Relevance of biofilms in pediatric tonsillar disease

In this investigation, we study the relation between chronic inflammation of the tonsils, clinical features, and the presence of biofilms in the crypts in patients presenting with obstructive hypertrophy and recurrent upper airway pathology. Thirty-six patients who needed to undergo a tonsillectomy for obstructive reasons (aged 1 to 6 years), among which none of them had taken any antibiotics 30 days prior to surgery, were included. Samples were examined with hematoxylin-eosin and Gram staining, fluorescent microscopy, and confocal laser microscopy. The predominance of symptoms were those related to obstructive pathology rather than infection (p∈<∈0.01). All patients had tonsillar hypertrophy (grade III or IV), but an association with adenoids hypertrophy was detected in 66.66% of cases (p∈<∈0.05). 77.28% of tonsils presented biofilms in their crypts, but hypertrophy and tonsillar follicle number were not related to the presence or absence of biofilms. Here, we demonstrated that symptoms like harsh raucous sound, tonsillar and adenoids hypertrophy, apnea, and cervical adenopathies are clearly related to the presence of biofilm in tonsils. Our results allow us to propose that biofilms are involved in the pathogenesis of tonsils and adenoids hypertrophy. The prevention of biofilms formation should be focused in the early stages, attempting to restrain bacterial attachment to the respiratory mucosa.Fil: Diaz, R. R.. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Picciafuoco, S.. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Paraje, María Gabriela. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Villegas, N. A.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Miranda, Juan Antonio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Albesa, Inés. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Cremonezzi, David César. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Commisso, R.. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Paglini Oliva, P.. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina; Argentin

A Critical Review on Chagas Disease Chemotherapy

In this "Critical Review" we made a historical introduction of drugs assayed against Chagas disease beginning in 1912 with the works of Mayer and Rocha Lima up to the experimental use of nitrofurazone. In the beginning of the 70s, nifurtimox and benznidazole were introduced for clinical treatment, but results showed a great variability and there is still a controversy about their use for chronic cases. After the introduction of these nitroheterocycles only a few compounds were assayed in chagasic patients. The great advances in vector control in the South Cone countries, and the demonstration of parasite in chronic patients indicated the urgency to discuss the etiologic treatment during this phase, reinforcing the need to find drugs with more efficacy and less toxicity. We also review potential targets in the parasite and present a survey about new classes of synthetic and natural compounds studied after 1992/1993, with which we intend to give to the reader a general view about experimental studies in the area of the chemotherapy of Chagas disease, complementing the previous papers of Brener (1979) and De Castro (1993)