Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Year:2000 | Volume:7 | Issue:4|Papers Count:9

Acute cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) is an endemic disease in developing countries. The first line drug for treatment of ACL, according to WHO recommendation, is the pentavalent antimony compounds such as meglumine antimonite (Glucantime [sb]). High cost, side effects, multiple injections and incomplete efficacy are limitations of this therapy. We evaluated the efficacy of intralesional (IL) injection of Zinc sulfate 2% in treatment of ACL and compared that with efficacy of IL injection of Glucantime (sb). This prospective double-blind case control clinical trial was performed on 104 patients with typical lesions of ACL and positive direct smear. These patients were treated by IL injection of contents of one of two similar vials A or B. The vials were coded by an independent physician. The patients were seen in two weeks intervals and injection was repeated when required. Improvement was evaluated by clinical examination and direct smear. Follow-up period was six weeks. 66 patients were followed until 6 weeks (35 patients from A group and 31 from B group). After 6 weeks, the cure rates were 60% for A solution and 83.87% for B solution. After 2,4 and 6 weeks of treatment, the responses to therapy with A solution were respectively 3.5±1.14, 3.68±1.11 and 3.8±1.05 versus 3.84±1.11, 4.6±1.25, 3.85±1.24 for B solution. After second and forth weeks, the efficacy of treatment with B solution was higher than A solution (P<0.01), but after six weeks no significant differences were observed between two groups (P>0.05). After only one injection of B solution, cure rate was 54.84%. Reinjection significantly increased efficacy of A, but not of the B solution. A solution was Glucantime and B solution was Zinc sulfat 2%. On the basis of this trial, treatment of ACL by intralesional injection of Zinc sulfate 2% maybe effective.

Following cesarean infection is one of the main complications, and antibiotic prophylaxy is an important protective factor in reduction of post operational infections. The aim of this study is to compare the prophylactic effect of single dose ampicillin to triple dose ampicillin following the operation. This prospective randomized clinical trial lasted from Jun 1994 till January 2000. In this double blind randomized clinical trial a total of 242 women were prophylactic ally treated with ampicilin following the cesarean section. The subjects were divided equally into three groups; group one received three doses andthe second group received a single dose of the drug following clamping of the cord. The average age of the women, gestation age, and the duration of the surgery were the same. The most common reason for the c-section was the previous history of having a c-section, and the most common type of incision was fannensteil. No significant difference was observed in wound infection between the first and second group. (3.3% compared to 9.9%), although endometritis was higher in the group one (1.7%) than in the second group (0.8%). 8.2% in the first group and 9.9% in the second group showed febrile reactions, however the difference was not significantly different. The results indicates that there is no significant difference observed in infection rate and febrile reactions. Therefore a single dose of ampicillin is recommended, for prophylactic purpose following cesarean section.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial effects on E.coli and S.aureus of essential oils from Lavandula angustifolia and Salvia officinalis were studied. Disk diffusion method was conducted to evaluate the zone of microbial growth inhibition at 1, 1:2, 1:8 and 1:16 dilutions of the essential oils at four stages of zero (fresh oil), 1,2 and 3 months post-extraction. The antimicrobial effect was also studied against 107/ml, 106/ml and 105/ml concentrations of microbial cells to find out Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC).The essential oils were bactericidal against both the micro organisms. Comparatively, Gram negative bacterium. E.coli, was readily affected by the essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia and S.aureus was readily affected by the essential oil of Salvia officinalis. Chemical composition of the essential oils were analyzed by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC and GC/MS). Twelve common chemical compounds of a-Humulene, a-pinene, β-pinene, a-Thujene, 1,8-Camphene, Camphor, Cis- β -ocimene, Linalool, p-Cymene andTerpinene-4-ol were found at various concentrations in both the oils, most of which were monoterpenes. Major components of essential oil of Salvia officinalis were β-pinene (16%), Berneol (9.4%), Glubulol (9.3%), a-Humulene (8.4%), a -Thujene (6.4%), a-pinene (5.5%), Camphene (5%), and those of Lavandula angustifolia were Linalool (36.9%), 1,8-Cineole (16%), β-Orneol (11.5%), Camphor (4.2%) and Terpinene-4-ol (4.19%). It seems that monoterpenes give antibacterial property to the essential oils.

The prevalence of torus palatinus and torus mandibularis is widely different in various populations and races. This descriptive study was performed in 1999, to investigate the prevalence of torus mandibularis and torus palatinus in patients referring to Rafsanjan dental school. 584 Patients (268 men and 316 women) which were over 18 years old were examined. The information recorded in the questionaires were analyzed by EPI6 software resulting in 14.2% for torus palatinus (10.4% in men and 17.4% in women) and 4.6% for torus mandibularis (6.7% in men and 2.8% in women).

Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (C.S.O.M) is a chronic infective and chronic inflammatory process of middle ear and mastoid that may be with or without cholesteatoma. Due to its significant problems and complications such as hearing loss, labyrinthitis, facial nerve paralysis, meningitis, brain abscess, extra and subdural abscess and lateral sinus thrombosis is a fatal and important disease. In this study 1377-78 (98-99) 3137 Kermanian school children aged 12 to 15 years from 174 schools were randomly checked for C.S.O.M. Overall incidence rates of C.S.O.M was 5.7 per thousand, (female 0.5% and male0.7%). Average of hearing loss was 25 db. There was no significant correlation between the incidence of C.S.O.M and underlying disease or factors such as sex, parental education and smoking (P>0.05).

Since posture is of great importance in personal health & social life, so evaluation of prevalence off oreward head posture in school children of adolesent age seems necessary for proper prevention planning and treatment. The present study is an analytic-descriptive on 480 students (240 girls & 240 boys) from Shiraz high schools in 1999. The subjects were selected according to clusture random sampling. The relationship between foreward head posture with some variables such as sex, position of studying, visual disorder and physical activity was investingated. The questionnaire was filled for each subject, then posture of foreward head was measured by a plumb line. The results indicated that the incidence of foreward head posture from right and left was 76.1% and 74.6% respectively and there was a significant difference between foreward head with sex, position of studying and doing excercise (P<0.05), but is not with the visual disorder. The results of this study indicate a relatively high incidence of foreward head posture in study population. To prevent occurence and aggravation of this untoward situation, a widespread planning for teaching of general population, parents and public health teachers as well as sports teachers seems necessary.

Whey with a large amount of BOD (50000 PPM) is a dangerous environmental pollutant. This important source of lactose (4-5%) is a usefull substrate for a range of fermentation processes. Lacitic acid with several applications in industries is one of these products. Specially L (+) isomer of this acid worthing 10 times as much as the mixture of L & D, is used in medical purposes such as absorbable surgical filaments and controlled release drugs. Several strains of Lactobacillus produce a mixture of L & D isomers but the strain employed in this research (Lactobacillus casei) produces only L (+) form. The produced lactic acid prevents acid production in fermentation, so that almost half of lactose (about 22g/L lactic acid) is converted to Lactic acid. Therefore in order to increase the output the produced acid should be separated. In this research Lactobacillus Casei was used to produce L (+) Lactic acid and due to strile conditions requirement in situe separation of acid using Ion-exchange resins at control automatic of pH were employed. At the end, Lactic acid yield in non extractive fermentation compared with extractive process showed an increase from 22g/L to 43.7 g/L. The polarimetric analysis showed pure L (+) product.

Granuloma annulare is an inflammatory benign skin disease that may manifest different clinical features. The most common presentation or classic form of the disease is fleshcolor, annulare, grouped papules. Disseminated forms are rare and responses to treatments are not satisfactory. Various treatment modalities have been used for this disorder and different responses to treatments have been reported. In a few studies the satisfactory therapeutic effects of dapsone in granulomma annulare have been reported. Dapsone has been used in the treatment of many dermatosis such as pemphigoid, herpetiform dermatitis, bullons lesions of systemic lupus erythematosus, pyoderma gangrenosum. recurrent polychondritis, acne conglobata, etc. Dapsone has been introduced as an effective systemic drug with low side effects in the treatment of granuloma annulare, we decided to investigate the effects of dapsone in some cases of granulomma annulare, including disseminated and subcutaneous forms. In this study six patients with skin biopsy were examined patholosicalls and diagnosed as having granulomma annulare were treated with dapsone for a period of two months. In four cases the skin lesions were completely disappeared, but in two cases the therapeutic effects were 50% and 20%. These two patients showed recurrence of their lesions after discontinuation of dapsone therapy.