Oral Pyogenic Granuloma: A Narrative Review.

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a benign vascular lesion found predominantly in the oral cavity. Characterized by rapid growth and propensity to bleed, PG presents diagnostic challenges due to its similarity and alarming proliferation. This narrative review synthesizes current knowledge on the epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and management of oral PG, with emphasis on recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The epidemiology of the injury is meticulously analyzed, revealing a higher incidence in women and a wide range of ages of onset. It delves into the etiopathogenesis, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the exact causal factors, although historical attributions suggest an infectious origin. It exhaustively analyzes the clinical and histopathological aspects of oral PG, offering information on its various presentations and the importance of an accurate diagnosis to guide effective treatment. It details treatment strategies, emphasizing the personalized approach based on individual patient characteristics. This comprehensive review consolidates current knowledge on oral PG, highlighting the need for further research to clarify its pathogenesis and optimize treatment protocols.

Oral Antiseptics against SARS-CoV-2: A Literature Review.

Dentists are health care workers with the highest risk of exposure to COVID-19, because the oral cavity is considered to be a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The identification of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva, the generation of aerosols, and the proximity to patients during dental procedures are conditions that have led to these health care workers implementing additional disinfection strategies for their protection. Oral antiseptics are widely used chemical substances due to their ability to reduce the number of microorganisms. Although there is still no evidence that they can prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, some preoperative oral antiseptics have been recommended as control measures, by different health institutions worldwide, to reduce the number of microorganisms in aerosols and droplets during dental procedures. Therefore, this review presents the current recommendations for the use of oral antiseptics against SARS-CoV-2 and analyzes the different oral antiseptic options used in dentistry.

Effect of 17ß-Estradiol, Progesterone, and Tamoxifen on Neurons Infected with Toxoplasma gondii In Vitro.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is the causal agent of toxoplasmosis, which produces damage in the central nervous system (CNS). Toxoplasma-CNS interaction is critical for the development of disease symptoms. T. gondii can form cysts in the CNS; however, neurons are more resistant to this infection than astrocytes. The probable mechanism for neuron resistance is a permanent state of neurons in the interface, avoiding the replication of intracellular parasites. Steroids regulate the formation of Toxoplasma cysts in mice brains. 17ß-estradiol and progesterone also participate in the control of Toxoplasma infection in glial cells in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 17ß-estradiol, progesterone, and their specific agonists-antagonists on Toxoplasma infection in neurons in vitro. Neurons cultured were pretreated for 48 h with 17ß-estradiol or progesterone at 10, 20, 40, 80, or 160 nM/mL or tamoxifen 1 µM/mL plus 17ß-estradiol at 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 nM/mL. In other conditions, the neurons were pretreated during 48 h with 4,4',4″-(4-propyl-[1H] pyrozole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol or 23-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionitrile at 1 nM/mL, and mifepristone 1 µM/mL plus progesterone at 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 nM/mL. Neurons were infected with 5000 tachyzoites of the T. gondii strain RH. The effect of 17ß estradiol, progesterone, their agonists, or antagonists on Toxoplasma infection in neurons was evaluated at 24 and 48 h by immunocytochemistry. T. gondii replication was measured with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assay. 17ß-Estradiol alone or plus tamoxifen reduced infected neurons (50%) compared to the control at 48 h. Progesterone plus estradiol decreased the number of intracellular parasites at 48 h of treatment compared to the control (p < 0.001). 4,4',4″-(4-propyl-[1H] pyrozole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol and 23-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionitrile reduced infected neurons at 48 h of treatment significantly compared to the control (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The Toxoplasma infection process was decreased by the effect of 17ß-estradiol alone or combined with tamoxifen or progesterone in neurons in vitro. These results suggest the essential participation of progesterone and estradiol and their classical receptors in the regulation of T. gondii neuron infection.

Does Toxoplasma gondii infection impact liver transplantation outcomes? A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Approximately one-third of the world's population has Toxoplasma gondii infection, and one of the main routes of transmission is organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Toxoplasma infection on liver transplantation patients. METHODOLOGY: We searched PubMed, Lilacs, Medline, Science direct, Scielo, Ebsco, Springer, Wiley, Ovid and Google Scholar for reports published up to June 2017, and a systematic review was performed. RESULTS: Twenty cases were analysed before and after liver transplantation. Primary and reactivated infections were investigated. Before transplantation, positive IgG antibodies were the predominant serological markers in donors and recipients: 40 % (D+/R-), 20 % (D+/R+) and 20 % (D-/R+). IgM was present in only 5 % of the donors (D+/R-). In four cases, the serological markers were not specified or were negative (D?/R? or D?/R-). After transplantation, IgM anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were found in 30 % of the recipients, and in 67 % of the seronegative recipients the presence of Toxoplasma DNA or tachyzoites was reported, suggesting a primary infection. Clinical symptoms were meningitis, massive cerebral oedema, encephalitis and seizures. Treatment was administered in 70 % of the patients, and 40 % died after presenting symptoms associated with Toxoplasma infection. CONCLUSIONS: Although we review Toxoplasma infection and liver transplantation cases, problems associated with the parasite may be greater than identified. Hence, follow-up studies on Toxoplasma infection in liver transplantation patients are recommended.

The role of hormones on Toxoplasma gondii infection: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is the causal agent of toxoplasmosis in which one third of the world's population has been infected. In pregnant women, it may cause abortion and severe damage to the fetal central nervous system. During pregnancy, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis increases throughout the second and third quarter of gestation, simultaneously progesterone and 17ß-estradiol also increase. Thus, it has been suggested that these hormones can aggravate or reduce parasite reproduction. The aim of this study was reviewing the relationship between hormones and infection caused by T. gondii in several experimental animal models and humans, focused mainly on: (a) congenital transmission, (b) parasite reproduction, (c) strain virulence, (d) levels of hormone in host induced by T. gondii infection, and (e) participation of hormone receptors in T. gondii infection. Are the hormones specific modulators of T. gondii infection? A systematic review methodology was used to consult several databases (Pub Med, Lilacs, Medline, Science direct, Scielo, Ebsco, Sprinker, Wiley, and Google Scholar) dated from September, 2013 to March, 2014. RESULTS: Thirty studies were included; eight studies in humans and 22 in animals and cell cultures. In the human studies, the most studied hormones were testosterone, progesterone, prolactin, and 17ß-estradiol. Type I (RH and BK) and Type II (Prugniaud, SC, ME49, T45, P78, and T38) were the most frequent experimental strains. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-five years have passed since the first studies regarding T. gondii infection and its relationship with hormones. This systematic review suggests that hormones modulate T. gondii infection in different animal models. However, given that data were not comparable, further studies are required to determine the mechanism of hormone action in the T. gondii infectious process.