title: Virulence of Streptococcus mutans: an antibiotic-suppressed rat model for studies of pathogenesis.
abstract: This investigation describes a simple and effective method of antibiotic suppression of the total indigenous microbiol flora of rats. Specifically, the results of this study demonstrate that: (1) antibiotics which inhibit microbial growth of oral and fecal cultures from individual rats are effective in suppressing the indigenous flora of 95% of these rats when provided as dietary supplements; (2) S mutans 6715 colonized 95% of the antibiotic-suppressed animals while only 50% of the untreated rat pups yielded S mutans following challenge with a single inoculum of this micro-organism; and (3) significant smooth surface caries developed in S mutans-infected rats within 20 days when provided caries-promoting Diet 305, while noninfected, antibiotic-suppppressed offspring remained essentially caries-free.
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002228:Carbenicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002512:Cephalothin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D051381:Rats; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D000667:Ampicillin; D002228:Carbenicillin; D002512:Cephalothin