Acute unilateral post-operative submandibular sialadenitis following posterior cranial fossa surgery

Extreme degree of rotation and flexion of the head during posterior fossa surgeries can lead to acute post-operative submandibular sialadenitis that can cause respiratory compromise. Identification of this problem is vital to prevent deterioration in the early post-operative period. This condition responds well to conservative management provided airway obstruction is taken care of. We discuss a case of a 63-year-old female, with a left side vestibular schwannoma who developed airway obstruction in post-operative period due to swelling of right submandibular gland. Various possible mechanisms leading to this condition and related literature are briefy reviewed

Herpes simplex virus-1, epstein–barr virus, and human cytomegalovirus in the saliva of periodontally diseased pregnant and nonpregnant women: A cross-sectional analytical study

Context: Periodontal disease is commonly found among pregnant women. Viruses may play a key role in the etiology of periodontal disease through a variety of mechanisms that work alone or in tandem. Many researchers have explored the possible role of herpes viruses in periodontal disease, but extremely limited studies have evaluated the effect of pregnancy on herpes viruses in women with periodontal disease. Aims and Objectives: To study the effect of pregnancy on herpes simplex virus-1, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), and human cytomegalovirus in women with periodontal disease and to evaluate the presence of herpes viruses within the saliva of pregnant and nonpregnant women with periodontal disease. Settings and Design: The study design involves a cross-sectional analytical study. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 50 females aged between 18 and 35 years. Group I comprised pregnant women at any gestational age with periodontal disease and Group II comprised nonpregnant women with periodontal disease. The clinical parameters assessed were plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment loss. Nonstimulated whole saliva was utilized for the detection of three herpes viruses by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Statistical Analysis Used: The categorical variables and research parameters were compared using the Chi-squared test and the Student's t-test. Results: Both groups tested positive for the three herpes viruses, but only a significant increase was observed in EBV in Group I participants on the intergroup comparison. Conclusions: The presence of EBV in the saliva of women with periodontal disease was found to be more likely during pregnancy

Assessment of Ambient Air Quality in Urban Centres of Haryana (India) in Relation to Different Anthropogenic Activities and Health Risks

The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com . Copyright Springer DOI : 10.1007/s10661-005-9161-xConsidering the mounting evidences of the effects of air pollution on health, the present study was undertaken to assess the ambient air quality status in the fast growing urban centres of Haryana state, India. The samples were collected for total suspended particulate matter (TSPM), respirable suspended particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and for oxides of nitrogen (NO2) during different seasons from 8 districts of Haryana during January, 1999 to September, 2000. The four types of sampling sites with different anthropogenic activities i.e. residential, sensitive, commercial and industrial were identified in each city. The ambient air concentration of TSPM and PM10 observed was well above the prescribed standards at almost all the sites. The average ambient air concentrations of SO2 and NO2 were found below the permissible limits at all the centres. Comparatively higher concentration of SO2 was observed during winter seasons, which seems to be related with the enhanced combustion of fuel for space heating and comparatively stable atmospheric conditions. Air Quality Index (AQI) prepared for these cities shows that residential, sensitive and commercial areas were moderately to severely polluted which is a cause of concern for the residents of these cities. The high levels of TSPM and SO2 especially in winter are of major health concern because of their synergistic action. The data from Hisar city reveals a significant increase in the total number of hospital visits/admissions of the patients with acute respiratory diseases during winter season when the level of air pollutants was high.Peer reviewe