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Helpful Information on
MRSA Infections
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, also known as
"staph." In addition to methicillin, this infection is resistant to common
antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. Staph
infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in
hospitals and healthcare facilities. MRSA can be fatal if left untreated.
MRSA infections that occur in otherwise healthy people who have not been recently (within the past year) hospitalized or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis, surgery, catheters) are known as community-associated (CA)-MRSA infections. These infections are usually skin infections, such as abscesses, boils, and other pus-filled lesions. Staph bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a wound. Even when this occurs, if the person is healthy it tends to only cause a skin infection. Those most susceptible to more serious illness include the elderly, the sick and others with wekened immune systems. The estimated number of people developing a serious MRSA infection (i.e., invasive) in 2005 was about 94,360; this is higher than estimates using other methods. Approximately 18,650 persons died during a hospital stay related to these serious MRSA infections. About 85% of all invasive MRSA infections were associated with healthcare, and of those, about two-thirds occurred outside of the hospital, while about one third occurred during hospitalization. About 14% of all the infections occurred in persons without obvious exposures to healthcare. For more information on how to prevent MRSA,
please visit:
Beyond Good and Evil in the Oral Cavity: Insights into Host-Microbe Relationships Derived from Transcriptional Profiling of Gingival Cells1 Department of Oral Biology and Center for Molecular
Microbiology, College of Dentistry, Box 100424 JHMHSC, and
* corresponding author, mhandfield@dental.ufl.edu
In many instances, the encounter between host and microbial cells, through a long-standing evolutionary association, can be a balanced interaction whereby both cell types co-exist and inflict a minimal degree of harm on each other. In the oral cavity, despite the presence of large numbers of diverse organisms, health is the most frequent status. Disease will ensue only when the host-microbe balance is disrupted on a cellular and molecular level. With the advent of microarrays, it is now possible to monitor the responses of host cells to bacterial challenge on a global scale. However, microarray data are known to be inherently noisy, which is caused in part by their great sensitivity. Hence, we will address several important general considerations required to maximize the significance of microarray analysis in depicting relevant host-microbe interactions faithfully. Several advantages and limitations of microarray analysis that may have a direct impact on the significance of array data are highlighted and discussed. Further, this review revisits and contextualizes recent transcriptional profiles that were originally generated for the specific study of intricate cellular interactions between gingival cells and 4 important plaque micro-organisms. To our knowledge, this is the first report that systematically investigates the cellular responses of a cell line to challenge by 4 different micro-organisms. Of particular relevance to the oral cavity, the model bacteria span the entire spectrum of documented pathogenic potential, from commensal to opportunistic to overtly pathogenic. These studies provide a molecular basis for the complex and dynamic interaction between the oral microflora and its host, which may lead, ultimately, to the development of novel, rational, and practical therapeutic, prophylactic, and diagnostic applications.
KEY WORDS: microarray transcriptional profiling oral epithelium commensal pathogen transcriptomic RESEARCH
REPORT
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-converting Enzyme (TACE) Levels in Periodontal
Diseases
zmir, Turkey
-converting enzyme
(TACE) is a metalloprotease which can shed several cytokines
from the cell membrane, including receptor activator of NF-
B
ligand (RANKL). This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis
that TACE would be elevated in the gingival crevicular fluid
(GCF) of persons with periodontitis. Total TACE amounts in GCF
were higher in persons with chronic and aggressive
periodontitis than in those with gingivitis or in healthy
persons. TACE concentrations in GCF were higher in persons with
chronic and aggressive periodontitis than in those with
gingivitis, although not significantly higher than in healthy
persons. Persons with chronic periodontitis receiving
immunosuppressive treatment exhibited over 10-fold lower TACE
levels than the other periodontitis groups. TACE was positively
correlated with probing pocket depth, clinical attachment
levels, and RANKL concentrations in GCF. In conclusion, the
increased GCF TACE levels in persons with periodontitis and
their positive correlation with RANKL may indicate an
association of this enzyme with alveolar bone loss, and may
warrant special attention in future therapeutic
approaches.
