PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Tarsitani

Publications and source records attributed to G Tarsitani.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

A randomized clinical trial of the effect of yoghurt on the human salivary microflora.

Yoghurt is active against some human pathogens, so this experiment tested whether it is also active against the salivary microflora. A clinical trial was designed, with volunteers aged between 23 and 37 years. Initially, for 8 weeks, they consumed neither yoghurt nor casein-free soybean ice cream (phase 1). They were then split randomly into test (yoghurt) and control (ice cream) groups and required to consume 125 g of these foods twice daily for 8 weeks (phase 2) and then to avoid them for the following 2 weeks (phase 3). Many potential sources of microbial fluctuation were standardized. Salivary samples were then collected at regular intervals of 2 weeks. For each group and phase, the mean logarithms of the salivary counts for total viable flora, oral streptococci, mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and Candida were calculated. The prevalence of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus was also assessed. Twenty test and 22 control participants completed the study. At phase 2, the mean for mutans streptococci was lower in the test than in the control group (3.6 vs. 4.0 log colony-forming units/ml; P=0.02). Moreover, the mean had decreased in all test participants with high phase 1 means for lactobacilli as compared to only 36.4% of those with low phase 1 means (P=0.01). L. bulgaricus was transiently detected in three test participants during phase 2. These results suggest that yoghurt does have some activity against the salivary microflora, but this does not seem to be due to the installation of yoghurt microorganisms in the mouth.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Opinions and attitudes on oral cancer in a sample of students attending a state secondary school in Rome. A pilot study].

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate knowledge and awareness in a group of secondary school students on the subject of risk factors and strategies used in the prevention of oral cancer. METHODS: The study took the form of a questionnaire which was filled in by a group of 106 secondary school students. The questionnaire was divided into 3 sections: the first analysed the general characteristics of the sample population; the second investigated their knowledge on the specific subject of this study; the last regarded exposure to risk factors and the role played by the dentist and family doctor in the prevention of oral cancer. RESULTS: Of the 106 students taking part in the study, 42% were male and 58% female. 30% of the group felt it was not possible to prevent cancer in general. 6% associated cigarette smoking with oral cancer, whereas 15% identified alcohol as a risk factor for the same pathology. 30% of the group thought that it was not possible to prevent oral cancer. In the event of a suspected oral lesion, 44% would consult the family doctor, 25% would go to the dentist and 3% to a dental technician. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need improve knowledge of prevention methods in oral cancer. Although young people do not have a high risk of developing oral cancer, they represent a means of conveying information in a social and familial context, thus enabling an early diagnosis, and they also represent the preferred target for primary prevention activities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Salivary levels of mutans streptococci associated with restorations: a case-control study.

Our aim was to estimate whether restorative therapy with amalgam and composite resin could decrease salivary mutans streptococcal level, thus also decreasing the risk for other caries development. We selected a case group of 93 children with detectable salivary mutans levels (i.e., at least 1x10(4) cfu/ml), and a control group (n=93 subjects) with undetectable levels. Children had the same age (12 years), no extracted teeth, crowns, temporary fillings, and restorations other than amalgam and composite resin, and the two groups had similar gender distribution. We clinically examined children and recorded active caries, restorations and oral hygiene level by means of gingival bleeding on probing; we also investigated sucrose intake at breakfast. The case group had statistically significant higher prevalence of restorations (36.6% vs. 18.3%), active caries (44.1% vs. 12.9%), and bad oral hygiene (84.9% vs. 68.8%) than the control group. However, the logistic regression analysis showed that presence of active caries was the only significant variable associated with mutans streptococci (OR=4.0; p=0.0002), while the effects of sucrose intake and of restorations were marginally significant. This apparent contrast between statistical analyses was due to the concomitant presence, in children with detectable mutans streptococci level, of restorations and decayed teeth at the same time, and, on the basis of the multivariate analysis, presence of mutans streptococci in these children was explained by the presence of active caries, more than restorations.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2000

Nutritional variables related to gingival health in adolescent girls.

