Hospital-based emergency department visits with herpetic gingivostomatitis in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the number of hospital emergency department (ED) visits with a diagnosis of herpetic gingivostomatitis (HGS) for 2007 in the United States and to identify the possible comorbid conditions associated with HGS. STUDY DESIGN: The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample for 2007 was used in this study. Patients who visited the ED with a diagnosis of HGS were selected. Estimates were projected to the national levels using the discharge weights. Presence of comorbid conditions in these patients was also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 23,124 patients had ED visits and received the diagnosis of HGS. Most of the patients were young females and those belonging to the lower socioeconomic strata. All patients with HGS also presented with comorbid conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians should be trained to diagnose, manage, and refer common dental emergencies. In the long term, improving access to dental care for these patients is crucial to managing this problem.

Manifestaciones orales y caries dental en niños expuestos al virus de inmunodeficiencia humana / Oral manifestations and dental caries in children exposed to human immunodeficiency virus

Objetivo Determinar las manifestaciones orales y caries dental en niños expuestos al virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH). Métodos Se estudiaron 37 niños que acuden a la consulta pediátrica del programa nacional de control de SIDA (PRONASIDA-Lara). Se informó a padres y representantes sobre los objetivos del estudio y su carácter confidencial. El examen de la cavidad oral lo realizó un odontólogo, quien además indagó sobre historia de manifestaciones bucales y corroboró la información con la historia clínica. Resultado La edad promedio fue 5,15±3,79 años, 62,2 % era del género masculino. Se infectaron por trasmisión vertical 91,8 %. La mayoría de los niños pertenecían a la categoría clínica A (35,1 %). El mayor porcentaje (37,8 %) de niños se encontró en la categoría 15-24 % de linfocitos CD4. Entre las manifestaciones orales más prevalentes se encontró la candidiasis oral, queilitis angular, eritema gingival lineal y parotiditis. Se observó diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre el porcentaje de linfocitos CD4 y queilitis angular (p<0,05). Cuarenta y cinco coma nueve (45,9 %) presentó caries dental y 29,7 % tenían necesidad de tratamiento dental "urgente". Por otra parte, el índice de necesidad de tratamiento calculado (INT) muestra que tres cuartos de los niños tenían necesidad de tratamiento dental. Conclusiones Los resultados del estudio permiten concluir que existe la necesidad de una estrategia basada en el manejo de las manifestaciones orales, frecuentes en la infección por VIH en niños, que permita un tratamiento desde un punto de vista integral, con un enfoque clínico y preventivo.

Objective Determining oral manifestations and dental caries amongst children exposed to the immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods Thirty-seven (n=37) children attending the Colombian AIDS Control Program (PRONASIDA-Lara) pediatric service were studied. Parents and guardians were informed about the purpose of the study and its confidentiality. An oral examination was conducted by a dentist; parents/guardians were asked about their children's history of oral manifestations and this was corroborated with their clinical charts. Results The mean age was 5.15±3.79; 62.2 % were males. Ninety-eight point eight percent had become vertically infected. Most of the children were classified in the A immune suppression category (35.1 %). The highest percentage (37.8 %) of children were in the 15 %-24 % total CD4+ lymphocyte category. The most prevalent oral manifestations were oral candidiasis, angular cheilitis, linear gingival erythema and parotid enlargement. There was a significant statistical difference between percentages of CD4 lymphocytes and angular qualities (p<0.05). Forty-five point nine percent had dental caries and 54.1 % were in "urgent" need of dental treatment. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) showed that ¾ of the children needed dental treatment. Conclusions The results of the study led to concluding that there was a need for an oral manifestation management-based strategy focusing on clinical and preventative treatment, as oral manifestations are frequent in children suffering from HIV infection.

[Oral manifestations and dental caries in children exposed to human immunodeficiency virus]. / Manifestaciones orales y caries dental en niños expuestos al virus de inmunodeficiencia humana.

OBJECTIVE: Determining oral manifestations and dental caries amongst children exposed to the immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHODS: Thirty-seven (n=37) children attending the Colombian AIDS Control Program (PRONASIDA-Lara) pediatric service were studied. Parents and guardians were informed about the purpose of the study and its confidentiality. An oral examination was conducted by a dentist; parents/guardians were asked about their children's history of oral manifestations and this was corroborated with their clinical charts. RESULTS: The mean age was 5.15±3.79; 62.2 % were males. Ninety-eight point eight percent had become vertically infected. Most of the children were classified in the A immune suppression category (35.1 %). The highest percentage (37.8 %) of children were in the 15 %-24 % total CD4+ lymphocyte category. The most prevalent oral manifestations were oral candidiasis, angular cheilitis, linear gingival erythema and parotid enlargement. There was a significant statistical difference between percentages of CD4 lymphocytes and angular qualities (p<0.05). Forty-five point nine percent had dental caries and 54.1 % were in "urgent" need of dental treatment. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) showed that ¾ of the children needed dental treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study led to concluding that there was a need for an oral manifestation management-based strategy focusing on clinical and preventative treatment, as oral manifestations are frequent in children suffering from HIV infection.

Oral infections: impact on human health, well-being, and health-care costs.

Both caries and periodontal disease as well as many diseases of the mucous membranes, tongue, and salivary glands are infectious. If left untreated or inadequately treated, they have profound systemic as well as local effects. Maintenance of oral health goes beyond the physiological needs of proper nutritional intake and protection of the oral tissues. It also includes protection against oral sources of systemic infection and encompasses a range of social and psychological attributes. The rising expectations of patients in the pursuit of comfort and esthetics has provided evidence of the oral contribution to quality of life. Oral infections and their sequela account for the major portion of annual dental expenditures.

Hypothetical vaccination of the Dutch population with a herpes simplex virus vaccine: estimation of the profitability using a demographic projection model.

The apparently increasing evidence of herpes simplex virus infections of the genital tract has focused attention on preventing the infection by vaccination. Herpes genitalis is not, however, the most quantitatively important clinical manifestation of herpes simplex virus infections. Because 41% of the hospitalized patients are younger than 20 years, vaccination of birth cohorts would be more favourable. In this paper the financial benefits of a hypothetical herpes simplex virus vaccination were calculated with the use of a population projection model. For the Netherlands, if the price of the hypothetical herpes simplex virus vaccine equals the cost price of the mumps component of the combined mumps-measles-rubella vaccine, the herpes vaccine would be profitable within 8 years.