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In order to test the hypothesis that more dental students are meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers than non-dental students, 100 dental students with five to six years of exposure to patients and 81 non-dental students were tested for nasal and pharyngeal MRSA carriage by polymerase chain reaction. All 181 students were clinically healthy and none had taken antibiotics. Significantly more dental students (20/100) carried MRSA than non-dental students (5/81) (odds ratio: 4.04; 95% confidence interval: 1.6-12.6; P = 0.0033). Also, more dental students' mobile phones (8/100) carried MRSA. All MRSA isolates were distinguished by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis from epidemiologically significant strains. The results suggest that dental students are occupationally exposed to MRSA.

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HIV/AIDS patients face unique oral diagnostic and treatment challenges. The aim of this investigation among dental school deans (DSD) and graduate school applicants (GSA) who had qualified from 30 different dental schools was to assess their perceptions on dental education relevant to infection control (IC) and HIV/AIDS patient care. The questionnaire included Likert-type scale evaluations of agreement with statements. Of 158 questionnaires, 23 DSD (68% response rate), and 123 GSA (100% response rate) returned valid questionnaires. Fifteen (65%) DSD and 89 (72%) GSA ranked as "very strong" their perception that infection control prevents the transmission of blood borne viruses. However, the perception prevailed, among DSD and GSA, that HIV infection was a "very strong" to "strong" occupational hazard. Special reprocessing of instruments used on HIV patients was frequently reported. Many considered "very strong" to "strong" that HIV/AIDS patients must be treated in specialized clinics, and nearly half (48%) of the DSD and one third (35%) of the GSA stated that their school does refer HIV/AIDS patients to dental treatment in specialized clinics. These results indicate that many dental schools in Mexico must provide better education on IC and HIV/AIDS patient care to enhance attitudes toward HIV/AIDS patients.

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Dentists must be trained in oral cancer (OC) screening and counseling. However, educational gaps exist in OC prevention worldwide. The objective of this investigation was to assess self-reported perceptions and practices relevant to OC education among Mexican dental school deans. At a leadership meeting in 2007, deans were given a questionnaire containing Likert-type scale evaluations of agreement with statements. Associations between variables were analyzed with Pearson's chi-square test. Of thirty-four deans attending, twenty-three (68 percent response rate) answered the questionnaire in full. Among the respondents, 83 percent believed "very strongly" that dentists must look for OC, but only 52 percent believed "very strongly" that OC screening must be adopted as a standard practice. Fifty-two percent ranked dentists' responsibility in looking after their patients' overall health as "very strong." The deans indicated less support for dentists' roles to intervene in tobacco and alcohol cessation. Participant deans lead institutions that provide education for over 12,000 dental students; their low awareness on OC screening and counseling may hinder the establishment of routine standardized screening and health promotion that help save human lives.

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BACKGROUND: Professional truck drivers are at high risk of chronic diseases. Further examination of tobacco use and its impact on oral health is warranted - both in terms of the direct association between tobacco use and poor oral health, and in terms of tobacco use being an indicator of poor health behaviors. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the possible association between smoking and dental caries experience in a population with high tobacco use. METHODS: Drivers' licenses are periodically re-issued by the Mexican government and as part of the licensing process a physical exam takes place. We administered a free, standardized questionnaire together with an oral examination (WHO criteria) included in the physical exam, targeting a random sample of applicants in Mexico City. RESULTS: A total of 824 dentate males (mean age 35.5 +/- 10 years) took part in the study, of whom 49.2% were current smokers and 23.2% were former smokers. Caries experience was mean DMFT 8.95 (+/- 6.05). Only 18.0% of participants had 'excellent' or 'good' oral hygiene. The prevalence of 'large' cavities increased as the number of cigarettes/day increased from 14.6% (1-3 cigarettes/day) to 33.3% (> or =10 cigarettes/day). Using multiple linear regressions, we found that older age, poorer oral hygiene, higher education, and greater tobacco exposure were significantly associated with higher caries experience (DMFT). An interaction was observed with oral hygiene and tobacco: drivers that smoked and had 'poor' oral hygiene showed the highest number of large cavities and missing teeth. Health promotion interventions are needed in this at-risk population group.

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This study attempted to determine which combination of plaque or saliva, and tryptic soy agar, bacitracin (TSY20B) or mitis salivarius, bacitracin media, yielded the highest caries-predictive values for mutans counts in children with different caries prevalence. Sixty children were divided into three equally sized groups: caries free, low caries and high caries. Eighteen months later, their caries incidence and initial mutans count were compared. Fissure plaque on TSY20B yielded a high correlation between mutans counts and caries prevalence (P<0.009, r=3346) and incidence (P<0.003, r=4521). The caries-predictive values obtained demonstrate that the coefficient of variation of mutans counts from lower first-molar fissure plaque on TSY20B accounts for 20.4% of the variation in final caries index. This strong correlation provides a valuable tool for the identification of caries-prone individuals.

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The fluoride content of a sample of bags of salt for sale in Mexico City was measured in order to estimate the proportion of marketed salt that contained the quantity of fluoride set by the National Program for Prevention of Dental Caries through Consumption of Fluoridated Table Salt. The effectiveness of that program had never been evaluated. In March 1993, bags of salt were obtained from 70 of the 3544 neighborhoods that make up Mexico City. The stores were selected by simple random sampling. Salt was likewise purchased from 20% of the 146 supermarkets and self-service stores in the city, also selected as a random sample. Then, blind measurement was done of the fluoride content of 221 bags of salt. The true content of this element was often found to be below the amount called for by the government. In addition, it did not coincide with the quantity indicated on the package label, which is a violation of the law.

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Aiming to draw the current world outlook of the caries-forming process, pertinent information was compiled from the World Health Organization and various other sources. Data from the different countries were grouped in five categories, depending on the average number of teeth affected. On the basis of compiled data and the experience of countries enjoying the highest levels of buccal health, a set of tactics are proposed toward diminishing the incidence of cavities in our country.

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A case of Candida meningitis in a premature infant treated with amphotericin B IV for 41 days, resulted in negative CSF cultures after 5 days of therapy. Amphotericin B was also given intraventricularly for 21 days; purulent meningitis was a complication from this kind of therapy. Psychometric evaluation showed a mental age of 3 months in a chronological age of 7 months. Only one premature infant has been reported in the literature with intraventricular amphotericin B treatment. A review of Candida meningitis diagnosed before death in infants less than 1 year of age and a discussion of the modern therapy is presented.

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