Frequency of oral mucositis and microbiological analysis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate

Tendo em vista o potencial de morbidade das complicações orais em pacientes com leucemia, este estudo avaliou as alterações clínicas e microbiológicas que ocorrem na mucosa bucal de crianças com leucemia linfoblástica aguda (LLA), submetidas à quimioterapia antineoplásica e administração profilática do gluconato de clorexidina 0,12%. A amostra foi constituída de 17 crianças de 2 a 12 anos, as quais foram submetidas a exame clínico da mucosa oral para a detecção de lesões bucais. Além disso, foi coletado material biológico das mucosas labial e jugal para análises microbiológicas. A mucosite oral foi observada em apenas 5 (29,4%) pacientes. A análise microbiológica revelou a presença de um número reduzido de microorganismos potencialmente patogênicos, como estafilococos coagulase-negativos (47%), Candida albicans (35,3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5,9%), Escherichia coli enteropatogênica (5,9%) e Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (5,9%). Pacientes com mucosite oral apresentaram uma maior freqüência de estafilococos coagulase-negativos (80%) quando comparados aos pacientes que exibiam mucosa oral normal (33,3%). Em conclusão, os resultados do presente estudo sugerem que o uso profilático do gluconato de clorexidina 0,12% reduz a freqüência de mucosite oral e de patógenos orais em crianças com LLA. Além disso, os presentes achados sugerem uma possível relação entre estafilococos coagulase-negativos e o desenvolvimento de mucosite oral. _________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT: In view of the morbidity potential of oral complications in patients with leukemia, this study evaluated the clinical and microbiological alterations that occur in the oral mucosa of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy and prophylactic administration of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate. The sample consisted of 17 children aged 2 to 12 years that underwent clinical examination of the oral mucosa for the detection of oral lesions. In addition, biological material was collected from labial and buccal mucosa for microbiological analysis. Oral mucositis was observed in only 5 (29.4%) patients. Microbiological analysis revealed a reduced number of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, such as coagulase-negative staphylococci (47%), Candida albicans (35.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.9%), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (5.9%), and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (5.9%). Patients with oral mucositis showed a higher frequency of coagulase-negative staphylococci (80%) when compared with patients with normal oral mucosa (33.3%). In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that the prophylactic use of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate reduces the frequency of oral mucositis and oral pathogens in children with ALL. In addition, the present findings suggest a possible relationship between coagulase-negative staphylococci and the development of oral mucositis

Surface temperature distribution in broiler houses

In the Brazilian meat production scenario broiler production is the most dynamic segment. Despite of the knowledge generated in the poultry production chain, there are still important gaps on Brazilian rearing conditions as housing is different from other countries. This research study aimed at analyzing the variation in bird skin surface as function of heat distribution inside broiler houses. A broiler house was virtually divided into nine sectors and measurements were made during the first four weeks of the grow-out in a commercial broiler farm in the region of Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil. Rearing ambient temperature and relative humidity, as well as light intensity and air velocity, were recorded in the geometric center of each virtual sector to evaluate the homogeneity of these parameters. Broiler surface temperatures were recorded using infrared thermography. Differences both in surface temperature (Ts) and dry bulb temperature (DBT) were significant (p<0.05) as a function of week of rearing. Ts was different between the first and fourth weeks (p<0.05) in both flocks. Results showed important variations in rearing environment parameters (temperature and relative humidity) and in skin surface temperature as a function of week and house sector. Air velocity data were outside the limits in the first and third weeks in several sectors. Average light intensity values presented low variation relative to week and house sector. The obtained values were outside the recommended ranges, indicating that broilers suffered thermal distress. This study points out the need to record rearing environment data in order to provide better environmental control during broiler grow-out.177182Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq