Diagnosis, Management and Follow-Up of a Rare Regional Developmental Disorder: Segmental Odontomaxillary Dysplasia.

Segmental odontomaxillary dysplasia (SOD) is a rare craniofacial developmental disorder. Clinical features include abnormal growth and maturation of bone, premolar agenesis, delayed eruption of permanent molars, and unilateral posterior maxillary enlargement. Radiographic features include altered bone trabeculae, reduced maxillary sinus, pulp stones, and spontaneous resorption of primary molars. The purpose of this report is to describe the case of a seven-year-old boy who presented with dental pain, erythema of the soft tissues of the right maxillary quadrant, severely infra-occluded primary molars and bony expansion of the maxilla. Surgical exploration under general anesthesia preceded removal of the infraoccluded primary molars and histopathological examination of atypical alveolar bone. The unerupted teeth were examined, mobilized, and left in situ. Following stabilization, a removable prosthesis was constructed to aid esthetics. A comprehensive approach to treatment is indicated in such cases.

Sexual health of adults working in pornographic films.

We report the frequency of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosed in performers in the adult pornographic film industry. Over a 13 month period, 445 STI screens were performed in 115 patients, 56 women and 59 men. All reported unprotected sex during filming. Seventy-five percent (86) had at least one sexual partner outside work, and 90% used condoms inconsistently with them. Women worked exclusively with women (23%), men only (38%) or both genders (39%). Almost all men (97%) worked exclusively heterosexually. Thirty-eight percent (44/115) were diagnosed with 77 STIs, including non-specific urethritis (51), gonorrhoea (10), chlamydia (6) and genital warts (6). Gonorrhoea was found exclusively at the pharynx in three heterosexual men. There were no cases of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Monthly screening and certification is a working requirement for this population but STIs are common in an industry where unprotected sex is the norm.

Cytotoxic activity of Mycobacterium ulcerans.

Although Mycobacterium ulcerans elicits extensive necrosis of human skin and subcutaneous tissue, the specific cause of the necrosis has never been elucidated. In an attempt to define a toxic substance, 18 strains of M. ulcerans were inoculated into mice, and the progress of each infection was observed and compared with infections of other mycobacteria, including M. cheloni, M. marinum, and M. bovis. Culture filtrates and viable organisms of each of these mycobacteria were inoculated onto tissue culture cells. Inoculation of mouse footpads with M. ulcerans resulted in progressive infections, leading to ulceration and eventual death. Strains of M. cheloni, M. marinum, and M. bovis did not produce progressive infections in the mice. Culture filtrates of M. ulcerans produced severe cytopathogenic effects on tissue cells, but washed, viable organisms of the same strains had no cytopathogenic effect. Culture filtrates and viable organisms of M. cheloni, M. marinum, and M. bovis did not produce a cytopathogenic effect on the tissue cells. Viable organisms of selected strains of M. ulcerans and the culture filtrates of the same strains were inoculated into guinea pig skin. The culture filtrates and the viable organisms both caused focal necrosis and focal inflammation, changes that resemble those in the naturally occurring infection in man. Preliminary purification of the culture filtrate by ultrafiltration indicates that the toxic fraction has a molecular weight of approximately 100,000, and temperature studies indicate that the toxic fraction is heat labile.

Role of tachykinins in the host response to murine gammaherpesvirus infection.

Tachykinins function not only as neurotransmitters but also as immunological mediators. We used infection of tachykinin-deficient (PPT-A(-/-)) mice and wild-type controls with murine gammaherpesvirus to assess the role of tachykinins in the host response to a virus infection. Although infection was ultimately controlled in PPT-A(-/-) mice, there were higher titers of infectious virus in the lungs, accompanied by a more rapid influx of inflammatory cells. Clearance of latently infected cells from the spleen was also delayed. This is the first report of the direct influence of tachykinins in the host response to a virus infection.