title: Beta-lactamases producing anaerobic bacteria in dentoalveolar abscesses.
abstract: Pus samples of 30 patients with closed dentoalveolar abscesses who had not received antimicrobial therapy for at last two months were screened for the presence of beta-lactamase-producing anaerobic bacteria. From these 30 pus samples, a total of 112 bacterial strains were isolated; 83 of them were strict anaerobes and 29 were aerobes. beta-lactamases activity of the selected anaerobic bacteria was tested after identification of the isolates and was detected in 5 of the total 83 (6%) strict anaerobic isolates, whereas these 5 strains were isolated in 4 of the 30 (13.3%) pus samples. The species with beta-lactamase activity were in the Prevotella intermedia (4 from 14 isolates) and the Fusobacterium nucleatum (1 from 9 isolates) groups. None of the gram-positive and the other gram-negative anaerobic strains were beta-lactamase positive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine/Pathology, Dental School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolokotronis
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000382:microbiology*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013492:Suppuration / Q000382:microbiology; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D001618:beta-Lactamases