Should we leave the paper currency? A microbiological examination / ¿Deberíamos dejar de usar los billetes? Análisis microbiológico

OBJECTIVES: Pathogens can be transmitted to banknotes due to the personal unhygienic habits. The aim of study was to find the possible pathogens on the banknotes circulating in the market and also to present their antibacterial resistance and their various virulence factors using genotypic and phenotypic methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 150 samples of bank-notes were randomly collected between August 2017 and March 2018. VITEK systems were used for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing respectively. Antimicrobial resistance genes (mecA, van, extended-spectrum β-lactamase [ESBL] and carbapenemases) and staphyloccoccal virulence genes (staphyloccoccal enterotoxins [SEs], pvl, and tsst-1) were determined using with real-time PCR. RESULTS: Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), Enterococcus spp., Gram-negative enteric bacteria, non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria and Candida spp. were detected 48%, 54.7%, 56%, 21.3%, 18.7%, and 4%, respectively. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and ESBL producing Gram-negative were found 46.8%, 1.3%, and 28.7%, respectively. Pvl, tsst-1, and SEs genes were found in a 2.8/4.9%, 1.4/1.2%, and 100/ 87.8% of the S. aureus/CoNS strains, respectively. The sea gene was found the most common enterotoxigenic gene. blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M-2, blaCTX-M-1, blaKPC, and blaOXA-48 were found 55.8%, 46.5%, 41.2%, 18.6%, 18.6%, and 18.6%, respectively in Gram-negative strains. CONCLUSION: These results is very important to highlight hygienic status of paper currencies. This can be considered as an indication that banknotes may contribute to the spread of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, we may need to start using alternative products instead of banknotes

OBJETIVO: Los patógenos se pueden transmitir a los billetes debido a los hábitos antihigiénicos personales. El objetivo del estudio fue buscar los posibles patógenos en los billetes que circulan en el mercado y también observar su resistencia antibacteriana así como sus diversos factores de virulencia utilizando métodos genotípicos y fenotípicos. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se recogieron al azar un total de 150 muestras de billetes entre agosto de 2017 y marzo de 2018. Se utilizaron los sistemas VITEK para la identificación y las pruebas de sensibilidad a los antimicrobianos, respectivamente. Los genes de resistencia a los antimicrobianos (mecA, van, betalactamasas de espectro ampliado [BLEA] y carbapenemasas) y los genes de virulencia estafilocócica (SE, pvl y tsst -1) se determinaron mediante PCR a tiempo real. RESULTADOS: Se detectó la presencia de cepas de Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus coagulasa negativos (SCN), Enterococcus spp, bacterias gramnegativas, bacterias gramnegativas no fermentativas y Candida spp en un 48%, 54,7%, 56%, 21,3%, 18,7% y 4% de los billetes, respectivamente. Se observó la presencia de S. aureus resistente a meticilina, Enterococcus resistentes a vancomicina y gramnegativos productores de BLEA en un 46,8%, 1,3% y 28,7%, respectivamente. Los genes Pvl, tsst-1 y SE se encontraron en un 2,8/4,9%; 1,4/1,2% y 100/87,8% de las cepas de S. aureus/SCN, respectivamente. El gen sea fue el gen enterotoxigénico más frecuente. Los genes blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M-2, blaCTX-M-1, blaKPC, y blaOXA-48 se encontraron 55,8%, 46,5%, 41,2%, 18,6%, 18,6%, y 18,6%, respectivamente en cepas gramnegativas. CONCLUSIÓN: Estos resultados son muy importantes para resaltar el estado higiénico de los billetes. De este modo, los billetes pueden contribuir a la propagación de patógenos y de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos. Por lo tanto, es posible que debamos comenzar a utilizar productos alternativos a los billetes

Do autistic children have higher levels of caries? A cross-sectional study in Turkish children.

The aim of this study is to assess whether the dental caries experience is higher in children with an autistic disorder (AD) than in normal children. Three schools for autistic children and three standard elementary schools in Istanbul, Turkey, were included in a cross-sectional study. Subjects were orally examined. Socio-demographic information and data about their oral care habits were obtained from their parents from records. Sixty-two children with AD and 301 children without AD were examined. Their ages varied between 6 and 12 years. Children with AD compared to those without AD had lower experience of caries. Logistic regression analysis of DMFT showed that the dental status was positively affected in younger children (OR = 15.57; 95% CI 7.62, 31.80), children from families with high income (OR = 5.42; 95% CI 2.31, 12.75), children brushing teeth regularly (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.10, 3.68), children consuming less sugar (OR = 5.01; 95% CI 2.57, 9.76) and in those with AD (OR=3.99; 95% CI 1.56, 10.19). Children with AD had better caries status than children without AD at younger ages.

Pharyngeal carriage and antimicrobial resistance of Haemophilus influenzae in non-type-b-vaccinated healthy children attending day care centers in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The true prevalence of Haemophilus influenzae carriage rates in Turkey is unknown. As surveillance of pharyngeal carriage of resistant strains is important for initiating adequate empirical antimicrobial therapy, with the present study, we aimed to determine the carriage rates and antimicrobial resistance patterns of H. influenzae isolated from healthy children attending day care centers (DCCs) in Istanbul, Turkey. METHODS: A total of 195 healthy children were included from two DCCs. Pharyngeal swabs were cultured for H. influenzae which were identified according to standard microbiologic procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by the agar dilution method in accordance with the guidelines of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory standards. beta-Lactamase production was determined by the nitrocefin disc test. RESULTS: The average pharyngeal carriage rate of H. influenzae was determined as 48.7%: 7.2% type b, 7.6% other capsulated strains, 33.9% noncapsulated strains, with a carriage peak between 0 and 11 months (68.1%). The ampicillin resistance observed in 7.3% of H. influenzae isolates was associated with a presence of beta-lactamase, except for one isolate which was interpreted as beta-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant strain. The resistance of H. influenzae to sulbactam/ampicillin, cefuroxime, azithromycin, tetracycline and cotrimoxazole was 0.5, 1.5, 0.5, 2.9 and 28.6%, respectively. Cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and imipenem resistance was not detected. CONCLUSION: Our data show that the upper respiratory tract of about 48.7% of children was colonized with H. influenzae. This high colonization rate indicates that there is a need for surveillance of pharyngeal carriage of resistant strains in healthy Turkish children attending DCCs.

Ranking countries by dental status using the DMFT and FS-T indices.

AIM: To test the hypothesis that the DMFT index does not adequately reflect the dental status as well as the FS-T index by comparing the country rankings of the DMFT and the FS-T indices in 18 and 35-44 year-olds in a range of countries. The FS-T is the number of filled or sound teeth and is a measure of functional status. METHOD: The DMFT data from WHO for 18-year-olds and 35-44-year-olds was used and FS-T index values were estimated for the 18-year-olds for 12 countries and for 35-44 age groups for 30 countries. RESULTS: The ranking by DMFT index scores was lower for developed countries than for developing countries. Despite the relatively high DMFT index in developed countries, their FS-T index was higher and therefore the developed countries ranked higher by FS-T compared to their ranking by DMFT. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that it may be more useful to use the FS-T index with the DMFT index in studies comparing dental status between countries.