Infection Control Practices in Dental Settings - A Review

In the era of HIV/ AIDS it is essential to follow the infection prevention protocols in all health care settings including dental settings. The present review article highlighted the various preventive protocols to be followed in dental settings. It includes right from the simple hand hygiene to biomedical waste segregation

The coinfection between herpesviruses and periodontopathic microbiota in increasing severity of chronic periodontitis

Introduction: Chronic periodontitis is an oral disease and having multiple etiologies. The coinfection between herpesviruses and periodontopathic bacteria might play a crucial role in the increasing severity of the disease. The present study was conducted to find out any specific coinfection which is contributing in increase in the severity of the disease. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective case–control study. A total of 300 cases with chronic periodontitis (100 each from mild, moderate, and severe chronic periodontitis) and 300 age- and sex-matched controls were included. After fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a subgingival plaque specimen was collected and processed for detection of herpesviruses and periodontopathic microbiota. Results: Herpesviruses were significantly associated with anaerobes and yeasts as compared to aerobes. In severe chronic periodontitis, association of anaerobes and herpesviruses was found to be statistically significant in the present study. All four studied herpesviruses have shown strong association with Porphyromonas gingivalis. Conclusion: Coinfection helps in the increasing severity of chronic periodontitis when a particular combination of herpesviruses and periodontopathic microbiota is detected from the cases of chronic periodontitis. Herpes simplex virus-2 and P. gingivalis seem to play a crucial role in the increasing severity of chronic periodontitis as compared to other coinfection combinations in the studied populations

Effect of finishing and polishing procedures on biofilm adhesion to composite surfaces: An ex vivo study

Introduction: Surface roughness allows plaque accumulation resulting in gingival inflammation, superficial staining and secondary caries. Proper surface finishing and polishing are critical clinical procedures which enhance esthetics and longevity of restorations. This study evaluated adhesion of Streptococcus mutans biofilm on the surface of composite resin discs (nanofilled, Filtek Z350, 3M ESPE, Salt Lake City, UT, USA) after finishing and polishing by different techniques. Methodology: Sixty samples of nanofilled composite resin were prepared in a circular shaped disc- 6 mm × 2 mm and divided randomly in three groups (n = 20) for surface treatments. Control group: composite resin surface in contact with Mylar matrix strips with no finishing or polishing performed, Sof-Lex aluminum oxide disc technique and 30-blade tungsten carbide burs and silicon carbide brushes, Astrobrush. The samples were subjected to biofilm adhesion by inoculation in suitable media. The response variable was the mean CFU/mL present in the Streptococcus mutans biofilms formed on the composite resin surface. Data was statistically analyzed by three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The Mean adhesion found in Mylar matrix strip group at 10 dilution was 74.7 ± 3.5, in Sof-Lex group was 147.3 ± 7.0 and in Astrobrush group was 149.4 ± 8.1. This difference in the mean values between the groups was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Mylar matrix strips promoted the least bacterial adhesion, polishing with Sof-Lex aluminium oxide discs provided a smoother surface than Astrobrush and hence less bacterial adhesion than Astrobrush system

Device-Associated Infection Rates in 20 Cities of India, Data Summary for 2004–2013: Findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium

To report the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium surveillance data from 40 hospitals (20 cities) in India 2004-2013. Surveillance using US National Healthcare Safety Network's criteria and definitions, and International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium methodology. We collected data from 236,700 ICU patients for 970,713 bed-days Pooled device-associated healthcare-associated infection rates for adult and pediatric ICUs were 5.1 central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs)/1,000 central line-days, 9.4 cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAPs)/1,000 mechanical ventilator-days, and 2.1 catheter-associated urinary tract infections/1,000 urinary catheter-days In neonatal ICUs (NICUs) pooled rates were 36.2 CLABSIs/1,000 central line-days and 1.9 VAPs/1,000 mechanical ventilator-days Extra length of stay in adult and pediatric ICUs was 9.5 for CLABSI, 9.1 for VAP, and 10.0 for catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Extra length of stay in NICUs was 14.7 for CLABSI and 38.7 for VAP Crude extra mortality was 16.3% for CLABSI, 22.7% for VAP, and 6.6% for catheter-associated urinary tract infections in adult and pediatric ICUs, and 1.2% for CLABSI and 8.3% for VAP in NICUs Pooled device use ratios were 0.21 for mechanical ventilator, 0.39 for central line, and 0.53 for urinary catheter in adult and pediatric ICUs; and 0.07 for mechanical ventilator and 0.06 for central line in NICUs. Despite a lower device use ratio in our ICUs, our device-associated healthcare-associated infection rates are higher than National Healthcare Safety Network, but lower than International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium Report

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortiu (INICC) report, data summary of 43 countries for 2007-2012. Device-associated module

We report the results of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2007-December 2012 in 503 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. During the 6-year study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) U.S. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care–associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 605,310 patients hospitalized in the INICC's ICUs for an aggregate of 3,338,396 days. Although device utilization in the INICC's ICUs was similar to that reported from ICUs in the U.S. in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals: the pooled rate of central line–associated bloodstream infection in the INICC's ICUs, 4.9 per 1,000 central line days, is nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.9 per 1,000 central line days reported from comparable U.S. ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher (16.8 vs 1.1 per 1,000 ventilator days) as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (5.5 vs 1.3 per 1,000 catheter days). Frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (42.8% vs 10%) and imipenem (42.4% vs 26.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (71.2% vs 28.8%) and imipenem (19.6% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC's ICUs compared with the ICUs of the CDC's NHSN