Immunomodulation Mediated by Azithromycin in Experimental Periapical Inflammation

IntroductionThe purpose of the present study was to compare the immunomodulatory effect of azithromycin (AZM), ampicillin (AMP), amoxicillin (AMX), and clindamycin (CLI) in vitro and AZM on preexisting periapical lesions compared with AMP.MethodsThe susceptibility of 4 common human endodontic pathogens (Parvimonas micra, Streptococcus intermedius, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum) to AZM, AMP, AMX, and CLI was confirmed by agar disk diffusion assay. Preexisting periapical lesions in C57BL/6J mice were treated with AZM, AMP, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Periapical bone healing and the pattern of inflammatory cell infiltration were evaluated after a 10-day treatment by micro–computed tomographic and histology, respectively. Besides, the effect of antibiotics in pathogen-stimulated nuclear factor kappa B activation and the production of interleukin 1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor alpha was assessed in vitro by luciferase assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsAll examined endodontic pathogens were susceptible to AZM, AMP, AMX, and CLI. AZM significantly attenuated periapical bone loss versus PBS. PBS resulted in widely diffused infiltration of mixed inflammatory cells. By contrast, AZM brought about localized infiltration of neutrophils and M2 macrophages and advanced fibrosis. Although the effect of AMP on bone was uncertain, inflammatory cell infiltration was considerably milder than PBS. However, most macrophages observed seemed to be M1 macrophages. AZM suppressed pathogen-stimulated nuclear factor kappa B activation and cytokine production, whereas AMP, AMX, and CLI reduced only cytokine production moderately.ConclusionsThis study showed that AZM led to the resolution of preexisting experimental periapical inflammation. Our data provide a perspective on host response in antibiotic selection for endodontic treatment. However, well-designed clinical trials are necessary to better elucidate the benefits of AZM as an adjunctive therapy for endodontic treatment when antibiotic therapy is recommended. Although both AZM and AMP were effective on preexisting periapical lesions, AZM led to advanced wound healing, probably depending on its immunomodulatory effect.     

清肺化浊汤联合胸腺五肽治疗恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染效果及对淋巴细胞亚群水平的影响

目的探究清肺化浊汤联合胸腺五肽治疗恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染的临床效果和对淋巴细胞亚群水平影响。方法选取恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染的患者109例作为研究对象,按随机数字表法将其分为两组,对照组54例患者采用胸腺五肽进行治疗,观察组55例患者在观察组的基础上予以清肺化浊汤辅助治疗。观察比较两组治疗前后临床症状改善情况、炎症指标和T淋巴细胞亚群水平变化情况。结果观察组胸部X线好转时间、退热时间、咳痰咳嗽好转时间明显优于对照组(P<0.05);观察组炎症因子水平、CD3^+(71.08±3.86)%、CD4^+(41.17±3.21)%、CD4^+CD25^+(1.52±0.37)%和CD3^+CD+8(25.17±2.56)%水平明显优于对照组炎症因子水平、CD3^+(64.31±4.17)%、CD4^+(34.24±2.53)%、CD4^+CD25^+(2.11±0.45)%和CD3^+CD+8(27.84±2.15)%,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论清肺化浊汤联合胸腺五肽治疗恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染患者效果明显,可以有效改善患者的临床症状,降低炎症因子水平,增强患者的免疫功能,值得临床推广应用。     

Diagnosing acquired syphilis through oral lesions: the 12 year experience of an Oral Medicine Center

IntroductionA resurgence of syphilis in Brazil has been reported in recent years.ObjectiveWith this in mind, the present study sought to investigate the frequency, demographics, and clinical characteristics of patients with acquired syphilis with oral involvement who received medical care at an Oral Medicine Reference Center in a Brazilian Public Hospital.MethodsA retrospective study, spanning a period of 12 years, was performed to identify changing trends in syphilis over time. Medical records from all patients diagnosed with acquired syphilis who received medical care at the Hospital's Oral Medicine Clinic from 2005 to 2016 were reviewed, and the demographic and clinical data were collected.ResultsA total of 85 patients had been diagnosed with acquired syphilis, with a significant increase in the number of cases over the past 5 years. Patients ranged from 16 to 76 years of age, with a peak in the third and fourth decades. Forty-eight cases affected males (56.5%), while 37 cases affected females (43.5%). Most of the oral lesions appeared as unique ulcers or plaques, with the lips and tongue representing the most affected sites. All cases were positive for Venereal Disease Research Laboratory or Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption, and treatment was performed with Penicillin G benzathine in most cases (84.7%).ConclusionThe frequency of oral syphilis has been rising over time and oral lesions may well represent a diagnostic clue; therefore, oral health professionals must be made aware and properly trained in an attempt to develop a high degree of clinical suspicion in the diagnosis of syphilis.     

由新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情引发的关于口腔感染控制的思考和建议

口腔诊疗过程中患者口、鼻全程暴露，操作中易产生飞沫、气溶胶，治疗医务人员与患者近距离、长时间接触等特殊性，均给新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情期间防控工作带来极大的困难和挑战。基于疫情防控部门及口腔各级专业学会陆续出台的疫情期间口腔感染控制建议及口腔医务人员个人防护指南，并结合传染病医院口腔科工作经验，本文从诊室布局、工作服穿脱流程、防护装备及诊疗关键细节等的改进方面进行思考，为今后口腔医疗机构接诊普通患者、传染病患者，尤其是在应对突发公共卫生事件时做到有效控制感染提出相关参考建议。     

Mildly decreased preoperative bilirubin levels are associated with infections after shoulder and knee arthroplasty

Increasing numbers of arthroplasties are also accompanied by postoperative infections. The main purpose was to evaluate preoperative serum bilirubin levels between patients with and without infections after shoulder and knee arthroplasties. For this retrospective case-control single-center study, a total of 108 patients were extracted from a prospectively collected database. Eighteen patients with infections after shoulder (n = 8) and knee (n = 10) arthroplasty were matched by age, gender, and implant type in a 1:5-scenario to 90 patients (40 shoulders and 50 knees) without postoperative infection. Demographic data, preoperative blood parameters, and postoperative infection-related outcomes were evaluated. Total bilirubin was the only preoperative parameter significantly different between the infection (8.21 ± 3.25 μmol/L or 0.48 ± 0.19 mg/dL) and noninfection (10.78 ± 4.62 μmol/L or 0.63 ± 0.27 mg/dL; P = .014) group, while C-reactive protein and other liver parameters were similar between the groups. Significantly more controls (92.1%) had preoperative bilirubin levels above 8.72 μmol/L or 0.51 mg/dL than cases (7.9%; P = .007). The 5-year infection survival-rate was 65.6% for patients with preoperative bilirubin levels < 8.72 μmol/L or < 0.51 mg/dL and 91.2% with ≥ 8.72 μmol/L or ≥ 0.51 mg/dL. Mildly decreased preoperative bilirubin levels with a cutoff at 8.72 μmol/L or 0.51 mg/dL were significantly associated to patients with infections after shoulder and knee arthroplasty. There were no differences in other blood parameters or comorbidities between patients with infections and their matched-controls.     

Therapeutics and delivery vehicles for local treatment of osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis, or the infection of the bone, presents a major complication in orthopedics and may lead to prolonged hospital visits, implant failure, and in more extreme cases, amputation of affected limbs. Typical treatment for this disease involves surgical debridement followed by long-term, systemic antibiotic administration, which contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and has limited ability to eradicate challenging biofilm-forming pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus—the most common cause of osteomyelitis. Local delivery of high doses of antibiotics via traditional bone cement can reduce systemic side effects of an antibiotic. Nonetheless, growing concerns over burst release (then subtherapeutic dose) of antibiotics, along with microbial colonization of the nondegradable cement biomaterial, further exacerbate antibiotic resistance and highlight the need to engineer alternative antimicrobial therapeutics and local delivery vehicles with increased efficacy against, in particular, biofilm-forming, antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Furthermore, limited guidance exists regarding both standardized formulation protocols and validated assays to predict efficacy of a therapeutic against multiple strains of bacteria. Ideally, antimicrobial strategies would be highly specific while exhibiting a broad spectrum of bactericidal activity. With a focus on S. aureus infection, this review addresses the efficacy of novel therapeutics and local delivery vehicles, as alternatives to the traditional antibiotic regimens. The aim of this review is to discuss these components with regards to long bone osteomyelitis and to encourage positive directions for future research efforts.     

