title: A preliminary study on the screening of emerging drug resistance among the caries pathogens isolated from carious dentine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental caries being the commonest unmet public health problem indicates its need to urge the dentists to overcome this problem globally. Caries exhibit in different types and is found to be associated with co-aggregation property of microbial flora with other oral hygienic factors. In spite of the surgical removals, excavations and administration of antimicrobials for carious dentine, there seems to be repeated infection and chronic prevalence of caries. A complete understanding of microbial etiology and prevention of emerging drug-resistant strains will aid in the eradication of this chronic dentine problem condition from the oral cavity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study is aimed to isolate the predominant bacterial pathogens associated with caries and to screen for the emergence of drug resistance among the isolated caries pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carious dentine specimens were collected from 75 endodontic patients and the samples were processed microbiologically to isolate the caries pathogens. Identification of the strains was done by standard biochemical characterization studies. Statistical analysis of the isolates was done by Pearson Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. The predominant isolates were subjected to antimicrobial sensitivity test using Kirby Bauer's method. The results were recorded and analyzed for drug resistance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carious dentine samples yielded a high percentage of Lactobacillus sp., and Candida albicans from different type of caries. Among the study population, dentinal caries was the most predominant type affecting most males with other associated risk factors. Nearly 47.3% of the isolated Lactobacillus sp. and 55.5% of the yeast C. albicans were screened to show resistance against the antimicrobials used for the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study concludes by stating that Lactobacillus sp., and C. albicans are mostly involved in the caries etiology and show resistance to the commonest antimicrobial agent. This implicates the need for periodical antimicrobial susceptibility examination of the caries pathogens that will aid to prevent the emergence of resistance property among the dentinal pathogenic organisms.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Madhuravoyal, Chennai, India.
authors: Girija A S
authors: GA
authors: Smiline
authors: Suba K
authors: SK
authors: Pandi
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Hariprasad
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Raguraman
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000187:drug effects; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D003804:Dentin / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D017213:Root Caries / Q000382:microbiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B; D002710:Chlorhexidine