An effect of communal caging on the streptococcal flora of the dental plaque of monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).
22 monkeys were randomly allocated to one or other of 2 communes and fed a caries-promoting high sucrose diet. After 28 weeks commune 1 (13 monkeys) was found to harbour Streptococcus mutans serotype e as the predominant streptococcal species, but no monkey in commune 2 harboured this serotype. Instead the 9 monkeys of commune 2 harboured Streptococcus milleri in their dental plaque. The significance of these observations on the use of monkeys as a model of human dental caries is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008251:Macaca / Q000382:microbiology*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000302:isolation & purification