ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel- arm randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1-containing probiotic sachet and azithromycin tablets as an adjunct to nonsurgical therapy in clinical parameters and in presence and levels of Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Material and Methods: Forty-seven systemically healthy volunteers with chronic periodontitis were recruited and monitored clinically and microbiologically at baseline for 3, 6 and 9 months after therapy. Subgingival plaque samples were collected from four periodontal sites with clinical attachment level ≥1 mm, probing pocket depth ≥4 mm and bleeding on probing, one site in each quadrant. Samples were cultivated and processed using the PCR technique. Patients received nonsurgical therapy including scaling and root planing (SRP) and were randomly assigned to a probiotic (n=16), antibiotic (n = 16) or placebo (n = 15) group. L. rhamnosus SP1 was taken once a day for 3 months. Azithromycin 500mg was taken once a day for 5 days. Results: All groups showed improvements in clinical and microbiological parameters at all time points evaluated. Probiotic and antibiotic groups showed greater reductions in cultivable microbiota compared with baseline. The placebo group showed greater reduction in number of subjects with P. gingivalis compared with baseline. However, there were no significant differences between groups. Conclusions: The adjunctive use of L. rhamnosus SP1 sachets and azithromycin during initial therapy resulted in similar clinical and microbiological improvements compared with the placebo group.

Objective: To determine the presence of Candida albicans in throat and nasal secretion in high school students. Design: Crosssectional study. Setting: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru. Participants: High school students from San Juan Macias School in Santa Anita, Lima, Peru. Interventions: Nasal and throat samples were collected from 102 14-17 year-old students. Samples were grown on sabouraud agar and Candida CHROMOagar and identified by chlamydospores study and metabolic tests. Main outcome measures: Identification of C. albicans yeast. Results: Candida yeast was isolated from 11 students (10.8%). A significant percentage of yeast (36.4%) developed moderate resistance to fluconazole. Conclusions: Continuous surveillance of medically important yeasts in nasopharyngeal carriers is suggested in order to be prepared for eventual infectious conditions.

Introducción: Candida sp puede encontrarse como comensal en equilibrio en la cavidad bucal humana; pero, en la población pediátrica y adolescente con un sistema inmune inmaduro las condiciones de la levadura se tornarían favorables para su patogenia. Objetivo: Determinar la presencia de Candida albicans en secreción faríngea y nasal en alumnos de educación secundaria. Diseño: Estudio descriptivo transversal. Lugar: Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú. Participantes: Alumnos del 4° (52) y 5° (50) años de secundaria. Intervenciones: En octubre del 2007, las muestras nasales y faríngeas de 102 estudiantes de 14 a 17 años fueron colectadas en medios de transporte y luego cultivadas en los laboratorios del Instituto de Medicina Tropical, en agar sabouraud y CHROMOagar Candida. Se identificó las colonias sospechosas de Candida sp mediante el estudio de clamiodoconidias, tubo germinativo y pruebas metabólicas. Principales medidas de resultados: Identificación de levaduras de Candida sp. Resultados: Se aisló levaduras del género Candida en 11 de los escolares (10,8%). El 36,4% de las levaduras presentó resistencia moderada al antimicótico fluconazol. Conclusiones: Es recomendable continuar con estudios de vigilancia epidemiológica sobre las levaduras de importancia médica en portadores nasofaríngeos, con el fin estar preparados ante eventuales cuadros infecciosos.