Bacterial endotoxins in periodontal health and diseases

Bacterial endotoxins are a major concern in periodontal health and diseases owing to their structure and biological activity.With up-to-date knowledge of endotoxins and the recent findings about the influence of endotoxins in dental health,their probable mode of pathogenesis,and standard detection methods,this review analyzes the potential efficacy and benefits of probiotics in combination with conventional and contemporary treatment measures.In the oral cavity,Gram-negative bacteria are documented to predominate in the pulpal lesions with radiolucent areas and in the root canal with pulp necrosis,where they pose an absolute threat by promoting a series of inflammatory reactions.Endotoxin,a constituent of Gram-negative bacteria establishes a nexus between cytokine stimulation and proinflammatory reactions,therefore plays a critical role in decaying dental pulp and modulating periodontal diseases.Currently,the treatment regimen involves several biochemical preparations.In addition,probiotics have been reported to control endotoxin in gingivitis and contribute to the overall improvement of dental health.A potential benefit of a combination of probiotics as a complementary treatment along with the conventional treatment warrant more empirical evidence to elucidate its role and mechanism in resolving the clinical manifestations associated with endotoxins in the periodontal region.

Novel PCR primers to diagnose visceral Leishmaniasis using peripheral blood, spleen or bone marrow aspirates

Objective: To establish a suitable method of diagnosis of visceral Leishmania sis(VL) using peripheral blood, spleen or bone marrow aspirates. Methods: Peripheral blood, bone marrow and spleen aspirate samples were collected from clinically suspected VL patients(n=26). A new PCR primer pair(MK1F/R) was designed targeting kinetoplast mini circle DNA sequences of Leishmania donovani, and Leishmania infantum, and was used to diagnose VL along with some other established primers for VL in polymerase chain reactions. Test was validated by comparing with several other diagnostic methods. Results: The designed primer set showed 100% specificity and 98% sensitivity in detecting VL using blood samples, when compared with more invasive samples: bone marrow or spleen aspirates. Conclusions: The newly designed primer MK1F/R could be a better alternative for PCR based diagnosis of VL using less invasive sample, peripheral blood instead of bone marrow or spleen aspirates.