Chlorhexidine alcohol base mouthrinse versus Chlorhexidine formaldehyde base mouthrinse efficacy on plaque control: double blind, randomized clinical trials

Background: Chlorhexidine is well known for its antiplaque effect. However, the mouthrinse based chlorhexidine antiplaque efficiency may vary according to the formulation of the final product. The aim of the present study was to compare anti-plaque effectiveness of two commercial mouthrinses: 0.12 % Chlorhexidine alcohol base (CLX-A) versus a diluted 0.1% Chlorhexidine non-alcohol base with 0.1% of Formaldehyde (CLX-F). Material and Methods: the study was a seven day randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial including 30 volunteers. At the start, all participants received a dental prophylaxis. Over 7 days experimental non-brushing period, during which subjects abstained from all forms of mechanical oral hygiene, one group test rinsed twice daily with 15ml of an alcohol base 0.12% Chlorhexidine mouthrinse. The second group test used 15ml of alcohol free 0.1% Chlorhexidine mouthrinse base 0.1% formaldehyde twice daily. The negative control group used a placebo. Plaque indexes were recorded in all volunteers prior to treatment at Day 0, 1 and 7. Results: After 7 days, the mean plaque index for the first group was 0.76±0.38 compared with a mean plaque index of 1.43±0.56 for the second group. The difference in plaque scores between the groups was statistically significant. Conclusion: the results of this study showed that rinsing with an alcohol base 0.12% Chlorhexidine mouthrinse is significantly different from rinsing with an alcohol free 0.1% Chlorhexidine mouthrinse on plaque inhibition

ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF SELECTED MOROCCAN ESSENTIAL OILS AGAINST THE HIGHLY VIRULENT JP2 CLONE OF AGGREGATIBACTER ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS

Objective: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) serotype b JP2 clone is a highly virulent strain, considered as a major etiologic agent in aggressive periodontitis in patients of African descent, such as Moroccan adolescents. Antibiotics have been and continue to be the only effective treatment of periodontal infections caused by this periodontal bacterium. However, today there is enough scientific evidence on the existence of an increased resistance of oral bacteria to antibiotics. Therefore, the search for new natural agents, that are safe and effective, such "essential oils," has become a necessity. The present study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activities of three selected essential oils from Moroccan aromatic medicinal plants (Origanum compactum, Thymus vulgaris and Cymbopogon martinii) against clinical Moroccan isolate of Aa JP2 strain.Methods: Antibacterial activity of essential oils was investigated using agar well diffusion method, then measured using broth microdilution method.Results: All the selected essential oils exhibited significant antibacterial activity on the highly pathogenic JP2 strain of Aa. Essential oil of Origanum compactum was found to be the most effective with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.03% (v/v) and a minimum bactericidal concentration value (MBC) of 0.07%.Conclusion: The present findings indicate the possibility of exploiting these essential oils as potential antimicrobial agents in treatment of aggressive periodontitis associated to this pathogen

Tuberculose hépatique nodulaire: complication inhabituelle au cours de la maladie de Wilson

La tuberculose hépatique nodulaire est rare. Nous rapportons une forme pseudo-tumorale dont le tableau clinico-biologique et radiologique initial était aspécifique. Il s'agit d'un jeune marocain suivi pour maladie de Wilson et présentant une fièvre au long cours. L'imagerie met en évidence une lésion nodulaire hépatique non spécifique. L'examen anatomo-pathologique au cours d'une biopsie écho guidée du nodule hépatique permit de porter le diagnostic. L'évolution clinique est favorable sous traitement spécifique.Key words: Maladie de Wilson, tuberculose, foi

Comparative evaluation of antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial potential of Euphorbia-derived functional products

This study assessed the medicinal properties of Euphorbia resinifera O. Berg (E. resinifera) and Euphorbia officinarum subsp echinus (Hook.f. and Coss.) Vindt (Euphorbia echinus, known for their pharmaceutical benefits. Extracts from their flowers, stems, propolis, and honey were examined for phenolic content, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total condensed tannin (TCC) were determined using specific methods. Antioxidant potential was assessed through various tests including DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and Total antioxidant capacity. Anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated using phenol-induced ear edema in rats, while antibacterial activity was measured against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538) and Gram-negative (E. coli ATCC 10536) bacteria. Among the extracts, the aqueous propolis extract of E. resinifera demonstrated exceptional antioxidant capabilities, with low IC50 values for DPPH (0.07 ± 0.00 mg/mL) and ABTS (0.13 ± 0.00 mg/mL), as well as high TAC (176.72 ± 0.18 mg AA/mg extract) and FRAP (86.45 ± 1.45 mg AA/mg extract) values. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effect of E. resinifera propolis extracts surpassed that of indomethacin, yielding edema percentages of 3.92% and 11.33% for the aqueous and ethanolic extracts, respectively. Microbiological results indicated that the aqueous extract of E. resinifera flower exhibited the most potent inhibitory action against S. aureus, with an inhibition zone diameter (IZD) of 21.0 ± 0.00 mm and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.125 mg/mL. Additionally, only E. resinifera honey displayed the ability to inhibit E. coli growth, with an inhibition zone diameter of 09.30 ± 0.03 mm and a MIC of 0.0433 mg/mL

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Radiation Dose and Risk in Dental Panoramic Radiography

Aim: To review and search studies that evaluated the radiation doses and risks from dental panoramic radiography (DPR). This review may answer the following question “does panoramic dental radiation expose patients to health risks? Materiels and Methods: The search strategy was performed using the databases including GoogleScholar, PubMed, Science Direct and Nature from 2010 until september 2020. The search was limited to articles published in English. The 1031 titles that appeared, 15 fulfilled the criteria and were included in the review. Results: in 10 studies, the effective dose from DPRs was in the range of 5-49µSv, depending on the panoramic equipment used. The salivary glands received the highest absorbed doses (359-3044,3 μGy) and the thyroid gland absorbed doses were (40-250µGy). In terms of health risk, according to 5 studies, DPRs can induce genotoxic effects in oral epithelial cells and even induce cytotoxic effects leading to cell death. In 2 studies, women are at higher risk than men. The overall risk of cancer from radiation in children was more than adult. Conclusion: DPR can expose patient to health risks. It should only be applied when necessary, using radiation protection criteria

La maintenance parodontale : aspects théoriques et pratiques

Les maladies parodontales sont des infections polymicrobiennes dont le traitement se base essentiellement sur l’élimination des bactéries causales. Cette élimination ne peut être complète, d’où la notion du contrôle du facteur bactérien. En effet, la recolonisation bactérienne des sites traités se fait en quelques semaines et le retour des pathogènes parodontaux peut se produire en absence de contrôle de plaque continu par le praticien. Ainsi, une thérapeutique de maintenance parodontale se trouve justifiée pour soutenir le contrôle du facteur bactérien dans le temps et éviter la réactivation de la maladie parodontale. C’est une thérapeutique qui permet de préserver la denture et pérenniser les résultats du traitement parodontal actif. Son succès implique des facteurs liés au praticien et au patient. Le présent article se propose de traiter l’intérêt de la maintenance parodontale, et de décrire les différents facteurs influençant son efficacité

Le bilan biologique en odontostomatologie : intérêt et interprétation

En odontostomatologie, certains actes thérapeutiques nécessitent la réalisation de tests biologiques en préopératoire. La connaissance de ces tests est indispensable pour les prescrire de manière pertinente et pour interpréter les résultats en collaboration avec le médecin traitant. Elle permet d’une part, une bonne planification des soins potentiellement à risque et d’autre part le dépistage précoce de certaines pathologies à manifestations buccales ainsi que la prévention des complications lors des soins bucco-dentaires. Dans la première partie de cet article, ces différents tests sont décrits ainsi que les principales étiologies pouvant être à l’origine de résultats significatifs. Dans la deuxième partie, les situations dans lesquelles ces tests seront prescrits sont développées ainsi que leurs interprétations