A Case Report on Oral Subcutaneous Dirofilariasis.

Dirofilariasis is an uncommon zoonotic parasitic infection affecting human. The natural hosts for this nematode are animals such as dogs, cats, foxes, jackals, and raccoons. This disease is endemic in South Eastern United States, Australia, Europe, and Central and Southern Asia. Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens are the common mosquito borne filarial nematodes that cause infection. Several species of mosquitos including Mansonia uniformis, M. annulifera, and Aedes aegypti are the potential vectors for this disease in Sri Lanka. Two rare cases of dirofilariasis presenting as facial and intraoral lumps are presented.

Antifungal activity of black tea polyphenols (catechins and theaflavins) against Candida species.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The polyphenols catechins and theaflavins in black tea have been shown to possess many medicinal properties, including anticancer activity and some antifungal characteristics, but there have been few studies of their anti-Candida activity. In this paper we report the results of our study of the anti-Candida activity of tea polyphenols. METHODS: The effects of 4 different concentrations of catechins and theaflavins were evaluated on 5 isolates each of 5 Candida species employing an agar diffusion growth inhibition assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the polyphenols against C. albicans was determined. The post-antifungal effect (PAFE) of the polyphenols for C. albicans was investigated. C. albicans cells exposed to polyphenols were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). RESULTS: Both polyphenols showed anti-Candida activity against all tested Candida species and demonstrated a MIC of 6.25 mg/ml for C. albicans. C. glabrata was found to be the most sensitive species followed by C. parapsilosis, C. albicans, C. krusei and C. tropicalis (p < 0.05 for all). Significant intraspecies variations in sensitivity were noted among C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis (p < 0.001) for both polyphenols. Theaflavins displayed standard PAFE while catechins showed a paradoxical PAFE with all isolates of C. albicans. SEM revealed considerable cell wall damage of C. albicans cells exposed to the polyphenols. CONCLUSION: The study reveals for the first time the anti-Candida properties of black tea polyphenols that may find therapeutic applications in future.

Prevalence of oral cancer and pre-cancer and associated risk factors among tea estate workers in the central Sri Lanka.

BACKGROUND: To screen for oral cancer or not is being debated, but for high-risk populations with minimal access to regular dental care systematic oral examinations could provide some benefit. METHODS: We undertook oral mucosal examinations of labourers employed in tea estate plantations in Sri Lanka. In a two-stage screening procedure, first by estate medical officers and then by visiting specialists, we examined 12 716 persons at their workplaces achieving a coverage of one-sixth of the total workforce. RESULTS: Fourteen oral cancers and 848 subjects with oral pre-cancer (6.7%) were detected giving population prevalences of 46.1 per 1000 for leukoplakia and 16.4 per 1000 for oral submucous fibrosis. Among subjects with any oral mucosal disorder (n = 1159) proportions of current users of betel quid, smokers and alcohol use was recorded at 92%, 31% and 61% respectively. The synergistic effect of these three risk habits on the development of oral leukoplakia was evident in mixed habit groups. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of oral pre-cancer in tea estate labourers was higher than estimates reported in previous studies. In the absence of state-sponsored preventive activities, it is necessary to improve the capacity of individual health practitioners and small medical centres to participate in oral health promotion and oral cancer/pre-cancer screening.

Anxiety and personality traits in patients with muscle related temporomandibular disorders.

This study tested the hypothesis that muscle related temporomandibular disorder patients with cervical muscle pain exhibit greater degree of psychological distress compared with patients without cervical muscle pain and controls. Thirty-eight muscle related temporomandibular disorder patients including 10 patients with cervical muscle pain and 41 healthy individuals as controls participated in the study. State and trait anxiety levels were assessed with the Spielberger's state and trait anxiety inventory. Personality traits (extroversion, neuroticism, psychoticism and social desirability) were assessed using the Eysenck's personality questionnaire, and the pain intensities described over the muscles were recorded using a 100 mm visual analogue scale. The muscle related temporomandibular disorder patients, in general, exhibited significantly higher degrees of neuroticism and trait anxiety. The patients with cervical muscle pain demonstrated a significantly higher level of psychoticism compared with the patients without cervical muscle pain and the controls and a significantly higher state anxiety level than the controls. They also demonstrated higher pain intensities in masseter and temporalis muscles compared with patients without cervical muscle pain. It has been suggested that either subjects with psychological distress are prone to temporomandibular disorders, or psychological distress is a manifestation of existing chronic pain conditions. The present findings demand further investigations and broader approach in management, as muscle related temporomandibular disorder patients with cervical muscle pain were both physically and psychologically compromised to a greater degree compared with patients without cervical muscle pain.

Oral pemphigus vulgaris in children and adolescents: a review of the literature and a case report.

This paper describes a case of oral pemphigus vulgaris (PV) in a child that was diagnosed in its early stages and managed successfully. The authors also report a literature review. Although oral PV in children and adolescents is extremely rare, it should be included in the differential diagnosis of oral ulcerative disease. It is of utmost importance to diagnose PV in children and adolescents in its initial stages in order to prevent the serious morbidity that may result from the disease, and to institute phamacotherapeutic measures so that they have the greatest effect. Furthermore, it is essential for dentists to be aware of the existence of PV in child and adolescent patients so that they may refer such cases for specialist management without undue delay.

Influence of masticatory muscle pain on electromyographic activities of cervical muscles in patients with myogenous temporomandibular disorders.

The present study tested the hypothesis that the resting electromyographic (EMG) activities of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles of myogenous temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients would be significantly greater than healthy individuals. Eight masticatory muscle pain patients without disc interference disorders (DID) and 30 patients with DID along with 41 matched control subjects were included in the study. The resting EMG activities of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles were recorded with a portable EMG machine. Pain intensities described over the muscles were recorded with a 100 mm visual analogue scale. The two groups of patients had significantly higher resting activities compared with control subjects. Patients (in both groups) who had pain in sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles reported significantly higher resting activities in the respective muscles than patients who were free of pain and the controls. The presence of pain over the examined muscles showed significant association with the myogenous TMDs without DID. The observed association of the cervical muscles with myogenous TMDs is expected to be a result of functional link between masticatory and cervical muscles. The present findings suggest that the myogenous TMDs without DID could be a distinct sub-group that can be a part of broader regional or generalized diseased entity.

Chronic hyperplastic candidosis/candidiasis (candidal leukoplakia).

Chronic hyperplastic candidosis/candidiasis (CHC; syn. candidal leukoplakia) is a variant of oral candidosis that typically presents as a white patch on the commissures of the oral mucosa. The major etiologic agent of the disease is the oral fungal pathogen Candida predominantly belonging to Candida albicans, although other systemic co-factors, such as vitamin deficiency and generalized immune suppression, may play a contributory role. Clinically, the lesions are symptomless and regress after appropriate antifungal therapy and correction of underlying nutritional or other deficiencies. If the lesions are untreated, a minor proportion may demonstrate dysplasia and develop into carcinomas. This review outlines the demographic features, etiopathogenesis, immunological features, histopathology, and the role of Candida in the disease process. In the final part of the review, newer molecular biological aspects of the disease are considered together with the management protocols that are currently available, and directions for future research.