Telework and 24-hour movement behaviours among adults living in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between work location and movement behaviours (physical activity [PA], screen time, sleep) and adherence to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (24-H Guidelines) among Canadian workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using cross-sectional data from the 2021 Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 10,913 working adults 18-75 years), primary work location was categorized as: worked outside the home at a fixed location (fixed workplace), worked at home (telework), and worked outside the home at no fixed location (non-fixed workplace). Recreational, transportation and occupational/household PA, as well as leisure screen time and sleep duration were self-reported. Logistic regression assessed associations between work location and adherence to movement behaviour recommendations, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Compared to a fixed workplace, those teleworking reported more recreational PA (21.1 vs 17.0 min/day, p < 0.0001) and sleep (7.2 vs 7.1 h/night, p = 0.026) and were more likely to meet sleep duration recommendations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08-1.51) and the 24-H Guidelines (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04-1.51). Compared to fixed workplaces, those at non-fixed workplaces reported more occupational PA (62.7 vs 32.8 min/day, p < 0.0001) and less leisure screen time (2.5 vs 2.7 h/day, p = 0.021), and were more likely to meet the PA recommendation (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.15-1.85) and the 24-H Guidelines (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.09-1.75). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that adherence to the 24-H Guidelines varies by work location, and work location should be considered when developing strategies to promote healthy movement behaviours. Future studies could explore hybrid work arrangements, and longitudinal study designs.

Sociodemographic differences in recreational screen time before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Background: Over the last several years, recreational screen time has been increasing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, recreational screen time rose among Canadian youth and adults, and those who increased screen time had poorer self-reported mental health compared with those who decreased or maintained their recreational screen time levels. Data and methods: Using data from the 2017, 2018, and 2021 Canadian Community Health Survey, the prevalence of meeting the recreational screen time recommendation from the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines was compared before and during the pandemic across sociodemographic groups. Logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic groups that were more likely to meet the recreational screen time recommendation before and during the pandemic. Results: The amount of time Canadians spent engaging in daily recreational screen time increased from 2018 to 2021, leading to fewer youth and adults meeting the recreational screen time recommendation during the pandemic compared with before. The prevalence of meeting the recommendation was lower during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic among almost all sociodemographic groups. Among youth, living in a rural area was associated with a greater likelihood of meeting the recommendation before and during the pandemic. Among adults, the following characteristics were all associated with a greater likelihood of meeting the recommendation during the pandemic: being female; living in a rural area or a small population centre; identifying as South Asian; being an immigrant to Canada; living in a two-parent household; being married or in a common-law relationship or widowed, separated, or divorced; working full time; and being a health care worker. Interpretation: The prevalence of meeting the recreational screen time recommendation during the pandemic was lower overall compared with before the pandemic. Several sociodemographic groups were more likely to meet the recommendation during the pandemic. Continued surveillance of recreational screen time is necessary to monitor the indirect effects of the pandemic and to identify population subgroups that would benefit from tailored interventions in the pandemic recovery period.

Sedentary time at school and work in Canada.

OBJECTIVES: High levels of sedentary time (ST) are associated with poor physical and mental health. Given that Canadians spend a large portion of their days at school and work, they may be important targets for reducing ST. Our objectives are to estimate the daily amount of school and work ST among Canadians, examine differences by subgroups, and determine associations with health. METHODS: Using the 2020 Canadian Community Health Survey Healthy Living Rapid Response module (N = 5242), the amount of time spent sitting while at school and work was estimated among youth (12-17 years) and adults (18-34 and 35-64 years). Differences by sociodemographics and 24-Hour Movement Guideline adherence were assessed with independent t-tests. Associations between school and work ST and health indicators were assessed using adjusted logistic regression. RESULTS: Canadian youth aged 12-17 years and adults aged 18-34 years reported an average of 4.5 and 5.2 h/day of school ST, respectively. Adults 18-34 years and 35-64 years reported an average of 3.9 and 4.0 h/day of work ST, respectively. School and work ST differed within several subgroups. Among adults 18-34 years, higher school ST was associated with a reduced odds of 'excellent/very good' mental health, whereas higher work ST was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting 'excellent/very good' general health. CONCLUSION: Canadian youth and working-age adults report an average of 4-5 h/day sedentary at school or work. This is the first study estimating school and work ST in a representative sample of Canadians and will aid in increasing awareness of setting-specific behaviours to better inform targeted interventions including addressing inequalities in ST.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Des niveaux élevés de sédentarité sont associés à une mauvaise santé physique et mentale. Étant donné que les Canadiens passent une grande partie de leur journée à l'école et au travail, ils peuvent représenter des cibles privilégiées sur la question de la sédentarité. Nos objectifs sont les suivants : estimer le temps que les Canadiens passent assis par jour à l'école et au travail, c'est-à-dire le temps de sédentarité, examiner les différences qui existent entre les sous-groupes et déterminer les effets sur la santé. MéTHODES: À l'aide du module de réponse rapide concernant un mode de vie sain de l'Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes de 2020 (N = 5 242), nous avons estimé le temps passé assis à l'école et au travail chez les jeunes (12­17 ans) et chez les adultes (18­34 ans et 35­64 ans). Nous avons évalué les différences en fonction des données sociodémographiques et en fonction du respect (ou non) des directives en matière de mouvement sur 24 heures, ce à l'aide de tests indépendants. Grâce à une régression logistique ajustée, nous avons évalué le lien entre la sédentarité à l'école et au travail et les indicateurs de santé. RéSULTATS: Les jeunes Canadiens âgés de 12 à 17 ans et les adultes âgés de 18 à 34 ans ont déclaré un temps moyen de sédentarité par jour à l'école de 4,5 heures et de 5,2 heures respectivement. Les adultes de 18 à 34 ans et de 35 à 64 ans ont déclaré un temps moyen de sédentarité par jour au travail de 3,9 heures et de 4 heures respectivement. Le temps de sédentarité à l'école et au travail varie selon les sous-groupes. Chez les adultes de 18 à 34 ans, un temps de sédentarité plus élevé à l'école réduit la probabilité d'avoir une santé mentale « excellente/très bonne ¼, tandis qu'un temps de sédentarité plus élevé au travail est associé à une plus grande probabilité de déclarer une santé générale « excellente/très bonne ¼. CONCLUSION: Les jeunes Canadiens et les adultes en âge de travailler déclarent un temps de sédentarité moyen de 4 à 5 heures par jour à l'école ou au travail. Il s'agit de la première étude qui estime le temps de sédentarité à l'école et au travail dans un échantillon représentatif de Canadiens. Elle contribuera à mieux faire connaître les comportements spécifiques sur la question, afin de mieux guider les interventions ciblées, notamment la lutte contre les inégalités en matière de sédentarité.

Physical activity, organized sport participation and active transportation to school among Canadian youth by gender identity and sexual attraction. / Activité physique, participation à des sports organisés et utilisation du transport actif pour se rendre à l'école chez les adolescents canadiens par identité de genre et par orientation sexuelle.

INTRODUCTION: Regular physical activity is associated with a wide range of health benefits in youth. While previous studies have identified disparities in physical activity among youth by gender identity and sexual attraction, these have seldom been explored in Canadian youth. METHODS: Data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth were used to assess prevalence of and time spent in organized sports participation, total physical activity and active transportation by gender identity (non-cisgender vs. cisgender) among youth aged 12 to 17, and by sexual attraction (nonheterosexual attraction vs. heterosexual attraction) among youth aged 15 to 17. RESULTS: There was no difference in average minutes of total physical activity per week between non-cisgender and cisgender Canadian youth. Non-cisgender youth (which represent 0.5% of the population) averaged significantly fewer minutes of organized sports per week than their cisgender counterparts. There was some evidence of increased active transportation to school among non-cisgender youth, but insufficient power to detect significant differences. Canadian youth reporting any nonheterosexual attraction (which represent 21.2% of the population, including mostly heterosexual youth) were less likely to be regularly physically active and participate in organized sports than youth reporting exclusive heterosexual attraction. Differences were larger among males than females. Males reporting nonheterosexual attraction were more likely to use active transportation to get to school than their heterosexual counterparts. CONCLUSION: Non-cisgender youth and youth reporting nonheterosexual attraction tended to participate less in organized sports than their counterparts, but may have engaged in more active transportation. Mitigating the barriers associated with sport participation could increase physical activity among these groups.

Associations of sleep duration and sleep quality with indicators of mental health among youth and adults: findings from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey. / Associations entre durée et qualité du sommeil et indicateurs de santé mentale chez les jeunes et les adultes : résultats de l'Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes de 2015.

INTRODUCTION: A growing number of Canadian studies have examined the link between sleep and mental health. This research builds upon that work by investigating associations of sleep duration and quality with positive mental health (PMH) and mental illness and suicidal ideation (MI/SI) outcomes among youth and adults from threeCanadian provinces (i.e. Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan). METHODS: Using cross-sectional data from respondents 12 years and older (n = 18 683) who were asked questions on their sleep in the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey - Annual Component, we conducted unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressionswith self-reported measures of sleep duration and sleep quality as independent variables and a range of PMH (e.g. high self-rated mental health) and MI/SI indicators (e.g. mood disorder diagnosis) as dependent variables. Analyses were conducted of allcomplete cases and also stratified by sex and age group. RESULTS: Good sleep quality was associated with higher odds of PMH indicators (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.52-4.24) and lower odds of MI/SI indicators (aOR: 0.23- 0.47); associations remained significant when analyses were stratified. Meeting sleep duration recommendations was positively associated with PMH indicators (aOR: 1.27- 1.56) and negatively associated with MI/SI indicators (aOR: 0.41-0.80), but some associations did not remain significant when stratified. CONCLUSION: This study provides support for associations between sleep duration and quality and indicators of PMH and MI/SI. Findings can inform future research and surveillance efforts that monitor sleep behaviours and indicators of PMH and MI/SI.

Gender identity and sexual attraction among Canadian youth: findings from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. / Identité de genre et attirance sexuelle chez les jeunes Canadiens : résultats de l'Enquête canadienne sur la santé des enfants et des jeunes de 2019.

Gender identity and sexual attraction are important determinants of health. This study reports distributions of gender identity and sexual attraction among Canadian youth using data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. Among youth aged 12 to 17, 0.2% are nonbinary and 0.2% are transgender. Among youth aged 15 to 17, 21.0%, comprising more females than males, report attraction not exclusive to the opposite gender. Given known associations between health and gender and sexual attraction, oversampling of sexual minority groups is recommended in future studies to obtain reliable estimates for identifying inequities and informing policy.

Gender and sexual attraction as a dimension of sexual orientation are important determinants of health among youth. Collecting gender and sexual attraction information as a routine part of public health surveillance is important for identifying inequities and informing policy. This study provides nationally representative estimates for the distribution of gender and sexual attraction among Canadian youth. This study identifies populations (nonbinary, transgender and same gender­attracted youth) that require oversampling or other approaches to ensure that reliable estimates can be obtained in public health surveillance.

Le genre et l'attirance sexuelle en tant que dimension de l'orientation sexuelle sont des déterminants importants de la santé chez les jeunes. La collecte de renseignements sur le genre et l'attirance sexuelle dans le cadre des activités habituelles de surveillance de la santé publique est importante pour relever les iniquités et orienter les politiques. Cette étude fait état d'estimations représentatives à l'échelle nationale de la répartition des genres et de l'attirance sexuelle chez les jeunes Canadiens. Cette étude répertorie les populations (non binaires, transgenres et jeunes ayant une attirance envers des personnes du même genre) devant faire l'objet d'un suréchantillonnage ou d'autres approches afin de garantir que des estimations fiables puissent être obtenues dans le cadre de la surveillance de la santé publique.

Investigating the association between sleep and aspects of mental health in children: findings from the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. / Étude de l'association entre sommeil et composantes de la santé mentale des enfants : résultats de l'Enquête canadienne sur la santé des enfants et des jeunes.

INTRODUCTION: Sufficient sleep and good quality sleep are crucial aspects of children's healthy development. While previous research has suggested associations between sleep and positive mental health, few studies have been conducted in Canadian children. METHODS: This study used data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. Parents of children aged 5 to 11 years (N = 16 170) reported on their children's sleep habits and mental health. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate means and percentages for sleep and mental health indicators. Logistic regression was used to compare mental health outcomes by meeting sleep duration recommendations (9-11 hours of sleep vs. < 9 or > 11 hours of sleep), sleep quality (difficulties getting to sleep) and having enforced rules for bedtime. RESULTS: Overall, 86.2% of children aged 5 to 11 years met sleep duration recommendations (9-11 hours of sleep), 90.0% had high sleep quality and 83.1% had enforced rules for bedtime. While 83.0% of children had high general mental health, mental health diagnoses were reported for 9.5% of children, and 15.8% of children required or received mental health care. High sleep quality was consistently associated with better mental health, enforced rules for bedtime were associated with some negative mental health outcomes and meeting sleep duration recommendations tended not to be associated with mental health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Sleep quality was strongly associated with mental health among children in this study. Future research should explore longitudinal associations between sleep and mental health in Canadian children.

INTRODUCTION: Un sommeil suffisant et un sommeil de bonne qualité sont des composantes cruciales du développement sain des enfants. Si des recherches antérieures laissent entrevoir des associations entre le sommeil et une bonne santé mentale, peu d'études ont été menées chez les enfants canadiens. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Cette étude se fonde sur les données de l'Enquête canadienne sur la santé des enfants et des jeunes de 2019. Des parents d'enfants âgés de 5 à 11 ans (N = 16 170) ont fait état des habitudes de sommeil et de la santé mentale de leurs enfants. Des statistiques descriptives ont servi à calculer les moyennes et les pourcentages des indicateurs du sommeil et de la santé mentale. Une régression logistique a été utilisée pour comparer les résultats en matière de santé mentale en fonction du respect des recommandations sur la durée du sommeil (9 à 11 heures de sommeil contre moins de 9 heures ou plus de 11 heures), la qualité du sommeil (difficulté à s'endormir) et l'application de règles relatives à l'heure du coucher. RÉSULTATS: Dans l'ensemble, 86,2 % des enfants de 5 à 11 ans respectaient les recommandations sur la durée du sommeil (9 à 11 heures de sommeil), 90,0 % avaient un sommeil de grande qualité et 83,1 % avaient des règles à respecter concernant l'heure du coucher. Si 83,0 % des enfants avaient un niveau élevé de santé mentale générale, des diagnostics en matière de santé mentale ont tout de même été déclarés pour 9,5 % des enfants, et 15,8 % ont eu besoin de soins de santé mentale ou en ont reçus. Un sommeil de grande qualité a été systématiquement associé à une meilleure santé mentale, l'application de règles relatives à l'heure du coucher a été associée à certains effets négatifs sur la santé mentale et le respect des recommandations sur la durée du sommeil ne semble pas avoir d'incidence sur la santé mentale. CONCLUSION: Cette étude révèle une forte association entre la qualité du sommeil et la santé mentale chez les enfants. Les recherches futures devraient se pencher sur les associations longitudinales entre le sommeil et la santé mentale des enfants canadiens.

Transcriptional Profiles Elucidate Differential Host Responses to Infection with Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii.

Many aspects of the host response to invasive cryptococcal infections remain poorly understood. In order to explore the pathobiology of infection with common clinical strains, we infected BALB/cJ mice with Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus gattii, or sham control, and assayed host transcriptomic responses in peripheral blood. Infection with C. neoformans resulted in markedly greater fungal burden in the CNS than C. gattii, as well as slightly higher fungal burden in the lungs. A total of 389 genes were significantly differentially expressed in response to C. neoformans infection, which mainly clustered into pathways driving immune function, including complement activation and TH2-skewed immune responses. C. neoformans infection demonstrated dramatic up-regulation of complement-driven genes and greater up-regulation of alternatively activated macrophage activity than seen with C gattii. A 27-gene classifier was built, capable of distinguishing cryptococcal infection from animals with bacterial infection due to Staphylococcus aureus with 94% sensitivity and 89% specificity. Top genes from the murine classifiers were also differentially expressed in human PBMCs following infection, suggesting cross-species relevance of these findings. The host response, as manifested in transcriptional profiles, informs our understanding of the pathophysiology of cryptococcal infection and demonstrates promise for contributing to development of novel diagnostic approaches.

The association of factor V leiden and prothrombin gene mutation and placenta-mediated pregnancy complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Factor V Leiden (FVL) and prothrombin gene mutation (PGM) are common inherited thrombophilias. Retrospective studies variably suggest a link between maternal FVL/PGM and placenta-mediated pregnancy complications including pregnancy loss, small for gestational age, pre-eclampsia and placental abruption. Prospective cohort studies provide a superior methodologic design but require larger sample sizes to detect important effects. We undertook a systematic review and a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to estimate the association of maternal FVL or PGM carrier status and placenta-mediated pregnancy complications. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A comprehensive search strategy was run in Medline and Embase. Inclusion criteria were: (1) prospective cohort design; (2) clearly defined outcomes including one of the following: pregnancy loss, small for gestational age, pre-eclampsia or placental abruption; (3) maternal FVL or PGM carrier status; (4) sufficient data for calculation of odds ratios (ORs). We identified 322 titles, reviewed 30 articles for inclusion and exclusion criteria, and included ten studies in the meta-analysis. The odds of pregnancy loss in women with FVL (absolute risk 4.2%) was 52% higher (OR = 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-2.19) as compared with women without FVL (absolute risk 3.2%). There was no significant association between FVL and pre-eclampsia (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 0.89-1.70) or between FVL and SGA (OR = 1.0, 95% CI 0.80-1.25). PGM was not associated with pre-eclampsia (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 0.79-1.99) or SGA (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.92-1.70). CONCLUSIONS: Women with FVL appear to be at a small absolute increased risk of late pregnancy loss. Women with FVL and PGM appear not to be at increased risk of pre-eclampsia or birth of SGA infants. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

A transcriptional signature accurately identifies Aspergillus Infection across healthy and immunosuppressed states.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a major cause of critical illness in immunocompromised (IC) patients. However, current fungal tests are limited. Disease-specific gene expression patterns in circulating host cells show promise as novel diagnostics, however it is unknown whether such a 'signature' exists for IA and the effect of iatrogenic immunosuppression on any such biomarkers. Male BALB/c mice were separated into 6 experimental groups based on Aspergillus fumigatus inhalational exposure and IC status (no immunosuppression, cyclophosphamide, and corticosteroids). Mice were sacrificed 4 days postinfection. Whole blood was assayed for transcriptomic responses in peripheral white blood cells via microarray. An elastic net regularized logistic regression was employed to develop classifiers of IA based on gene expression. Aspergillus infection triggers a powerful response in non-IC hosts with 2718 genes differentially expressed between IA and controls. We generated a 146-gene classifier able to discriminate between non-IC infected and uninfected mice with an AUC of 1. However, immunosuppressive medications exhibited a confounding effect on this transcriptomic classifier. After controlling for the genomic effects of immunosuppression, we were able to generate a 187-gene classifier with an AUC of 0.92 in the absence of immunosuppression, 1 with cyclophosphamide, and 0.9 with steroids. The host transcriptomic response to IA is robust and conserved. Pharmacologic perturbation of the host immune response has powerful effects on classifier performance and must be considered when developing such novel diagnostics. When appropriately designed, host-derived peripheral blood transcriptomic responses demonstrate the ability to accurately diagnose Aspergillus infection, even in the presence of immunosuppression.

Identifying unprovoked thromboembolism patients at low risk for recurrence who can discontinue anticoagulant therapy.

BACKGROUND: Whether to continue oral anticoagulant therapy beyond 6 months after an "unprovoked" venous thromboembolism is controversial. We sought to determine clinical predictors to identify patients who are at low risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism who could safely discontinue oral anticoagulants. METHODS: In a multicentre prospective cohort study, 646 participants with a first, unprovoked major venous thromboembolism were enrolled over a 4-year period. Of these, 600 participants completed a mean 18-month follow-up in September 2006. We collected data for 69 potential predictors of recurrent venous thromboembolism while patients were taking oral anticoagulation therapy (5-7 months after initiation). During follow-up after discontinuing oral anticoagulation therapy, all episodes of suspected recurrent venous thromboembolism were independently adjudicated. We performed a multivariable analysis of predictor variables (p < 0.10) with high interobserver reliability to derive a clinical decision rule. RESULTS: We identified 91 confirmed episodes of recurrent venous thromboembolism during follow-up after discontinuing oral anticoagulation therapy (annual risk 9.3%, 95% CI 7.7%-11.3%). Men had a 13.7% (95% CI 10.8%-17.0%) annual risk. There was no combination of clinical predictors that satisfied our criteria for identifying a low-risk subgroup of men. Fifty-two percent of women had 0 or 1 of the following characteristics: hyperpigmentation, edema or redness of either leg; D-dimer > or = 250 microg/L while taking warfarin; body mass index > or = 30 kg/m(2); or age > or = 65 years. These women had an annual risk of 1.6% (95% CI 0.3%-4.6%). Women who had 2 or more of these findings had an annual risk of 14.1% (95% CI 10.9%-17.3%). INTERPRETATION: Women with 0 or 1 risk factor may safely discontinue oral anticoagulant therapy after 6 months of therapy following a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism. This criterion does not apply to men.

Occurrence of periodontopathic and superinfecting bacteria in chronic and aggressive periodontitis subjects in a Colombian population.

BACKGROUND: Differences in the composition of subgingival microbiota in periodontitis have been observed in different geographic locations. Some of these microbial differences could have clinical significance. This study describes clinical parameters and the composition of the subgingival microbiota in chronic periodontitis (CP) and aggressive periodontitis (AgP) patients in a Colombian population. METHODS: Clinical parameters (probing depth, clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing, and plaque index) and plaque samples from 68 CP, 12 AgP, and 30 periodontally healthy subjects were analyzed. Subgingival samples were processed using culture, biochemical tests, and polymerase chain reaction for the detection of periodontal and superinfecting pathogens. The analysis of variance, chi(2), and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to evaluate differences between groups for clinical parameters and microbiologic composition (P

Demographic, clinical, and microbial aspects of chronic and aggressive periodontitis in Colombia: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The microbial profile of periodontal disease varies among different human populations. This study evaluated the demographic, clinical, and microbiologic aspects of periodontitis in a multigeographic sample in Colombia. METHODS: Three hundred twenty-five patients with chronic periodontitis (CP), 158 patients with aggressive periodontitis (AgP), and 137 healthy-gingivitis controls from five regions of the country were studied. Clinical, microbial, and sociodemographic data were collected. Microbiologic identification was performed using polymerase chain reaction 16S rRNA gene on pooled subgingival samples, and the presence of Gram-negative enteric rods was evaluated by culture. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Porphyromonas gingivalis occurred in 71.5% of individuals with periodontitis, Tannerella forsythensis occurred in 58.5%, Campylobacter rectus occurred in 57.5%, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans occurred in 23.6%, and enteric rods occurred in 34.5%. P. gingivalis was more common in CP and AgP than controls. A. actinomycetemcomitans was increased in AgP compared to controls and patients with CP. T. forsythensis, C. rectus, and Eikenella corrodens had a low presence in the West Pacific and Central regions, and enteric rods were increased in the Central region (P <0.05). Other sociodemographic factors were not associated with these microorganisms. CONCLUSIONS: Geographic regions do not influence the microbiota, but the microbiota may vary by geographic region. P. gingivalis, T. forsythensis, and C. rectus are the most prevalent periodontophatic microorganisms in Colombia. A. actinomycetemcomitans was more common in AgP, and a large percentage of the population studied had enteric rods in the subgingival plaque.

Toothbrush contamination in family members

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the bacterial contamination of toothbrushes in family members. Materials and Methods: One hundred and two healthy subjects were included in this descriptive study. Every individual was examined clinically and microbiologically using the CPITN index and collecting subgingival plaque samples. Each participant received a toothbrush for home use and after one month they returned it to the investigators. All toothbrushes were cultured to determine the presence of periodontopathic bacteria and enteric rods. Wilkoxon signed rank test and t student test (P d"0.05) were used to compare differences in the subgingival microbiota and toothbrush contamination and CPITN index among family members. Results: A high proportion of toothbrushes resulted highly contaminated with enteric rods (P d"0.001) compared to the subgingival environment where periodontopathic bacteria were more prevalent. The most frequent microorganisms found in toothbrushes used by parents and children for one month were Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae species (>50 percent) and Fusobacterium spp (30 percent). Conclusions: High levels of enteric rods were commonly detected in toothbrushes used for 1 month among members of the families. These opportunistic organisms may have an important role in oral infections including gingivitis and periodontitis. Monthly replacement or disinfection of the toothbrush can reduce the risk of bacterial transmission/translocation and thus diminish the incidence of biofilm associated oral diseases.