In order to study the nutritional variables associated with gingival health, a case-control study was designed to control strong variables whose effect on gingival status may obscure the potential effect of weaker ones, such as nutrition. Two groups of 27 gingivitis-affected and -unaffected female adolescents were selected. All were aged 17-19 years, with mean age of the two groups statistically not different. All were non-smokers, all reported daily toothbrushing frequency of twice/day or more, and none had clinical signs of hyponutrition. Mean DMFT of the two groups was statistically not different. The effect of nutritional variables, obtained by a three-day food record and by assessing the nutritional status of the girls, on presence/absence of gingivitis was evaluated by a variety of stepwise logistic regression analyses. Age (positive correlation), riboflavin, calcium and frequency of fibre intake (negative correlations) significantly explained the risk for gingivitis. Strong intercorrelation between riboflavin and calcium was also found, due to the high quantity of milk consumed by the girls, since this food provided the main source of riboflavin and calcium. The data suggest that some dietary measures may be useful for the maintenance of healthy gingival status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Rampant early childhood dental decay: an example from Italy.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to estimate the prevalence and related prediction factors for dental caries in 3- to 5-year-old children in Rome, Italy. METHODS: From a sample of 2,025 children, 1,494 (73.8%) were included in the analysis. Children with at least two primary maxillary incisors showing evidence of caries experience were considered affected by rampant early childhood dental decay (RECDD). Behavioral and socioeconomic variables, mutans streptococci counts, diet, and nutritional status were investigated for their association with RECDD using regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of any caries was 27.3 percent, and was 7.6 percent for RECDD. Among all children, mean dft and dt scores per person were 1.1 (SD = 2.4) and 0.9 (SD = 2.3), respectively; among those classified as having RECDD, scores were 6.9 (SD = 4.2) and 6.7 (SD = 4.3), respectively. Children with RECDD had 56 percent of all the decayed teeth in the sample. Low and medium social classes, use of a baby bottle filled with sweetened beverages, high salivary mutans streptococcal levels, and malnutrition were directly associated with RECDD; milk and yogurt consumption and low Plaque Index scores were inversely associated with the condition. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of RECDD suggests that the implementation of preventive programs should be a priority for dental public health. Because of its high prevalence among children as young as 3 years of age, preventive measures targeted toward pregnant women and toddlers should be developed and tested, while kindergarten students could be used for monitoring RECDD prevalence and for detection of communities at risk.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Prevalence of diphtheria toxin antibodies in human sera from a cross-section of the Italian population.

A polycentric study was carried out between 1993 and 1995 in order to evaluate diphtheria immunity on a representative sample of population from different areas of Italy. To determine diphtheria antitoxin, sera from 5187 apparently healthy subjects, divided according to sex and age groups, were titrated using an ELISA indirect method. A basic protective titre of diphtheria antitoxin (> 0.01 IU ml-1) was found in 4080 (78.6%) subjects. No statistically significant differences between males and females were observed. Our findings show that the proportion of susceptibles increases with age and a high proportion of adults no longer has diphtheria antitoxin at protective levels since toxigenic C. diphtheriae circulation is presently lacking in Italy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Variables affecting salivary Streptococcus mutans counts in a cohort of 12-year-old subjects.

BACKGROUND: Several factors such as toothbrushing, diet, acidogenic potential of the mutans streptococci strain and site of the carious lesion can modify the salivary Streptococcus mutans (Sm) counts. In the present investigation the effect of some behavioural, clinical and microbiological variables on Sm salivary counts was evaluated in a cohort of 12-year-olds. METHODS: Forty subjects were examined by two calibrated examiners (GC, AL). The number of surfaces either decayed occlusal, decayed smooth or filled and the number of bleeding sextants, (clinical index for oral hygiene) were reported. Saliva was collected using a tongue depressor and was plated onto mitis salivarius agar with bacitracin and 20% sucrose. The presumptive Sm colonies were counted and the concentrations were logarithmically transformed. One Sm strain per subject was identified and the cariogenic potential evaluated as the minimum pH value recorded, during 5 hrs of incubation in 5% sucrose solution. The children's parents or guardians completed a questionnaire concerning the frequency of toothbrushing, the consumption of sweet foods and soft drinks and at what age the children started brushing their teeth. The effect of the explanatory variables on Sm count logarithms was evaluated by stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The regressors with significant additional explanatory power were cariogenic potential (b = -1.335, p = 0.00001, R2 increment = 0.312), decayed smooth surfaces (b = -0.456, p = 0.009, R2 increment = 0.114) and bleeding sextants (b = -0.113, p = 0.004, R2 increment = 0.062), whereas the power of filled surfaces was marginally significant (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these results, it is suggested that acidogenicity is not only a cariogenic factor, but also a factor promoting colonization of oral sites by Sm, especially in subjects with a high frequency of sugar consumption.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Intra-individual variations of salivary microbial levels in young adults.

The variations of salivary levels of total viable flora, oral streptococci, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus and Candida in twenty-three subjects, over a 6-month period, trying to control many potential sources of variability, were investigated. Most subjects showed log count variations of the microbial parameters larger than 1. They were 95.6% (total flora), 91.2% (oral streptococci), 73.9% (lactobacilli), 60.8% (Strep. mutans) and 30.3% (Candida). The intra-individual fluctuations were larger than the fluctuations of the means of the counts between samples. This suggests that the shifts in levels of these micro-organisms were more frequent intra-individually than at a population level. Strep. mutans levels significantly explained Streptococcus-Oral (inverse correlation), Lactobacillus and Candida variability. The reported variations were due to technical and biological factors and suggest that, in order to assess the salivary level of some microbial parameters in an individual, the mean count and the range of counts, obtained by more than two samples taken under the same conditions, should be considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Effect of sucrose and glucose on the susceptibility of Streptococcus mutans to cephalosporins.

The effect of the type of sugar used as substrate on the susceptibility of Streptococcus mutans to antibiotics was evaluated. Thirty strains, grown in excess of sucrose (s-MIC) and in excess of glucose (g-MIC), were tested for susceptibility to four cephalosporins. About 21% of the strains were sensitive in the presence of sucrose and resistant in the presence of glucose, whereas only 3% of the strains showed the opposite situation. The mean values of the s-MICs of the four cephalosporins were significantly lower than those of the g-MICs. These findings may also be explained by the synthesis, in excess of sucrose, of insoluble glucan by Streptococcus mutans which increases the interbacterial distance and promotes antibiotic diffusion. Given the susceptibility of Streptococcus mutans grown in excess of sucrose to cefotaxime and cefepime, these antibiotics may be used in the primary prevention of infective endocarditis, when subjects predisposed to endocarditis need invasive dental therapy.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1997

Childhood obesity: a risk factor for traumatic injuries to anterior teeth.

The relationship between obesity and traumatic dental injuries was evaluated in a study population of 938 6- to 11-year-old schoolchildren from Rome, Italy, and it was suggested by the lifestyle and the physical activity of obese children, which, according to many authors, is different from the lifestyle of other children. The subjects were examined at school: presence and type of dental injury, overjet, incisor protrusion, upper lip incompetence and presence of obesity were recorded. Trauma predisposition was evaluated with a questionnaire investigating the behaviour which may predispose to impacts. Six out of eight questions in this questionnaire concerned the children's lifestyle and the trauma predisposition score was therefore also considered an estimate of lifestyle and physical activity. The dental injury prevalence of the study population was 21.3% and obesity prevalence was 11.4%. Of the obese children 30.8% had dental injuries vs. only 20.0% of non-obese subjects (P = 0.007). Obese children had only enamel and enamel-dentine fractures and the main reported trauma cause was indoor play; conversely, lean children also had other types of injuries and the most frequently reported cause was outdoor play. The main predisposing factors significantly affecting the probability of dental injury, evaluated with multiple logistic regression, were upper lip uncoverage (OR: 1.23; P = 0.02), overjet larger than 3 mm (OR: 1.68; P = 0.001) and obesity (OR: 1.45; P = 0.01). Surprisingly, trauma predisposition was a protective factor (OR: 0.50; P = 0.00001). The results of this study were explained by the significant inverse correlation between obesity and trauma-predisposing behaviour, thus suggesting that subjects frequently playing sports and lively games were not only less obese but also more skillful and, for this reason, less prone to trauma when they fell or sustained impacts.

Accident Proneness↗
PubMed1996

Traumatic injuries to anterior teeth in Italian schoolchildren: prevalence and risk factors.

