Military Medical Academy

About: Military Medical Academy is a healthcare organization based out in Belgrade, Serbia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 6865 authors who have published 9615 publications receiving 153086 citations. The organization is also known as: Vojnomedicinska Akademija.

Epstein-Barr virus in oral diseases.

Abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a B-lymphotropic gamma-herpesvirus, causes infectious mononucleosis and oral hairy leukoplakia, and is associated with various types of lymphoid and epithelial malignancies. Saliva is the main vehicle for EBV transmission from individual to individual. Recent studies have also implicated EBV in the pathogenesis of advanced types of periodontal disease. EBV DNA is detected in 60-80% of aggressive periodontitis lesions and in 15-20% of gingivitis lesions or normal periodontal sites. The periodontal presence of EBV is associated with an elevated occurrence of periodontopathic anaerobic bacteria. Moreover, EBV active infection occurs in approximately 70% of symptomatic and large-size periapical lesions. EBV and cytomegalovirus often co-exist in marginal and apical periodontitis. Periodontal therapy can markedly suppress the EBV load in periodontal pockets as well as in saliva, which has the potential to reduce the risk of viral transmission between close individuals. EBV proteins up-regulate cytokines and growth factors, which seem to play a central role in the proliferative response of tongue epithelial cells in oral hairy leukoplakia and in the cell-transformation process of EBV-associated malignancies. Further research is needed to identify the full range of EBV-related diseases in the human oral cavity.

Clinical significance of IL-18, IL-15, IL-12 and TNF-alpha measurement in rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical significance of serum (S) and synovial fluid (SF) interleukin (IL)-18, IL-15, IL-12 and the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) measurements in relation to laboratory and clinical measures of disease activity of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Sixty-four patients with RA and 25 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) were included in this study. RA activity was determined using the Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28 index. Concentrations of IL-18, IL-15, IL-12 and TNF-alpha were measured by ELISA. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also determined. Cross-sectional correlations between S and SF levels of cytokines and values of DAS 28 index were calculated. The results have shown that IL-18, IL-15, IL-12 and TNF-alpha levels in S and SF of patients with RA were significantly higher than the levels obtain from patients with OA (p 5.1) compared to those with mild (DAS 28>3.2) and low disease activity (DAS 28>2.6) (p<0.01). Serum and SF concentrations of all four cytokines positively correlated with DAS 28 index values, i.e., disease activity. A poor correlation was found for S and SF IL-12 whereas the highest coefficient of correlation was found for SF IL-18 (r=0.879, p<0.01), and SF TNF-alpha (r=0.827, p<0.01) and disease activity in this study. Strong correlation was found between SF TNF-alpha and SF IL-18 levels (r=0.732, p<0.01). In conclusion, SF IL-18 and TNF-alpha levels in RA patients are good indicators of disease activity. The results obtained support the use of the DAS in clinical practice as a reliable method in assessing disease activity in RA patients.