Antimicrobial activity of propolis against Streptococcus mutans

The ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) obtained from beehives of honeybee (Apis mellifera) was investigated for its antimicrobial activities against Streptococcus mutans isolated from dental caries. Agar well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations were the methods used in this study. The carious tooth was swabbed with a sterile cotton wool and immediately streaked on tryptic soy agar, incubated at 37°C for 48 - 72 h. S. mutans was characterized by standard cultural, morphological and biochemical methods. Several dilutions of EEP were made (0.5 - 32 μg/ml), while water and ethanol were used as controls. The EEP at concentrations of 4, 8, 16 and 32 μg/ml showed strong antimicrobial activity against S. mutans with inhibition zones of 10 ± 4, 12 ± 4, 20 ± 2 and 24 ± 2 mm, respectively. There were medium to maximum growth of S. mutans in the controls of ethanol and water. The results demonstrate that the ethanol extract of propolis has a strong antimicrobial activity and suggest that it may be useful in the treatment of dental caries caused majorly by S. mutans.Key words: Dental caries, antimicrobial activity, Apis mellifera, Streptococcus mutans, ethanol extract of propolis

Knowledge and Attitude of clinical level dental students concerning HIV/AIDS

Objective: To determine the knowledge and attitude of clinical level dental students concerning Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Methods: Two hundred and fifteen clinical level dental students from three Nigerian universities were requested to complete a self- administered questionnaire related to knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS. Parameters assessed included the aetiology and modes of transmission, high- risk groups, common oral and general manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Results: The male to female ratio was approximately 1:1, with an age range of 20-36 years. The respondents exhibited excellent knowledge of the aetiologic agent, the modes of transmission, high- risk groups, common oral manifestations and prevention of HIV/AIDS. However, they were less knowledgeable about the general features, diagnosis, treatment, aims of treatment and infection control measures. One hundred and sixty (70.4%) of the respondents stated that they did not have any reservations dealing with patients with HIV/AIDS while 55 (29.6%) felt that with improved knowledge they would be more confident in issues related to HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: Although Nigerian dental students exhibited good knowledge and positive attitude concerning HIV/AIDS, this study showed that knowledge of laboratory investigations and infection control measures were poor. These areas need emphasis in the dental school curriculum