External decontamination of wild leeches with hypochloric acid

BACKGROUND: Medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, has been used in plastic and reconstructive surgery, to relieve venous congestion and to improve the microrevascularization of flaps. In many countries, wild leeches are still provided from local markets and utilised with antibiotic prophylaxies. In this research, results of identification of bacteria in the transport fluid is reported, oral and intestinal floras and the antibiograms of the identified microorganisms are investigated. Also, to avoid possible infections, the ability of hypochloric acid, a disinfectant, to suppress the relevant microorganisms without changing the life style and behavior of leeches in terms of sucking function, is investigated. METHODS: Bacterial identifications and antibiograms of oral and intestinal flora and transport medium were performed for 10 leeches. The optimum concentration of hypochloric acid which eliminated microorganisms without affecting the viability and sucking function of the leeches were determined by dilution of hypochloric acid to 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 ppm concentrations in different groups of 25 leeches. Finally, 20 leeches were applied atraumatically to the bleeding areas of rats, the duration of suction was determined and compared statistically between the leeches treated and not treated with hypochloric acid solution. RESULTS: Aeromonas hydrophilia was the most commonly identified microorganism and found to be resistant to first generation cephalosporins, frequently used in prophylaxis at surgical wards. In the next stages of the study, the leeches were subjected to a series of diluted hypochloric acid solutions. Although disinfection of the transport material and suppression of the oral flora of hirudo medicinalis were successful in 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 ppm concentrations; 12.5 ppm solution was the greatest concentration in which hirudo medicinalis could survive and sucking function was not affected significantly. CONCLUSIONS: External decontamination of wild leeches with 12.5 ppm hypochloric acid enables bacterial suppression without causing negative effects on leech sucking function and life

Osteomyelitis of the jaws

Üst veya alt çenede kemik infeksiyonu olan 23 hastada lezyonun özellikleri ve klinik belirtileri incelenmiştir. Osteomyelit iki hastada maksillada ve 21 hastada mandibulada yer almış olup 9'u post travmatik, 8'i odontojenik ve 6'sı post operatif Osteomyelit olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Çoğu infeksiyonlar polimikrobiyal (%86) bulunmuş olup mandibuler osteoradyonekroz olguları bu çalışmaya dahil edilmemiştir. Tüm hastalarda osteomyelit kronik tip olup tedaviyi takip dönemleri altı hafta ile iki yıl arasında yer almıştır. Bu yazıda; hastalığın tanısı, etyolojisi, klinik ve radyolojik özellikleri, anatomik yerleşimi ve tedavisi değerlendirilmiştir.The presenting characteristics and clinical courses of 23 patients with upper and lower jaw bone infections are investigated. Two patients had the osteomyelitis in the maxilla and 21 in the mandible. Nine of the patients had post-traumatic osteomyelitis, eight had odontogenic osteomyelitis and six had post-operative osteomyelitis. Most infections were polymicrobial (86%). Cases with mandibular osleoradionecrosis were not included in this study. All of the patients had chronic osteomyelitis. The follow up period ranged from six weeks to two years. In this paper, diagnosis, etiology, clinical and radiological features, anatomical distribution and treatment of the lesions are reported

External decontamination of wild leeches with hypochloric acid

Background: Medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, has been used in plastic and reconstructive surgery, to relieve venous congestion and to improve the microrevascularization of flaps. In many countries, wild leeches are still provided from local markets and utilised with antibiotic prophylaxies. In this research, results of identification of bacteria in the transport fluid is reported, oral and intestinal floras and the antibiograms of the identified microorganisms are investigated. Also, to avoid possible infections, the ability of hypochloric acid, a disinfectant, to suppress the relevant microorganisms without changing the life style and behavior of leeches in terms of sucking function, is investigated