title: First characterization in Italy of clinical isolates of mutans streptococci by using specific monoclonal antibodies.
abstract: The aim of this investigation was to gain further insight into the prevalence of different serotypes of mutans streptococci in the Italian population by using specific monoclonal antibodies in an enzyme immunoassay. Isolates from dental plaque samples, collected from an adult population living in Pisa (Italy), were identified as mutans streptococci on the basis of their morphological and biochemical properties, and were then serotyped. The results show that 77.5% of the strains isolated belonged to serotype c or f (i.e., S. mutans), 15.9% were serotype e (i.e., S. mutans) and only two strains (1.4%) belonged to serotype g (i.e., S. sobrinus). These data are partially in agreement with other studies in Europe and in the U.S.A. The distribution pattern of the various serotypes turned out to be substantially similar among the different groups of patients, subdivided on the basis of their caries status, indicating that none of the serotypes was particularly associated with dental caries.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Batoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghelardi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnini
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minato
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Guica
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012703:Serotyping; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal