Impact of perinatal HIV exposure and infection on salivary properties among Nigerian children.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that perinatal HIV infection and exposure affect salivary pH and flow rate in children in most parts of the world, but not against the background of caries and the African demographic. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of HIV infection as well as exposure on salivary properties and their influence upon the dental caries experience among school-aged children in Nigeria. METHOD: This cross-sectional study assessed the salivary flow rates and salivary pH of HIV infected and exposed school-aged (4-11) children receiving care at a Nigerian tertiary hospital. A total of 266 consenting participants which comprised of three groups as follows: (1) HIV Infected (HI) (n = 87), (2) HIV Exposed and Uninfected (HEU) (n = 82) and (3) HIV Unexposed and Uninfected (HUU) (n = 97) were recruited for the study. Questionnaires completed by parents/guardians were used for data collection. Three calibrated dentists performed oral examinations for dental caries. International Caries Detection and Assessment Scores (ICDAS) was used and presented as dmft/DMFT. Salivary pH was measured using MColourpHast™ pH indicator strips, while salivary flow rate was determined by collecting unstimulated whole saliva using the suction method. Data analysis relied on comparative statistics to determine the correlation between HIV exposure and infection on salivary pH and flow rates. RESULT: Across the groups, (HI, HEU, and HUU) mean pH of the HI was significantly less than that of HEU and HUU. Similarly, there was a statistically significant difference in the SFR across the three groups (p = 0.004). Other variables such as gender, age and oral hygiene status expressed by the gingival inflammatory scores had no significant influence on the pH and SFR of study participants. There was a rather unexpected positive correlation of DMFT of HI and HEU groups with increasing salivary flow rate; though, the relationship was weak and not significant. CONCLUSION: Perinatal HIV exposure and infection significantly impact salivary pH and flow rate among school-aged children in Nigeria. The findings of this study imply that HIV infection influenced the salivary pH, while HIV maternal exposure (without infection) impacted salivary flow rates when compared to the controls.

From a Machine Saw to a Case of Mycobacterium Fortuitum Pyomyositis.

Pyomyositis is a bacterial infection occurring mainly in skeletal muscles. It is most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus with initial symptoms including muscle pain, swelling, and site tenderness. When available, the most accurate technique to determine the extent and the specific location of disease is the magnetic resonance imaging. Successful management includes early recognition, timely surgical debridement or drainage, and appropriate antibiotic therapy. This case report describes a case of Mycobacterium fortuitum pyomyositis in an elderly male associated with challenges of successful diagnosis.

Interferon gamma, interleukin 6 and tissue necrosis factor alpha levels among asymptomatic HIV patients in Benin City, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection is immune-mediated, and an understanding of HIV immunology will be beneficial in the management of HIV infectionOBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to measure the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-γ in asymptomatic HIV patients and non-HIV subjects, as well as their relationship with CD4 count. METHOD: Blood samples were collected from 173 subjects, consisting of 125 asymptomatic HIV patients (44 HAART-naïve and 81 on HAART) and 48 non-HIV subjects. The IFN-, IL-6, and TNF- levels in the blood were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and the CD4 count of all participants was determined using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Regardless of treatment status, the IFN-γ levels of non-HIV subjects were significantly higher than those of HIV patients (p< 0.001). The opposite was true for IL-6, as the levels of IL-6 in non-HIV subjects were significantly lower than those in HAART-naïve HIV patients (p< 0.001) and those on HAART (p< 0.01). TNF-α levels did not differ between HIV patients and their non-HIV counterparts. Generally, the levels of these cytokines was not affected (p> 0.05) by immunosuppression (measured by CD4 count < 200 cells/µL) and there was no significant correlation between CD4 count and these cytokines (p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, asymptomatic HIV infection decreased IFN-γ, increased IL-6, and had no effect on TNF-α levels, regardless of treatment status. Immunosuppression had no impact on these cytokine levels, and there was no relationship between them and CD4 counts.

Dental caries and its association with the oral microbiomes and HIV in young children-Nigeria (DOMHaIN): a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study seeks to understand better the mechanisms underlying the increased risk of caries in HIV-infected school-aged Nigerian children by examining the relationship between the plaque microbiome and perinatal HIV infection and exposure. We also seek to investigate how perinatal HIV infection and exposure impact tooth-specific microbiomes' role on caries disease progression. METHODS: The participants in this study were children aged 4 to 11 years recruited from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Nigeria, between May to November 2019. Overall, 568 children were enrolled in three groups: 189 HIV-infected (HI), 189 HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) and 190 HIV-unexposed and uninfected (HUU) as controls at visit 1 with a 2.99% and 4.90% attrition rate at visit 2 and visit 3 respectively. Data were obtained with standardized questionnaires. Blood samples were collected for HIV, HBV and HCV screening; CD4, CD8 and full blood count analysis; and plasma samples stored for future investigations; oral samples including saliva, buccal swabs, oropharyngeal swab, tongue swab, dental plaque were collected aseptically from participants at different study visits. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the study will provide critical information on how HIV exposure, infection, and treatment, influence the oral microbiome and caries susceptibility in children. By determining the effect on community taxonomic structure and gene expression of dental microbiomes, we will elucidate mechanisms that potentially create a predisposition for developing dental caries. As future plans, the relationship between respiratory tract infections, immune and inflammatory markers with dental caries in perinatal HIV infection and exposure will be investigated.

Alcohol After Resistance Exercise Does Not Affect Muscle Power Recovery.

Levitt, DE, Idemudia, NO, Cregar, CM, Duplanty, AA, Hill, DW, and Vingren, JL. Alcohol after resistance exercise does not affect muscle power recovery. J Strength Cond Res 34(7): 1938-1944, 2020-The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of alcohol consumed after heavy eccentric resistance exercise on measures of muscle power. After familiarization and an initial eccentric exercise bout to control for the "repeated-bout effect," 10 recreationally resistance-trained men completed 2 identical heavy eccentric squat bouts (4 sets of 10 repetitions at 110% of concentric 1-repetition maximum) 1 week apart. Each exercise bout was followed by ingestion of a beverage containing either alcohol (1.09 g ethanol·kg fat-free body mass) or no alcohol (placebo; volume of alcohol replaced with water). Vertical jump (VJ) peak power, VJ peak force, VJ jump height, change-of-direction ability (shuttle run), sprint acceleration (sprint test), and muscle soreness were measured before (PRE), 24 hours after (24H), and 48 hours after (48H) each eccentric exercise bout. Although the exercise bout resulted in significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased VJ peak power at 24H, significantly decreased VJ jump height at 24H, and significantly increased muscle soreness at 24H and 48H, consuming alcohol after the exercise bout did not affect any of the performance outcome measures. When consumed after a non-novel heavy eccentric resistance exercise bout, alcohol did not affect soreness or recovery of muscular power. Practitioners can use this information to advise their athletes with regard to responsible alcohol use after non-novel exercise. Although short-term anaerobic performance does not seem compromised as a result of acute postexercise alcohol ingestion, practitioners and athletes should be aware of potential long-term effects of such alcohol use.