title: Endodontic and salivary isolates of Enterococcus faecalis integrate into biofilm from human salivary bacteria cultivated in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine whether Enterococcus faecalis isolates from endodontic patients (from saliva and from a root canal) are able to prevail against salivary bacteria when grown in coculture in a biofilm reactor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Saliva that was tested to be free of E. faecalis was used as the inoculum. The fate of E. faecalis was examined by using culture techniques and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The root canal isolate accounted for 37.4% of the biofilm and 31.9% of the planktonic phase when examined by the culture technique, whereas the proportions examined by FISH showed 15.3% in the biofilm and 11.7% in the planktonic phase. The saliva isolate (as examined by the culture technique) accounted for 32.4% in the biofilm and 27.1% in the planktonic phase, respectively, compared with 14.1% in the biofilm and 9.5% in the planktonic phase when examined by FISH analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results led to the suggestion that E. faecalis could persist in the biofilm of the human oral cavity. Because of the ubiquitous presence of E. faecalis, root canal infections may arise from different sources.
authors: Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany. ali.al-ahmad@uniklinikfreiburg.de
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Al-Ahmad
authors: Nada
authors: N
authors: Müller
authors: Margit
authors: M
authors: Wiedmann-Al-Ahmad
authors: Irina
authors: I
authors: Sava
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Hübner
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Follo
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Schirrmeister
authors: Elmar
authors: E
authors: Hellwig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000898:Antibiosis; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002417:Cattle; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000382:microbiology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors