Assessment of the endodontic microbiota of abscessed primary teeth using microarray technology

Knowledge of the microbial composition of abscessed primary tooth is limited. Aim: The aim was to investigate the presence of 10 oral bacterial species in samples from abscessed primary tooth root canals using microarray technology and to determine their association with clinical findings. Subjects and Methods: The samples were collected from root canals of 20 primary molars with acute primer infection. The bacterial composition of the samples was semi-quantitatively defined using a microarray system (ParoCheck®). Clinical parameters included the presence of spontaneous pain, mobility, percussion sensitivity and swelling. Statistical Analysis: Data were statistically analyzed by Student' t-test, Fisher's exact Chi-square test, Freeman–Halton–Fisher's exact test, and Spearman's rho correlation analysis. Results: All the tested species were detected in the samples. Fusobacterium nucleatum was the most frequent bacterium (100%), followed by Parvimonas micra (65%), Provetella intermedia (45%), and Treponema denticola (45%). According to paired bacterial combinations, F. nucleatum was significantly positively correlated with P. intermedia and P. micra (P < 0.05). T. denticola was significantly positively correlated with Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Campylobacter rectus, and P. micra, while it was negatively correlated with Eikenella corrodens (P < 0.05). No statistically significant relationships were found between the presence of any bacteria and clinical findings. Conclusion: Microarray technology used in this study has demonstrated the presence of various bacteria with varying proportions in the root canals of abscessed primary teeth. The results regarding the high rate of certain bacterial combinations suggest the enhanced pathogenicity due to additive or synergistic effects of these microbial combinations.

Presence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in saliva and cardiac tissue samples of children with congenital heart disease.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to analyze the presence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in saliva and cardiac tissue samples of children requiring cardiac surgery in Istanbul, Turkey. Subjects and Methods: Twenty‑five patients (mean age: 6.24 ± 2.93) undergoing surgery for congenital heart defects (CHDs) and an age/gender‑matched control group of 25 healthy children were enrolled in the study. Saliva samples were collected from all children; plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) were also determined. In CHD group, cardiac tissue samples were received during surgery. All samples were evaluated for the presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans and its highly leukotoxic JP2 clonal strains using polymerase chain reaction. The findings were analyzed by Mann–Whitney U, Chi‑square, and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: No significant differences were found in PI and GI values between the groups. A. actinomycetemcomitans was not detected in cardiac tissue samples. A. actinomycetemcomitans in saliva was detected in 2 (8%) of the CHD and 5 (20%) of the control children (p > 0.05). A. actinomycetemcomitans JP2 clonal strains were determined from 1 (4%) of the control group while it was not determined from the samples of the CHD group. Conclusions: Early colonization of A. actinomycetemcomitans in oral cavities could be assessed as a risk marker for periodontal disease. Periodontal pathogens may enter bloodstream through bacteremia; thus, the presence of periodontal pathogens in the oral cavity of children should be assessed as a risk marker for cardiac diseases in older ages.