Investigating the association between tobacco use and oral health among security guards at a tertiary healthcare centre in New Delhi: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Tobacco usage is a major global public health concern, contributing to millions of deaths annually. This study focuses on security guards, an occupational group facing unique challenges, to investigate tobacco prevalence, usage patterns, and associated oral health risks. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among security guards at a Tertiary Health Care Centre, from October 2022 to February 2023. Data on demographics, tobacco habits, and comorbidities were collected via a structured questionnaire. Clinical oral examinations provisionally diagnosed Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMDs) based on clinical findings. Appropriate Statistical analyses were employed. Results: Among 696 security guards, 40.1% used tobacco, including 15.0% smokers and 74.5% engaging in smokeless tobacco. Additionally, 10.3% reported using both smoking and smokeless forms. Non-tobacco users accounted for 59.9%. Tobacco users showed a higher prevalence of OPMDs (11.4%) compared to non-tobacco users (1.4%). Discussion: Security guards demonstrated a higher tobacco prevalence, with smokeless tobacco being predominant. Gender disparities in tobacco use emphasize the need for gender-specific interventions. The study highlights the significant impact of tobacco on oral health, especially the risk of OPMDs. Conclusion: A high prevalence of tobacco usage (40.1%), particularly smokeless tobacco, among security guards, emphasizes the importance of targeted interventions within this occupational group. Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMDs) were significantly more prevalent (11.4%) in tobacco users. The association between tobacco usage and OPMDs reaffirms the well-established association between tobacco and adverse oral health outcomes.

Comparing the effectiveness of two educational methods for oral health management in COVID-19 pandemic among dental professionals.

AIM. The aim of this study was to train dentists on the different oral hygiene measures to be followed by COVID-19 patients via Webinar and Information Education Communication (IEC) Materials and compare the effectiveness of both. METHODOLOGY. A total of 100 dental professionals were included by non-probability convenience sampling. Webinar and IEC Materials on oral hygiene measures, oral symptoms, and management strategies during COVID-19 were created and training was conducted for all dental professionals who registered themselves. An online version of the self-administered questionnaire (English) was created on the official Edantseva website and circulated to all the registered participants to obtain the pre and post-training data. RESULTS. Out of the total 80 participants in the Webinar group, 47 were females and 33 were males. Comparing the mean total scores obtained by the participants in the webinar and IEC groups in the pre and post-test showed that there is a significant difference in the scores obtained by the participants in the two groups in the pre and post-test (p<0.01). CONCLUSION. Educating dentists via IEC Materials was effective in improving their knowledge regarding oral health management during the COVID-19 pandemic. IEC materials being handy and referable at any time was found to be more effective.

Impact of war on oral health: a systematic review.

AIM: To systematically review the evidence from published literature about the impact of war on oral health among children and adults. METHODOLOGY: The electronic search was carried out in the following databases Pubmed, Cochrane, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar. In vitro studies, cross-sectional, case control studies, and randomized controlled trials conducted during the war time were included. Cross-sectional and case control studies were assessed based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, whereas randomized controlled trials were assessed based on the ROBINS-I tool. In-vitro studies included in this review were assessed using the United States national toxicology program tool. RESULTS: The search strategy yielded a total of 5126 articles and finally 21 articles were included in the review. The influence of war on oral health was categorized among both the children and adult population. A total of 14 studies were carried out in children whereas the remaining seven studies were carried out in adults. A decrease in dental caries was observed in more war-prone areas due to the limited availability of carbohydrates and sugar. Severe periodontal disease in the adult population, mainly due to less availability of food and diminished oral hygiene habits, was also reported. CONCLUSIONS: This review underscores the multifaceted impact of war on oral health, revealing a notable prevalence of periodontal problems, craniofacial injuries and varying rates of dental caries across affected populations.

Oral hygiene status in individuals with hearing difficulties: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Most studies focusing on oral hygiene status in hearing impaired individuals are cross-sectional and focus on specific populations. A comprehensive literature search and evidence-based analysis was carried out to assess the oral hygiene status in this special group of population. METHODS: Searches were conducted in four databases with no restriction on publication date. Cross-sectional and comparative cross-sectional studies assessing the oral hygiene status and periodontal status of hearing impaired individuals using standardized evaluation criteria were included. Study selection, data extraction, and assessment of bias were carried out by four reviewers and oral hygiene, plaque, and gingival status were assessed. The risk of bias assessment was carried out by New Castle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. 29 relevant publications that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were included in the systematic review whereas six studies each assessing oral hygiene and plaque status and five studies evaluating the gingival status were included in the Meta-analysis. RESULTS: Eight thousand eight hundred and ninety (8890) potentially relevant references were identified in the systematic literature search. The overall analysis of the included studies revealed a mean oral hygiene index score of 1.60 (95% CI 0.91-2.30), Gingival Index scores 1.27 (95% CI 1.02-1.51), and Plaque Index score 0.99 (95% CI 0.75-2.30) among the hearing impaired individuals. CONCLUSION: The present study reported fair oral hygiene, fair plaque status, and moderate gingivitis among the hearing impaired individuals.

Influence of intracanal medicaments on the periodontal and periapical healing in concurrent endodontic-periodontal lesions with/without communication: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this review is to determine the effectiveness of intracanal medicament (ICM) on periodontal and periapical healing (PH) of concurrent endodontic-periodontal lesions with/without communication in permanent teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pre-defined protocol was registered in PROSPERO, and a literature search using keywords was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase electronic databases, and Gray literature and was hand-searched until August 2023. Two reviewers independently screened the title and abstracts using the inclusion criteria. Randomized or non-randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies were included in the review. The same reviewers extracted the study-level data and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) independently. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence. Random effects meta-analysis was performed on eligible studies using Revman software. RESULTS: A total of 598 records were identified from the database search; seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Four randomized clinical trials, two prospective cohorts, and one retrospective case-control study with 362 patients were included. Calcium hydroxide (CH) was the most commonly used ICM, followed by using chlorhexidine gel in four studies. Periodontal therapy was performed as initial scaling and root planning (SRP) in all studies, along with open flap debridement (OFD) in three randomized clinical trials. The time lapse between two treatment protocols was variable (ranging from 1 week to 3 months). All studies exhibited a decrease in probing depth (PD) and an increase in clinical attachment level (CAL) after the treatment. Meta-analysis showed insignificant differences between different ICM materials, and the certainty of evidence was low. CONCLUSION: In patients with/without concurrent endodontic-periodontal lesions, intracanal medication improved clinical periodontal parameters following endodontic therapy. In terms of influence on periapical healing, the results were inconclusive. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Two-visit RCT may be considered since it allows for the placement of an ICM in endodontic-periodontal lesions with/without communication. Sufficient time should be allowed after endodontic therapy for any potential periodontal regeneration to occur.

Dental caries status in individuals with hearing difficulties: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: The purpose of the systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the dental caries status in individuals with hearing difficulties. METHODS AND RESULTS: Searches were conducted in six databases with no restriction on publication date. The cross-sectional and comparative cross sectional studies assessing the dental caries status of hearing impaired individuals using standardized evaluation criteria were included. PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Wiley Online, Lilacs, and Scopus databases were searched to identify the relevant papers published before August 1, 2021. The risk of bias assessment was carried out by New Castle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Three thousand three hundred thirty five potentially relevant references were identified in the systematic literature search. Thirteen relevant publications that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were included in the systematic review and the meta analysis. The overall analysis of the included studies revealed pooled dental caries prevalence of 58.0% (95% CI 0.41-0.74) among the hearing impaired individuals. The overall dental caries experience of the included studies showed a mean pooled DMFT of 2.68 (95% CI 1.24-4.12). CONCLUSION: The present systematic review and meta-analysis reported high dental caries prevalence in hearing impaired individuals.

Effect of Intracanal Scaffolds on the Success Outcomes of Regenerative Endodontic Therapy - A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The scaffolds used in regenerative endodontic therapy (RET) provide structural support for cells so that they can adhere to the scaffolds and also are crucial for cellular proliferation and differentiation. The objective of this network meta-analysis was to compare effects of different intracanal scaffolds on success outcomes of RET. METHODS: PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched. Studies evaluating and/or comparing clinical and/or radiographic success of RET using different scaffolds with a minimum of 12 months follow-up were included. The Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias (ROB) tool and appropriate tools from Joanna Briggs Institute were used for the assessment of ROB. A network meta-analysis was performed to compare the primary outcome (clinical success) and other success outcomes (root maturation, and pulpal sensibility) using different scaffolds. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies fulfilled the desired inclusion criteria of which 25 had a low ROB whereas 2 had a moderate ROB. Clinical success of RET using platelet-rich plasma (PRP), blood clot (BC), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) scaffolds ranged between 91.66%-100%, 84.61%-100%, and 77%-100% respectively. The different scaffolds did not show any statistically significant difference in clinical success (PRF vs BC [P = 1.000], PRP vs BC [P = 1.000], and PRF vs PRP [P = .999]), apical root closure (PRF vs BC [P = 1.000], PRP vs BC [P = .835], PRF vs PRP [P = .956]), and pulp sensibility (PRF vs BC [P = .980], PRP versus BC [P = .520], and PRF vs PRP [P = .990]). CONCLUSION: The intracanal scaffolds used during RET did not result in significant differences in regard to clinical success, root maturation, and pulpal sensibility.

Effectiveness of a Training Program in School Teachers on the Role of Sugars in Oral and General Health.

BACKGROUND: Schools have a powerful influence on children's development and well-being, and school teachers are considered role models to transmit life values and instill health-related behaviors. The effectiveness of a training program for school teachers in understanding the role of sugars and their impact on oral and overall health has not been previously reported. AIM: The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a training program for school teachers on the role of sugars in oral and general health. METHODS: An interventional study was carried out on 308 Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan school teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program in improving school teachers' knowledge of the role of sugars in oral and overall health. The training program was carried out using a training module, and a validated questionnaire was utilized to assess school teachers' knowledge before and after the training program. RESULTS: The overall evaluation of mean knowledge change scores revealed significantly higher scores after the training program (8.12 ±1.58) when compared with the pre-training scores (6.84±1.66) Conclusion: A training program on the role of sugars in oral and general health effectively improved school teachers' knowledge.

Effectiveness of Fluoride Varnish in Prevention of Early Childhood Caries in 3-4 Years Old Children - A 36 Month Prospective Community Based Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence for the benefit of applying Fluoride Varnish FV to permanent teeth is generally very positive. However, the caries-inhibiting effect of FVs on primary teeth is still debatable. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of fluoride varnish in prevention of early childhood caries in children over the period of 3 years in high fluoride areas. STUDY DESIGN: A double-blind cluster-randomized controlled trial was undertaken amongst 3-4 years old children. The varnish application was done at three points in the intervention group. RESULTS: Experimental group showed significantly lesser increment in mean ICDAS score than control group at both 12 month and 36 months. Preventive fraction was 72.4% at 12 months and 18.2% at 36 months. Multiple linear regression showed that at 12 months, intervention was the significant predictor with varnish group having 0.140 (95% CI 0.175-0.230) lower net caries increment. At 36 months, baseline ICDAS score and intervention were the significant predictors. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that fluoride varnish is an effective and a safe mode of prevention of early childhood caries in children residing in high fluoride zone. However, the overall effect is influenced by the baseline caries status.

Effectiveness of topical fluorides in prevention of radiation caries in adults: A systematic review and meta- analysis.

BACKGROUND: Topical fluoride is used for prevention of dental caries. However, its effectiveness and more specifically its formulation and frequency of application in patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy are still debatable. The aim of this systematic review was to pool the evidence of effectiveness of various topical fluorides in preventing radiation caries or change in bacterial growth in adult patients of head and neck cancer. METHODS: Three databases (PubMed and Google Scholar and Cochrane) were searched for randomized controlled or uncontrolled trials or quasi randomised trials published till February 2021. Two independent reviewers screened 346 abstracts finally 14 articles were included in the current systematic review. Primary outcome evaluated was the prevention of radiation caries or change in bacterial growth in saliva. Meta-analysis was performed for the sub groups formed on the basis of fluoride formulations and adjuncts used with it. RESULTS: Studies included were highly heterogeneous. Majority of studies found different fluoride formulations to be effective in controlling radiation caries to a variable extent up to 70% depending upon the intervention, patient compliance, rate of attrition and follow up period. Sodium fluoride was the most commonly used caries preventive agent. Meta-analysis showed no significant difference between sodium fluoride formulations and other fluoride agents. Fluoride treatment when incorporated with re-mineralising agent had no significant effect on caries prevention CONCLUSION: Fluoride prevents radiation caries. However, to delineate its exact formulation, dosage or frequency, there is need for more well conducted randomised controlled trials.

Global Status of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Tobacco Cessation Interventions Among Dental Professionals: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: With the emergence of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, globally the use of tobacco has decreased notably, although, it still requires efforts at individual, organizational, community level to decrease the rate further. Dental professionals are at an excellent position to provide tobacco cessation counselling and interventions, however, it is not practiced much due to lack of training and lack of knowledge. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to assess the global status of knowledge, attitude and practice on tobacco cessation interventions among dental professionals. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A systematic search of 6 databases with no language restriction since 2000 was undertaken. Studies were included if they assessed knowledge, attitude and practice on tobacco cessation interventions among dental professionals using a validated or prevalidated tool. The data obtained for assessment of knowledge, attitude, practice, curriculum and barriers were represented through heatmaps. Quality assessment of the studies was done using Newcastle Ottawa scale. RESULTS: Fifty six studies were included in this systematic review. Majority of the studies were found to be of moderate quality. Knowledge regarding the tobacco cessation interventions was more theoretical than practical. All the studies showed a favorable attitude among dental professionals towards tobacco cessation intervention. CONCLUSION: The included studies lack homogeneity in assessing knowledge, attitude and practice on tobacco cessation interventions. The development and validation of a standardized questionnaire to assess knowledge, attitude and practice on tobacco cessation interventions could be a potentially effective way to uniformly gather data on the subject.

Determinants for tabacco cessation amongst smokers visiting tertiary health care centre in India.

BACKGROUND: In India, 92.4% of adults believe that smoking causes serious illness. However, only 55.4% of them are either willing or getting ready to quit. This indicates an explicit gap between perception and practice. AIM: This study aims to identify individual knowledge, attitude, practices, barriers and motivators for tobacco cessation amongst smokers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst the smokers visiting dental outpatient department at tertiary health care centre at Rohtak district of Haryana, India. A structured and validated questionnaire was developed to ascertain knowledge, attitude, practice and nicotine dependence amongst the tobacco smokers. Additionally information about their willingness to quit tobacco, barriers and motivators for tobacco cessation were obtained. The study population was broadly divided into two groups on the basis of any previous attempts made for quitting tobacco use. RESULTS: Among the sample of 371 smokers, 52.4% were found to make quit attempts while 47.6% never attempted to quit. Participants believed that smoking not only helps in socializing but also it is a good way to cope from the stress. Peer pressure was the major reason for initiation of habit of smoking. Those who have attempted to quit but could not do so for more than 6 months were more willing to quit. Concern for health and tobacco addiction was the major facilitator and barriers of tobacco cessation respectively. CONCLUSION: Comprehending the population before chalking down the tobacco cessation strategies is important. Lower education, higher alcohol consumption, longer duration of tobacco intake, cultural and social acceptability of tobacco use and nicotine dependence was the major roadblocks for tobacco cessation amongst the tobacco smokers. Cold turkey method was the most common choice of tobacco cessation who attempted to quit.

The effect of energy and fat content labeling on food consumption pattern: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

CONTEXT: Consumption of high-energy food has increased globally, thereby leading to an increase in many diseases. One strategy for addressing this is to make people aware of their energy intake through energy and fat labels. However, the effectiveness of this remains debatable. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to pool the mixed outcomes of recent studies assessing the effect of energy and fat content labeling on food consumption pattern. DATA SOURCES: Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Randomized controlled and quasi-experimental controlled trials published from 2014 to 2019 were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers screened 413 abstracts independently. Qualitative and quantitative data was extracted from 10 articles; meta-analysis was carried out on 6 of those studies. RESULTS: The majority of the included papers were conducted in the regions of America, the Western Pacific, and Europe. Overall, the 6 studies claimed that labeling did not reduce the consumption of energy or fat. However, meta-analysis showed that fat and energy content labeling of food had a statistically significant effect on consumption. Subgroup analysis showed no difference with respect to types of labels, ie, context labeling vs traffic-light labeling, but energy content labels seemed to be more effective than fat content labels in influencing healthy food choices. CONCLUSION: Energy and fat content labeling were shown to reduce the consumption of each significantly. However, the outcome was influenced by the study setting and the population concerned. There is a need for research in other regions in order to assess the global effectiveness of nutrition labels on food consumption. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020172675.

Effectiveness of an oral health training program for nursing professionals in India: An interventional study.

OBJECTIVES: Nursing professionals form the first line of contact and are in a unique place to provide appropriate oral advice to patients. The study assessed the effectiveness of oral health training program for nurses. DESIGN: The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by a pre and post questionnaire assessment on 50 nurses. RESULTS: Nursing professionals had a significant increase (p < .003) in post-training knowledge scores compared to pre-training scores. CONCLUSION: Improvement in oral health knowledge of nursing professionals has the potential for translation into practice for oral health promotion of patients and the general population.

Oral health perception and plight of patients of schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the oral health status, perception and dental treatment needs in patients of schizophrenia in the hospital set-up in Rohtak district, Haryana. METHODS AND RESULT: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the oral health in patients of schizophrenia at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana amongst patients with ≤48 score on BPRS. A modified Dental Coping Belief Scale along with a structured questionnaire and clinical examination were recorded. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in relation to demographic variables. Amongst 111 subjects, 74.4% were males and the mean age was 34.73 ± 9.9 years. Around 77.5% had habit of regular mouth rinsing, 72% and 3% brushed their teeth once and twice daily, respectively. Subjects had high negative oral health beliefs and external locus of control for oral health. Compared to the general population, mean OHI (8.4 ± 2.5) and DMFT (3.09 ± 2.9) scores were higher. Nearly, 66% patients had gingival pockets and around 7% showed attachment loss above 3 mm or gingival recession. CONCLUSION: Patients with schizophrenia have much poorer oral health as compared to general population. They are aware of their poor oral hygiene but are not motivated enough to take care of their oral health. A multifaceted approach is required to plan and undertake effective oral health preventive and rehabilitative measures for this special group.

Effectiveness of oral health education on oral hygiene status among schizophrenic patients: A randomized controlled study.

AIM: The study aims to assess the effectiveness of oral health education on oral hygiene status among schizophrenic patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: A randomized parallel controlled trial was conducted among schizophrenic patients (n = 111) with BPR score of ≤ 48 to assess the role of oral health education on their oral hygiene status. The experimental group (n = 56) received oral health education while the control group (n = 55) were administered standard care advice. Reinforcement in the form of printed calendar was done after 1 month followed by final assessment of KAP (knowledge, attitude and practice) through DCBS (Dental Coping Beliefs Scale), while oral hygiene through the oral hygiene index done after 2 months. Majority of subjects were males with mean age of 34.73 ± 9.9 years and mean duration of illness of 6.41 ± 5.2 years. All domains of the modified DCBS showed significant improvement in the experimental group. Frequency of brushing twice a day increased from 5.4% to 23.2% (p < 0.05) in the experimental group. DI score was 2.28 ± 0.93 versus 2.98 ± 1.3 (p < 0.02) in the experimental group as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The oral health education with reinforcement in the form of printed calendar although showed statistically significant changes but lacked clinical importance.

Effect of post space preparation on the sealing ability of mineral trioxide aggregate and Gutta-percha: A bacterial leakage study.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of post space preparation on the sealing ability of teeth obturated with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Gutta-percha. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty intact human mandibular premolars, after decoronation and biomechanical preparation, were randomly divided into three experimental groups. In Group A (n = 10), the canals were obturated with Gutta-percha using cold lateral compaction technique, followed by immediate post space preparation. In Group B (n = 10), the canals were obturated with 8 mm of MTA and in Group C (n = 10), sectional obturation with 4 mm of MTA was done, followed by delayed post space preparation. All specimens were subjected to bacterial leakage analysis, and the occurrence of turbidity was checked. RESULTS: All specimens in the lateral compaction group leaked. The mean number of days at which leakage was observed in Groups A, B and C were 18.5 days, 93.6 days and 95.5 days. CONCLUSIONS: MTA can be considered as an alternative to Gutta-percha as an apical third restorative material for teeth indicated for post and core, as it demonstrates better-sealing ability compared with Gutta-percha. Further, the removal of set MTA for post space preparation does not disrupt the integrity of the remaining apical MTA.

Modulation of decoding fidelity by ribosomal proteins S4 and S5.

Ribosomal proteins S4 and S5 participate in the decoding and assembly processes on the ribosome and the interaction with specific antibiotic inhibitors of translation. Many of the characterized mutations affecting these proteins decrease the accuracy of translation, leading to a ribosomal-ambiguity phenotype. Structural analyses of ribosomal complexes indicate that the tRNA selection pathway involves a transition between the closed and open conformations of the 30S ribosomal subunit and requires disruption of the interface between the S4 and S5 proteins. In agreement with this observation, several of the mutations that promote miscoding alter residues located at the S4-S5 interface. Here, the Escherichia coli rpsD and rpsE genes encoding the S4 and S5 proteins were targeted for mutagenesis and screened for accuracy-altering mutations. While a majority of the 38 mutant proteins recovered decrease the accuracy of translation, error-restrictive mutations were also recovered; only a minority of the mutant proteins affected rRNA processing, ribosome assembly, or interactions with antibiotics. Several of the mutations affect residues at the S4-S5 interface. These include five nonsense mutations that generate C-terminal truncations of S4. These truncations are predicted to destabilize the S4-S5 interface and, consistent with the domain closure model, all have ribosomal-ambiguity phenotypes. A substantial number of the mutations alter distant locations and conceivably affect tRNA selection through indirect effects on the S4-S5 interface or by altering interactions with adjacent ribosomal proteins and 16S rRNA.

Diverse effects of residues 74-78 in ribosomal protein S12 on decoding and antibiotic sensitivity.

Ribosomal protein S12 plays key roles in the ribosome's response to the error-promoting antibiotic streptomycin and in modulating the accuracy of translation. The discovery that substitutions at His76 in S12, distant from the streptomycin binding site, conferred streptomycin resistance in the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus prompted us to make similar alterations in the S12 protein of Escherichia coli. While, none of the E. coli S12 mutations confers streptomycin resistance, they all have distinct effects on the accuracy of translation. In addition, a subset of the S12 alterations renders the cells hypersensitive to fusidic acid, an inhibitor of the translocation step of translation. These results indicate that the His 76 region of ribosomal protein S12 plays key roles in tRNA selection and translocation steps of protein synthesis, consistent with its interaction with elongation factors EF-Tu and EF-G, as deduced from structural studies of ribosomal complexes.

Community prevalence of methicillin and vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in and around Bangalore, southern India.

INTRODUCTION: Staphylococcus aureus is a known colonizer in humans and has been implicated in community acquired soft tissue infections. However emergence of methicillin resistant S. aureus(MRSA) has aroused great concern worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MRSA in the community of Bangalore, southern India. METHODS: Swabs were collected from anterior nares, forearm, dorsum and palm of the hands of 1,000 healthy individuals residing in and around Bangalore, belonging to different socioeconomic strata and age groups. RESULTS: Analysis verified that 22.5% and 16.6% of the individuals presented Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA, respectively, at any of the three sites. Vancomycin resistance was observed in 1.4% of the S. aureus isolates, which was confirmed by detection of the vanA gene. It was interesting to note that 58.8% of the children in the age group 1-5 years-old presented MRSA, the highest percentage compared to other age groups of < 1 (44.4%) year-old, 5-20 (21.7%) years-old, > 40(11%) years-old and 20-40 (9.9%) years-old. Among the population of various socioeconomic strata, maximum MRSA colonization was observed among doctors (22.2%), followed by upper economic class (18.8%), lower economic class (17.7%), apparently healthy hospital in-patients (16.5%), nurses (16%) and middle economic class (12.5%). Most of the MRSA isolates were capsular polysaccharide antigen type 8 (57.1%). CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for continuous surveillance and monitoring of the presence of MRSA in the community and a clearer understanding of the dynamics of the spread of MRSA will assist in controlling its dissemination.