一起由两种罕见血清型副溶血性弧菌引起食物中毒事件分析

目的 分析一起由两种罕见血清型混合感染引起的副溶血性弧菌食物中毒病原学的检测结果,为食物中毒病原学检查途径提供依据。方法 对一起在龙门县人民医院就诊食物中毒事件的9例患者采集其肛拭子样本,参照《食品微生物学检验副溶血性弧菌检验》( GB 4789.7—2013) 等标准进行病原学分析鉴定。结果 本次事件出现临床症状者9例,其中≤20岁2例,20~<40岁1例,40~<60岁4例,≥60岁2例;9份肛拭子样本检出8株副溶血性弧菌,血清分型O2:K28构成比占25.00%(2/8);O8:K21构成比占75.00%(6/8);经PFGE分子分型,2株O2∶K28血清型(VP18171、VP18175)相似度为66.7%;3株O8∶K21血清型(VP18172、VP18173、VP18176)相似度为100.0%,与另外3株O8∶K21血清型(VP18177、VP18174、VP18170)相似度为88.4%~95.2%;药敏试验结果显示,除有1株菌株对氨苄西林、头孢唑林二重耐药、1株菌株对氨苄西林耐药、3株菌株对头孢唑林耐药外,其它菌株对所有测试药物均敏感,无多重耐药现象。结论 此次食物中毒是由O2:K28和O8:K21这两种罕见血清型的副溶血性弧菌混合感染引起的。     

Clinical Impact and Predictors of the Slow-Flow Phenomenon after Endovascular Treatment of Infrapopliteal Lesions Using the Crosser Catheter in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia

PurposeTo determine the clinical impact and predictors of slow flow after endovascular treatment (EVT) using the Crosser catheter for debulking infrapopliteal lesions associated with critical limb ischemia.Materials and MethodsThis retrospective study included 65 patients with critical limb ischemia (70 limbs, 90 infrapopliteal lesions), who underwent EVT using the Crosser catheter between November 2011 and February 2017. The Crosser catheter was used when the balloon catheter could not be passed through the lesion or could not be dilated sufficiently. Slow flow was evaluated after atherectomy using Crosser and was defined as delayed antegrade flow to the foot (total number of cine frames >35).ResultsFollowing atherectomy, slow flow developed in 37 infrapopliteal lesions (41.1%). Despite secondary treatment, slow flow persisted in 29 of 37 lesions (78%). After atherectomy using the Crosser catheter, the balloon could be passed through the lesion in all cases. The wound healing rate at 1 year after EVT (overall, 67.8%) was significantly poorer in the presence of slow flow (rate with vs. without slow flow, 45.3% vs. 84.4%, respectively; P = .006), especially among patients with stage ≥3 baseline wound, ischemia, and foot infection. The active length of the Crosser catheter was a predictor of slow flow (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.08; P < .001), with an optimal cutoff of 100 mm.ConclusionsSlow flow is associated with a poorer wound healing rate at 1 year, especially for patients with severe baseline ischemia. To reduce the risk of slow flow, the active length of the Crosser catheter should be kept at <100 mm.     

Microbiological diagnosis in cardiac implantable electronic device infections detected by sonication and next-generation sequencing

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Irrigation Solutions and Antibiotic Powders: Should I Use Them in Primary and Revision Total Joint Arthroplasty?

BackgroundThe prevention and treatment of periprosthetic joint infection is of utmost importance to orthopedic surgeons. Irrigation solutions have become a popular additive to the prevention and treatment armamentarium.MethodsThis symposium summarizes the mechanism of action, basic science, and clinical research to date on the use of irrigation solutions. The four most commonly used irrigation solutions, povidone iodine, chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid, are discussed. In addition, the role of antibiotic powers is reviewed.ResultsEach solution has its risks and benefits that must be weighed by the surgeon. There is no clear irrigation solution that is superior. The role of additive antibiotic powder (vancomycin) remains controversial.ConclusionMore rigorous prospective clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal irrigation solution for the prevention and treatment of periprosthetic joint infection.