.2 mg/mL, G3-Ethanol 81.20 g/mL, G4-Chlorhexidine 0.12%, G5-Growth control, and G6-Blank control. Treatments (50 µL/1 min) were performed once a day for a week. Streptococcus spp. (S) and total microorganism (TM) counts were expressed as Log10 CFU/mL. Biofilm height was evaluated by confocal microscopy analyses (CMA). Final surface hardness was assessed and percentage of microhardness loss (% MHL) was calculated. Results were significant when P < .05. BFLT inhibited all tested microorganisms (MIC = 1.3-23.2 mg/mL) and promoted optical reduction (0.05-0.22 nm) of all microorganisms after 48-h treatment compared with controls. After 5-min treatment, BFLT showed low values of cell death (3.20%). G2-BFLT reduced S (6.61 ± 0.20) and TM (7.14 ± 0.38) compared with G1-Baseline (S = 7.82 ± 0.28; TM = 8.81 ± 0.67) and G5-Growth control (S = 7.48 ± 0.39; TM = 7.89 ± 0.68); but G4-chlororexidine (S = 6.11 ± 0.48; TM = 6.45 ± 0.16) showed the highest antibiofilm activity. CMA was not different among treatment groups. G2 showed lower % MHL compared with G5, although G4 presented the lowest. Results suggest BFLT is beneficial against dental caries, showing antimicrobial effects against a mature dental biofilm and no cytotoxicity.
Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Bauhinia/chemistry , Biofilms/drug effects , Dental Caries/prevention & control , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Animals , Cattle , Cells, Cultured , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Hardness , Microbial Sensitivity TestsABSTRACT
The inhibitory activity of a Bauhinia forficata tincture (TBF) was investigated against oral microorganism's strains and against a mature oral biofilm. The viability of planktonic cells was analyzed by Minimal Inhibitory and Microbicidal concentrations of TBF. Salivary samples from health volunteers were collected and mixed to form a saliva pool. An aliquot from this pool were seeded on membranes, which were incubated to form biofilm (48 h). The biofilm was treated according to the groups: G1-Chlorhexidine 0.12%; G2-TBF at the highest MMC; G3-Ethanol at the TBF highest MMC. G4 was the growth control. Streptococcus spp. (S) and total microorganisms (TM) from biofilm were counted. TBF was microbicidal against all oral pathogens. G2 was able to reduce the counts of S and TM from biofilm compared to G3 and G4, but less than G1 (p < 0.05). TBF is able to reduce the microbial levels from a mature oral biofilm.
