Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.2.1.23 (beta-galactosidase)
 14,648 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Bad breath is a common condition, difficult to assess in the general population. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that a self-administered questionnaire can help identify factors associated with greater risk of oral malodor. Persons (n = 88) undergoing routine medical check-ups completed a questionnaire including 38 questions on general and oral health, dietary habits, and their own oral malodor levels. Oral malodor assessments included odor judge scores, volatile sulfide levels (via a Halimeter, Interscan Corp.), and salivary beta-galactosidase. Among the questionnaire results, 9 responses were significantly associated with odor judge scores (p < 0.05, unpaired t test), including questions on alcohol intake and body mass index (BMI). Predictions of odor judge scores based on these 9 questions (linear multiple regression analysis) yielded R = 0.601; when introduced together with Halimeter and beta-galactosidase scores, the correlation rose to R = 0.843. The results suggest that alcohol intake and BMI may be factors that help predict oral malodor.
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PMID:Association among bad breath, body mass index, and alcohol intake. 1789 Jun 78

Previous studies suggest that Solobacterium moorei is associated with oral halitosis. In the present study, we examined the prevalence of S. moorei on the dorsal surface of the tongue in 57 adults (21 with and 36 without halitosis) by bacterial culture and direct amplification of nucleic acids. We also examined the S. moorei type strain and four clinical isolates for 16S ribosomal nucleic acid sequence, H(2)S and enzyme production, and antibiotic susceptibility. S. moorei was found on the dorsal surface of the tongue in 100% of the subjects with halitosis and 14% of subjects without halitosis. Infection with S. moorei was correlated with organoleptic measures of halitosis and with volatile sulfur compound levels. Nucleic acid probe detection of S. moorei as a test for halitosis exhibited 100% sensitivity and 86% specificity. The S. moorei type strain and all four clinical isolates showed >98% 16S rDNA sequence similarity, produced H(2)S, demonstrated acid phosphatase, beta-galactosidase, alpha-glucosidase, esterase, leucine arylamidase and naphthol phosphohydrolase enzyme activities, and were sensitive to all antibiotics tested except gentamicin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid and rifampin. This study supports the hypothesis that S. moorei is associated with halitosis.
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PMID:Characterization and prevalence of Solobacterium moorei associated with oral halitosis. 2138 46