Biofilms Behind Jaw Infections
Photo/Philip Channing
Microbial biofilms, a mix of bacteria and sticky extracellular material, are causing jaw tissue infections in patients taking bisphosphonate drugs, said Parish Sedghizadeh, lead researcher and assistant clinical professor at the school.
Sold under brand names such as Fosamax, Boniva and Actonel, bisphosphonates are prescribed to millions of patients to combat osteoporosis, a bone-wasting disease that increases the risk of fractures.
Sedghizadeh said there have been increasing reports of osteonecrosis (bone death) of the jaw in patients who have been taking the drugs for osteoporosis or for treatment from the bone-wasting effects of cancer.
He said he decided to investigate further after seeing patients in USC dentistry clinics who had the unusual jaw infection.
“This is the first study that identifies microbial biofilms in the bone of bisphosphonate patients who have osteonecrosis of the jaw,” Sedghizadeh said.
Jaw osteonecrosis occurs when bacteria-laden biofilms infect the jaw after the bone is exposed, typically because of a tooth extraction or injury.
The USC research team includes renowned biofilm expert J. William Costerton, director of the Center for Biofilms at the USC School of Dentistry.
Pioneered by Costerton, biofilm theory has moved scientists beyond thinking of bacteria as free-floating organisms. Instead, bacteria build biofilm communities, attaching to surfaces and communicating and defending against antimicrobial invaders.
The team used powerful scanning electron microscopes to study patients’ jawbone samples. The images revealed biofilm bacteria sprawling over pitted tissue.
The scientists now are trying to determine why bisphosphonate drugs seem to open the door for biofilm-associated infections of the jaw.
“Now that we know biofilms are behind the infection of the jaw, we are studying ways to effectively treat or prevent the osteonecrosis,” Sedghizadeh said.
The study was funded by the USC School of Dentistry with the assistance of a USC Zumberge Research and Innovation Award.
The results of the study were published in the April issue of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
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The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC’s $6 billion fundraising campaign. The story noted that USC had already raised $1 billion in a “quiet phase,” including the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College.
The Guardian (U.K.) highlighted two major gifts to USC in a list of the 10 biggest philanthropic benefactors in America. The list included the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
The New York Times featured the USC U.S.-China Institute documentary “Assignment: China — The Week that Changed the World.” The documentary, part of a series, examines media coverage of the 1972 Nixon trip that reshaped U.S.-China relations after a quarter century of isolation and hostility. “People look back now and take it for granted that the outcome was preordained,” said the institute’s Mike Chinoy, who produced the documentary. Voice of America also featured the story.
Los Angeles Times featured the Oscar Senti-meter, a tool developed by the USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles Times and IBM that analyzes thousands of tweets about the Academy Awards nominees. The story noted that Mexican actor Demian Bechir received an enormous boost on Twitter the day of the nominations, with a total of 6,893 tweets mentioning him, a 47-fold increase from the day before. The story noted the tool uses language-recognition technology developed in collaboration with USC Viterbi School’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab.
The Times of India (India) featured a three-day medical emergency training workshop organized in association with USC. At the workshop, held at GCS Medical College in India, 50 doctors and more than 100 paramedics learned how to improve emergency support systems. William Mallon of the Keck School of USC said that discussion topics included the use of portable ultrasonic devices to scan patients. “The ultrasound applications help physicians make accurate and timely decisions,” he noted. Daily News & Analysis (India) also featured the workshop.
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