The presence of endotoxin inside the root canal has been associated with periapical inflammation, bone resorption and symptomatic conditions.Objectives To determine, in vitro, the effect of QMix® and other three root canal irrigants in reducing the endotoxin content in root canals.Material and Methods Root canals of single-rooted teeth were prepared. Samples were detoxified with Co-60 irradiati...

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common genetic diseases in humans. We contend that it may be an emerging infectious disease and/or microbial toxicosis in a vulnerable human subpopulation. Use of a differential activation protocol for the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay showed bacterial endotoxin and fungal (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans in cyst fluids from human kidneys with PKD...

Horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus and Tachypleus tridentatus) possess a proteolytic blood coagulation system within their amebocytes that, after release and endotoxin activation, generates a polymerized insoluble coagulin clot. Clotting enzyme from horseshoe crab amebocyte lysate is the protease that activates the clottable protein (coagulogen) which then forms the coagulin clot. Comparison o...

The Limulus lysate assay was used to measure the endotoxin content in stream water and was found to reflect the degree of bacterial contamination as measured by coliform, enteric, gram-negative, and heterotrophic bacteria. The firm-clot method was found to be a less sensitive and reproducible technique for the detection of endotoxin than was the spectrophotometric modification of the Limulus ly...

In this issue of AIDS, Marks et al. [1] have reported significant associations between markers of microbial translocation and increased risk for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) in HIV-infected individuals. The authors examined prediagnostic blood samples from NHL and non-NHL HIV-infected individuals for different markers of microbial translocation. The results show that elevated plasma levels of s...