Background: Human bites in the maxillofacial region compromise function and aesthetics, resulting in social and psychological effects. There is paucity of information regarding human bite injuries in Tanzania. The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence, treatment modalities and prognosis of human bite injuries in the oro-facial region at the Muhimbili National Hospital Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to determine the frequency of HIV infection among dental patients attending the three dental facilities at Muhimbili Medical Centre (MMC) in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and to compare the dental treatment demands and needs of the patients found to be HIV-infected with those of their HIV-seronegative counterparts. The facilities were; the dental outpatient department (DOPD) clinic, the dental minor surgery department, and the dental ward. This study which was conducted between March and April, 1996 enrolled a total of 460 patients. The investigations involved detection of anti-HIV IgG antibodies in saliva, examination of oral and peri-oral tissues, and assessment of dental and periodontal status. The overall HIV frequency among the dental patients was 10.9 per cent. The frequencies of HIV infection among patients attending the dental OPD clinic, minor surgery, and those admitted in the dental ward were 9.4 per cent, 26.3 per cent, and 25.0 per cent, respectively. The dental treatment demands and needs of HIV-seropositive patients were not different from that of HIV-seronegative patients. The high frequency of HIV infection calls for institution of infection control measures in the dental clinics. However, such measures need to be tailored for the poor countries, with potentially high frequency of HIV infection and minimal resources, in order to make them relevant.
A 38–year‐old woman sought treatment with cranio‐facial dysplasia involving the cranium, maxilla and the mandible. Her chief complaint was a mandibular swelling, which had appeared about 2 years previously, had gradually enlarged, and was associated with spontaneous pain. X‐ray film examination revealed a ground‐glass opacity with blurred demarcation and a 99 Tc medronate bone scan disclosed an increase in tracer uptake in the cranium, maxilla and mandible. The rest of the skeleton was not affected. Histological examination of the lesions revealed solid proliferation of spindle‐shaped cells associated with islands of osteid and bone trabecullae with Chinese letter pattern and numerous multinucleated giant cells consistent with fibrous dysplasia. The continued osteoblastic activity of involved bones, coupled with the medical condition of the patient, restricted the management of the patient to largely supportive and palliative care.
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