Members of the genus Exophiala are often difficult to identify to the species level because of their variable morphological appearances. This paper describes the methods used to identify Exophiala mesophila and provides salient differential features for distinguishing other mesophilic members of the genus.

AIM The study aimed to determine qualitative and quantitative contamination of dental unit reservoir water with aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria, with regards to health risk to dental staff and patients. MATERIALS & METHODS The study material included water samples from 107 unit reservoirs. Conventional microbiological methods were used. The isolated bacteria were divided into three...

Studies on dental units (DUs) are conducted either for the prevention or the reduction of the density of bacterial contamination in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). However, the existence of fungi in the these systems requires more attention. During dental treatment, direct contact with water contaminated with fungi such as Candida, Aspergillus, or inhalation of aerosols from high-speed drill ma...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa displays broad genetic diversity, giving it an astonishing capacity to adapt to a variety of environments and to infect a wide range of hosts. While many P. aeruginosa isolates of various origins have been analyzed, isolates from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients have received the most attention. Less is known about the genetic and phenotypic diversity of P. aeruginosa isolat...

The quality of dental unit water is of considerable importance since patients and dental staff are regularly exposed to water and aerosols generated from the dental unit. The unique feature of dental chair water lines is the capacity for rapid development of a biofilm on the dental water supply lines combined with the generation of potentially contaminated aerosols. The biofilm, which is derive...

The aim of the study was to assess microbial quality of water in dental unit waterlines in a dental school at Mangalore. Methodology: Water samples were taken from tap water for control, air/water syringe and the high speed hand piece of 20 dental units. The samples were transferred to the laboratory and streaked on the culture media namely Mac Conkey agar, Sabourauds dextrose media, Buffered c...

Effective infection control is one of the cornerstones of good practice and clinical governance. Due to a combination of negative publicity and an increased scientific knowledge of dental unit waterlines’ (DUWL) biofilms and their associated risks, contamination of dental unit waterl ines has become a prominent infection-control issue. The perceived threat to public health from DUWL contaminati...