Cytomegalovirus-infected inflammatory cells in dental periapical lesions.
BACKGROUND
As cytomegalovirus may be etiologically involved in periapical pathosis of endodontic origin, this study aimed to determine the cellular source of periapical cytomegalovirus.


METHODS
Periapical granulomatous tissue was collected from 15 extracted teeth with symptomatic periapical lesions. Multi-color flow cytometry was used to identify cytomegalovirus-infected cells.


RESULTS
Cytomegalovirus infection was identified in 10 of the 15 (67%) study lesions, and in periapical monocytes/macrophages (40% of lesions) and T lymphocytes (54% of lesions), but not in periapical B lymphocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
This study and previous polymerase chain reaction-based investigations show that cytomegalovirus is a frequent inhabitant of symptomatic periapical lesions.
Sabeti
M
M
Department of Endodontics, University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0641, USA.
Daneshmand
A
A
Simon
J H
JH
Slots
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000821:virology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000821:virology; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D010484:Periapical Granuloma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology