Antibiotic residues and bacteria resistant to antimicrobial have been found in poultry litter, which is popular low cost manure in agriculture. A study was conducted to investigate a pre-treatment method to reduce antibiotic resistant bacteria in poultry litter. Poultry litter was collected from eleven medium-scale broiler farms in Kandy. Total and antibiotic resistant (tetracycline and/or enrofloxacin) culturable bacteria were isolated using Tryptic Soy Agar supplemented with 0 or 100 ppm of each antibiotic. A fresh and a cured broiler litter sample were collected from one farm and treated with different temperatures ( 25o C, 40 o C, 60 o C and 80 o C for 24 hours), neem seed extract (10 and 1000 ppm for 4 day) and neem dry leaves (10% w/w for 4 days) in triplicates. Total and antibiotic resistant bacteria in treated litter were assessed. Broiler litter from all farms contained tetracycline resistant bacteria. Heating at 80 o C reduced tetracycline resistant bacteria by 96-100% compared to 25 o C. Neem seed extract at 10 ppm reduced tetracycline resistant bacteria by 75-96%. Treating broiler litter with high temperature (>60 o C) and neem seed extract (10 ppm) could minimize spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria to the environment.

Aim. The management of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with oligodontia in Class-I malocclusion in late mix dentition. Case Report. An 11-year-old boy with ED was treated and managed by means of interceptive orthodontic treatment accompanied by direct and indirect restorative methods in a successful manner. The patient was prepared to receive definitive oral rehabilitation with dental implants for the missing teeth when the patient reaches a suitable age. The patient was followed for 5 years from the beginning of treatment. Conclusion. Management of the child with ectodermal dysplasia with oligodontia was a real challenge. Early diagnosis, necessary investigation, and providing age-appropriate multidisciplinary treatment were key steps in successful outcomes. The objectives were not only just orthodontic or paedodontics but also prosthetic and psychological.

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Broiler chicken litter (BCL) is a cheap manure for vegetable crops in developing countries. Extensive antibiotic use in poultry production could increase antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) in manure and eventually in crop root-microbiome. We investigated the prevalence of ARB in BCL from medium- and large-scale farms (n=33) and in carrot (Dacus carotova) grown in BCL applied soils in Sri Lanka. All the BCL samples contained aerobic bacteria resistant to 10 µg/mL of oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin. The abundance of ARB determined by viable plate-count method ranged from 0.05% to 30.10% of aerobic bacterial population. Soil from two fields applied with BLC for three years (short history, SH) and ten years (long history, LH) were treated with BCL (10%, w/w) and oxytetracycline (10 and 100 mg/kg) in a pot experiment alongside an un-amended control. Adding BCL and oxytetracycline had a significant (P<0.05) effect on the abundance of oxytetracycline resistant epiphytic and endophytic bacteria (EEB) in carrot roots at harvest. Both total and oxytetracycline resistant EEB increased significantly (P<0.05) with the application of BCL to LH soil but not to SH soil. Carrot sold at retailed markets (n=30) contained epiphytic bacteria resistant to 1µg/mL oxytetracycline (4.13 ± 0.207 log10CFU/g dry carrot). High minimum inhibitory concentrations for oxytetracycline (≥128 µg/mL) were observed in 83% and 50% of ARB isolates obtained from BCL (n=18) and carrot (n=24), respectively. Results confirmed that BCL acts as a carrier of ARB and continuous application of BCL to soil increased the prevalence of ARB among EEB in carrot.

Background/Aims Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are complex problems where lack of proper care may result in serious complications. The need to improve the management of TDI is a frequently addressed concern. Methods of improvement in their diagnosis and management are continuously evolving. The interactive Internet tool, the Dental Trauma Guide (DTG), helps to simplify diagnostic and management dilemmas. However, it is not a freely available tool. The aim of the current study was to assess the knowledge and diagnostic skills of undergraduate dental students with access to the DTG compared with students without such access, in order to validate and promote this tool in dental education. Materials and Methods Two groups of students were randomly selected where one group of final year dental undergraduate students were exposed to lectures, demonstrations, discussions and tutorials on the management of TDI according to the standard undergraduate curriculum in Sri Lanka. Another test group of 21 students were provided with access to DTG during their training in paediatric dentistry. At the end of the study period, students were assessed on their knowledge of TDI using MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) and OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examination), based on the DTG. Results The students with access to the DTG were more knowledgeable in providing the correct answers to three out of the seven OSCE questions. Evaluation based on the MCQs did not reveal a significant difference (p = .913). However, users of the DTG showed a statistically significant difference with better overall knowledge based on their answers (p = .028). Following this period of evaluation, all of the students were provided with access to the DTG to supplement their learning experience. Conclusion The Dental Trauma Guide is a useful supplementary tool for undergraduate students to arrive at a correct diagnosis and treatment plan for TDI.