Abstract Background: Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory skin disorder leading to an impairment of quality of life and is therefore not only a cosmetic issue. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial - of particular importance is the colonization with the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. A wide range of different treatment options exists including topical and systemic treatments depending on severity. High Frequency (HF) therapy, historically developed in the 19th century, claims antimicrobial effects on acne skin, but solid data on its efficacy and mechanism of action is lacking. Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of HF therapy on skin flora and P. acnes in vitro using a commercial device as well as to review studies on the mechanism of action. Methods: The plasma source was investigated regarding electrical settings, heat, and ozone development. Bacterial skin flora, fungal isolates, and P. acnes were exposed to HF in vitro and compared to unexposed controls by evaluating the number of colonies on agar plates. To further analyze bacterial species from normal skin flora, 16S-sequencing was performed. Statistical analyses were carried out using row analysis and unpaired t-test. Results: HF treatment led to a significant reduction of almost every bacterial and fungal species investigated in this study. Moreover, the number of colonies forming units was significantly decreased in P. acnes after HF treatment compared to controls in vitro. Study limitations: The experiments were performed in vitro only. To assess clinical effects further in vivo experiments are necessary. Conclusions: The results collected in this study, although in vitro, provide a mechanistic basis for HF as a complementary treatment option for patients with acne. It might also have a beneficial effect on patients with superficial infectious skin of the skin.

Abstract New technical and scientific developments have been advocated to promote the success of the endodontic treatment. In addition to rotary and reciprocating systems, irrigating solution agitation has been suggested and passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) is the most used. Objective: To evaluate, in vitro, the effect of ultrasound streaming (US) in the disinfection of flattened root canal systems prepared by the ProTaper, BioRaCe and Reciproc systems, utilizing the microbiological culture. Methodology: Extracted human mandibular incisors (n=84) were used. Suspensions of Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212) were standardized and inserted along with the teeth immersed in brain-heart infusion (BHI) broth. The contamination was made following a protocol during 5 days. The teeth were randomly divided into six groups: G1, ProTaper Universal; G2, ProTaper Universal with US; G3, BioRaCe; G4, BioRaCe with US; G5, Reciproc; and G6, Reciproc with US. Irrigation was performed with saline solution. After biomechanical preparation, microbiological samples were performed with sterilized paper points, which were diluted and spread on BHI agar; after 48 h, the colony forming units (CFU/mL) were counted for each sample. Results: Groups using ultrasonic agitation presented a greater antibacterial effect than the other ones, even using saline solution as irrigant. The ProTaper Universal system showed the best antibacterial activity of the tested systems (median of 0 CFU/mL with and without surfactant or ultrasonic activation [PUI]). Even with PUI, Reciproc (median of 2.5 CFU/mL with PUI and 5 without it) could not reduce as many colonies as ProTaper Universal without US. The BioRaCe system had greater bacterial reduction when using US (median of 0 CFU/mL with PUI and 30 without it). Conclusions: US promoted greater reduction in the number of bacteria in the flattened root canals prepared with nickel-titanium mechanized systems. Regarding the instruments used, the ProTaper Universal system was the most effective in reducing the bacterial number.

Resumo: A mastite é a principal afecção do gado destinado à produção leiteira, que impacta significativamente a cadeia produtiva do leite, com reflexos ainda para a saúde pública. Estudou-se aspectos relacionados à etiologia, celularidade e de contagem bacteriana em 10 propriedades leiteiras, localizadas no Estado de São Paulo. Foram examinadas 1148 vacas em lactação, totalizando 4584 glândulas mamárias. Foram considerados os casos, em que houve isolamento de estafilococos coagulase positiva (SCP) e estafilococos coagulase negativa (SCN). Os resultados revelaram microbiota com vários patógenos e diferentes espécies de SCN (128 casos) e SCP (45), Staphylococcus aureus(90), Streptococcus agalactiae(70), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (69), Streptococcus uberis(29), Corynebacteriumspp. (230), Klebsiella pneumoniae(28), Klebsiella oxytoca(2), Escherichia coli(15), Enterobactersp. (3). Os resultados de contagem de células somáticas (CCS) relacionados aos SCP e SCN não mostraram diferenças entre as propriedades avaliadas, entretanto com diferenças significantes ao se avaliar a CCS entre os dois grupos de estafilococos, como pode ser evidenciado ao comparar SCN Discreto e SCP exuberante (P<0,01), SCP Discreto e SCP exuberante (P<0,001) e SCN moderado e SCP exuberante (P<0,01). A avaliação da CCS relacionada à intensidade da infecção, considerando-se como crescimento discreto o isolamento de até nove colônias, moderado de dez a 29 colônias e exuberante, com 30 ou mais colônias, revelou para ambos os grupos de estafilococos que quanto maior o número de unidades formadoras de colônias (UFC), a CCS é mais elevada, sendo sempre maior nos casos de SCP. Conclui-se que quando há maior número de UFC, há concomitantemente maior CCS/mL de leite, no caso dos SCP e SCN, o que mostra relação direta da intensidade do processo infeccioso com a resposta da celularidade do leite, bem como pela relevância desses na etiologia das mastites e dos aspectos negativos tanto para a produção, quanto na qualidade do leite produzido nas propriedades.

Abstract: Mastitis is the main affection of cattle intended for dairy production, which significantly impacts the milk production chain, with consequences yet to public health. It was studied aspects related to etiology, cellularity and bacterial count in 10 dairy farms, in the State of São Paulo. There were examined 1148 milking cows, totaling 4584 mammary glands. Cases in which there was isolation coagulase positive staphylococci (CPS) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were considered. The results showed microbiota with various different pathogens and CNS (128 cases) and CPS (45), Staphylococcus aureus (90), Streptococcus agalactiae (70), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (69), Streptococcus uberis (29), Corynebacterium spp . (230), Klebsiella pneumoniae (28), Klebsiella oxytoca (2), Escherichia coli (15), Enterobacter spp. (3). The somatic cell count (SCC) related to CPS and CNS showed no differences among the evaluated properties, although with significant differences when evaluating the SCC between both groups of staphylococci, as evidenced by comparing discreet CNS and exuberant CPS (P <0.01), discreet CPS and exuberant CPS (P <0.001) and moderate SCN and exuberant SCP (P <0.01). The evaluation of SCC was related to the intensity of infection, considering how slight growth isolation of up to nine colonies, moderate ten to 29 colonies and lush, with 30 or more colonies, revealed for both groups of staphylococci that the higher the number of colony forming units (CFU), SCC is higher being larger in cases of CPS. The results indicate that the importance of both CPS and CNS when considering the high occurrence of the evaluated properties and the fact that it raises the SCC, which compromises the quality of milk. We conclude that when there is a larger number of CFU, is concomitantly higher SCC/ml of milk, in the case of CPS and CNS, which shows a direct relationship of the intensity of the infectious process with the response of milk cellularity, as well as the relevance of these in the etiology of mastitis and negatives aspects to both the production and the quality of milk produced in properties.

The conjunctival normal microflora, formed by fungi, yeast and bacteria, of 50 clinically healthy horses from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, was identified using three to 12 year-old horses of different breeds and gender. Samples were taken from the conjunctival sac of both eyes (n =100 eyes) using a cotton swab under sterile conditions. No eye was negative to the presence of the microorganism. There were differences in colony types in each eye of the same animal. One hundred percent were positive to fungal and bacteria colonies in both eyes, while 60% were positive to yeast. In the present study Serratia marcescens, a pathogenic, opportunist and multidrug-resistant organism, is reported for the first time in the conjunctival sac in horses. Serratia marcescens was isolated from 21 clinically healthy horses (42%) with a number of colony forming units (cfu) that ranged from 9 to 42.

Se identificó la microflora normal, formada por hongos, levaduras y bacterias, de la conjuntiva en 50 caballos clínicamente sanos, de diferente raza y sexo, de tres a 12 años de edad, del área metropolitana de Monterrey, Nuevo León. Las muestras se tomaron del saco conjuntival de ambos ojos (n = 100 ojos) con un hisopo bajo condiciones estériles. Ningún ojo fue negativo a la presencia de microorganismos. Hubo a menudo diferencias en los tipos de colonias entre los ojos del mismo animal, 100% fueron positivos a la presencia de hongos y bacterias en ambos ojos, y 60% positivos a la presencia de levaduras. Este estudio presenta, por vez primera en conjuntiva de caballos, la presencia de Serratia marcescens, considerada microorganismo patógeno oportunista con multirresistencia a fármacos. En esta investigación, Serratia marcescens se logró aislar de 21 caballos clínicamente sanos (42%) con rango de nueve a 42 unidades formadoras de colonias (ufc).

RESUMO O setor avícola brasileiro atingiu, graças ao avanço tecnológico e à competência dos profissionais ligados ao setor, o posto de maior exportador e segundo maior produtor mundial de carne de frango. Estes métodos incluem a questão de contaminação do ambiente por micro-organismos patogênicos que podem trazer perdas produtivas na cadeia avícola como um todo. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar as condições microbiológicas de um incubatório do Estado de São Paulo. A metodologia empregada foi a da técnica da placa de sedimentação com meios de cultura específicos para o crescimento de bactérias e de fungos. Foram realizados 30 monitoramentos, expondo-se as placas de Petri com dois meios de culturas diferentes, ágar Mac Conkey e ágar Sabouraud dextrose. Observamos que os índices de contaminação fúngica e bacteriana não foram elevados nos locais onde as placas foram expostas, exceto na máquina de vacinação onde o número de enterobactérias foi 52,7 unidades formadoras de colônias (UFC). Podemos concluir que o método de contagem de colônias fúngicas e bacterianas pode ser uma maneira simples de monitorar a eficiência sanitária do incubatório.

ABSTRACT Due to technological advances and professional commitment, the Brazilian poultry industry has become the main exporter and second major producer of chicken meat in the world. These methods involve the issue of environmental contamination by pathogenic microorganisms which can result in productive losses for the poultry industry as a whole. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the microbiological conditions of a hatching house in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The technique of plate sedimentation was the methodology used, with two culture mediums for growing specific bacteria and fungi. Thirty monitorings were carried out, with two different culture mediums, Mac Conkey Agar and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. It was observed that the indices of fungus and bacterial contamination were not elevated in the places where the plates had been exposed, except in the vaccination machine where the number of enterobacteria was 52.7 colony forming units (CFU). The results indicate that the method of counting of fungal and bacterial colonies can be a simple way to monitor the sanitary efficiency of the hatching house.

Este trabalho analisou o efeito da temperatura e período de incubação e da diluição do inóculo, em dois meios de cultura, sobre a quantificação de bactérias totais e esporuladas. O crescimento quantitativo e qualitativo de bactérias totais e esporuladas depende tanto do meio de cultura, temperatura, diluição e tempo utilizados como da interação desses fatores. O meio de TSA apresentou maior contagem que o meio de Thorton de unidades formadoras de colônias (UFC) de bactérias totais mas não de Bacillus spp. As colônias crescidas no meio de TSA apresentaram maior tamanho e forma mais nítida. O cultivo à temperatura de 30°C propiciou maior número de UFC que a 25°C, sobretudo nos primeiros dias de incubação. O crescimento bacteriano correspondeu a uma equação de 3° grau. Dependendo do meio de cultura, da temperatura de incubação e da diluição, os períodos de máximo crescimento foram de 4,9 a 6,9 dias para as bactérias totais e de 4,4 a 7,2 dias para Bacillus spp. Embora tenham sido utilizadas diluições decimais dos inóculos, as proporções entre as contagens variaram de 6,3 a 10,0 vezes para as bactérias totais e de 2,0 a 7,0 para as esporuladas.

This work studied the effect of the temperature and incubation time and of the inoculum dilution, in two culture media, on the quantification of total and sporulating bacteria. The quantitative and qualitative growth of total and sporulating bacteria depended on the growth medium, temperature, dilution and incubation time, as well as on the interaction of these factors. Tryptic Soil Agar medium presented a greater number of colony forming units (CFU) for total bacteria. However, for Bacillus spp. there were higher counts on Thorton medium. Colonies grown on Tryptic Soy Agar medium were of larger size and had a more clearly defined shape. An incubation temperature of 30°C yielded more CFU than incubation at 25°C, especially during the first days of incubation. Bacterial growth was fit to a mathematical model and corresponded to a third degree equation. Depending on the growth culture medium, incubation temperature and dilution, periods of maximum growth were between 4.9 and 6.9 days for total bacteria and between 4.4 and 7.2 days for Bacillus spp. Although decimal inoculum dilutions were used, proportions between counts based on different conditions ranged from 6.3 to 10.0 times for total bacteria and from 2.0 to 7.0 times for sporulating bacteria.