In the present study, the prevalence of traumatic injuries to anterior teeth in 824, 6- to 11-year-old, schoolchildren from Rome (Italy) and the relationship between injuries and predisposing factors were evaluated. Prevalence value of the study-population was 20.26%. This value is higher than those reported in surveys performed in Italian emergency dental services, but it is similar to those of retrospective studies from other countries. The highest prevalence was found among 9-year-old boys (33.69%); the M/F ratio was 1.64. The percentage of injuries with unknown cause (21.46%) was higher than that of other studies. This may be because most of injuries were slight (64.39% of injuries were enamel fractures) and it is likely that children and their parents were not worried about them, when they happened, so that they did not seek urgent dental care-this helps to explain the prevalence values of this and other retrospective studies, which are higher than those from emergency services-and, when interviewed, they did not remember the circumstances of the traumatic event. Using the Mantel-Haenszel's Odds Ratios stratified for age and sex, injuries were related to individual predisposing factors (overjet larger than 3 mm: OR = 2.57, p = 0.0001, short upper lip: OR = 2.23, p = 0.0001 and upper medial incisor protrusion: OR = 3.95, p = n.s.), but not to children's trauma predisposing behaviour (OR = 0.92, p = n.s.). Serious injuries, however, happened to children without predisposing factors and were caused by strong impacts, suggesting that individual risk factors may not affect these type of injuries.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1996

[The prevalence of anterior tooth trauma in children 6 to 11 years old].

The aim of the present paper was the study of prevalence of traumatic dental injuries to the anterior teeth of Italian schoolchildren. 519, 6- to 11-year-old children from two primary schools in Rome were examined, in order to evaluate dental injuries on canines and incisors. Traumatic injuries were classified according to Garcia-Godoy et al.; this classification is the most appropriate for retrospective studies. Dental injury prevalence was 21.0%, this value was higher than values shown by surveys made in the emergency services, but similar to those of other retrospective studies made in other countries. Male/female ratio was 1.69, statistically significant at 99% level. The age distribution showed that the higher prevalence was among the 9 year-old children (26.9%), the lower among the 8-year-old children (14.3%); the 9 year-old incidence value was the highest. 74.6% of the teeth involved were maxillary central incisors. Enamel fractures were the most frequent trauma type (67.0%), followed by enamel-dentine fractures (19.3%) and concussions (8.3%). No serious fracture was found. Play was the major dental trauma cause (64.2%), followed by sports (17.4%). 16.5% of traumatized children and their parents did not report the cause. Traffic accidents were not reported as causes. In conclusion, the high prevalence of dental traumas in schoolchildren, involving more than one fifth of subjects, is emphasized. Most of traumas were, however, slight, so that sometimes the cause was not reported. Serious dental injuries were more uncommon. Traffic accidents and violent impacts, which often cause these traumas, were also uncommon.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1995

[Indoor pollution].

The Author reports more important phases from the beginning of housing to now: the indoor pollution time. Shelter is a basic need; humans require protection against the elements, somewhere to store and prepare the food, and a secure place to raise offspring; but indoor environment is not always safe. It has been known since Hippocrates' time that housing conditions affect health. Today situation starts from the enormous growth of urbanization. At 1888 in Italy first legislation on health, including healthy building, has been issued. The prevention policies were based on local hygiene regulations. At present housing programmes of who stress the problem in consideration too of the great part of time that, in industrialized Countries, we all pass at home, in the indoor environment. Following the general introduction the Author relates on the features of indoor climate, that may be identical that out of doors, or may be modified by heating, cooling, humidification and ventilation. Larger commentaries are reported on indoor pollution and its increasing by modern technology producing several new hazards. Physical, chemical and biological indoor air pollutants, with their principal sources and health damages associated, are analyzed. In conclusion the author shows some data from a research on indoor pollution in the houses of Rome.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1992

[A sampling epidemiological study of infant health in relation to the type of feeding].

An epidemiological study has been carried out an the scholastic population of L'Aquila (Abruzzo). This study had the aim of verifying possible correlations between feeding procedures and the outbreak of illnesses whose causes are unknown. The information was registered with the collaboration of the Medical Scholastic Service, in the period of May-June in 1988-1989, interviewing four hundred and seventy-seven mothers of students, the information regards the temporary period of 1973-1985. The results of their elaboration are as follows: 75.9% of babies took breast milk at birth and in following months breast feeding was the most frequent (34.8%). The procedure breast feeding-bottle feeding was carried out in 30.4% of cases and exclusively bottle feeding in 22.4%. The study has permitted to discover thirteen cases of illnesses whose cause are unknown among which a case of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in a newborn baby fed till eighteen weeks with breast milk and through twenty days before dying with undiluted cows milk. These illnesses happened in 13.4% of babies fed by bottle milk and diluted with running water; in 7.7% by cow's milk diluted with running water and in 4.3% by undiluted cow milk. Some Authors have suspected a relationship between bacterial endotoxin introduced by diet and baby illnesses whose causes are unknown. For this a quantitative determination of such substances is necessary in baby diets.

Bottle Feeding↗
PubMed1986

[Findings on the occurrence of complications caused by DEV and HDVC (delta) vaccines].

The complications arising from two different anti-rabies vaccines were compared: DEV (duck embryo vaccine; the schedule included 14 daily doses plus 3 boosters) and HDCV (human diploid cells vaccine; the schedule included 5 doses plus 1 booster). 2646 patients were immunised, following a post-exposure prophylaxis, at the Antirabies Unit of the Institute of Hygiene of Rome. Among the 1434 patients immunised with DEV, 364 (25.38%) developed side-effects, whilst among the 1212 subjects immunised with HDCV only 47 (3.88%) developed side-effects. Using DEV the more frequent complications were as follows: fever (48.62%), regional adenopathy (49.45%), erythema (89.29%), local induration (41.48%). Using HDCV the main complication was fever (65.96%). The principal association of complication in DEV were: erythema + induration + edema + adenopathy + fever; general malaise + asthenia + adenopathy; dizziness + headache. Hyperthermia resulted often associated with regional adenopathy and the general malaise with the headache in the vaccinated with HDCV. All complications were widely distributed during the period of immunisation. However most side-effects arose following the 5th DEV dose or the 2nd HDCV dose. Regional adenopathy, was the more persistent and less tolerated symptom, also local erythema showed a long persistence, whilst the other symptoms regressed within 48-72 hours with proper therapy and rest. Sex and age did not influence the incidence nor the type of complications. Neither neuroparalysis was detected nor serious impairment of health. In our study the coincidence of unwanted effects, following an antirabies immunisation, seems lower than that described in the literature. This was probably due to the high level of purification of the vaccine and possibly to the different recording of the minor symptoms.

Drug Eruptions↗
PubMed1985

[Effect of previous anti-rabies treatment with Fermi type vaccine on the antibody response to one dose of HDCV].

We report the effect of previous anti-rabies treatments following a single HDCV challenge. The aim is to obtain guidelines for the re-vaccination of patients previously already immunised. 37 adults at risk for rabies, vaccinated 5-10 years before using a Fermi vaccine, were challenged with a single HDCV dose. 29 adults, previously not immunised were used as a control. Neutralizing antibodies' titres (indirect fluorescent antibody microtest) were monitored on day 0 (HDCV challenge) and 15. The best group produced an optimal response to the antigenic challenge: all subjects reached responses higher than the serum-conversion limit (0.5 U.I./ml), and 43.2% of patients had titres higher than 8 I.U./ml. Neither the number of previous injections of antirabies vaccine (5, 15, 20), nor the years between the first and the second vaccination were related to the antibody response. In the control group the serum-conversion limit was obtained in 31% of patients, and only 13.8% of them produced titres higher than 0.5 U.I./ml. Our data support a short vaccination schedule for patients at risk, who had an history of vaccination. In agreement with nerve-tissue vaccines, specific World Health Organisation Committee (1984), and in our researches of Fermi type, we suggest that in patients having an history of vaccination (documented by antibody titres), a single HDCV dose, monitoring the antibody response, is sufficient to control a new, not dangerous infection (site and type of the wound, animal, local epidemiology). Patients without a laboratory documentation of the previous antibody titres, or patients with a dangerous infection, should be challenged with three HDCV doses on day 0, 3, 7.

Antibody Formation↗