title: Detection of Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans in previously root-filled teeth in a population of Gujarat with polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Micro-organisms are the primary causative agents of endodontic infections. Phenotype based procedures for bacterial identification has certain drawbacks especially, when investigating the microbiota of root-filled teeth. Thus, more sensitive methods like Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can provide results that are more accurate and reliable for the microbial prevalence in the root filled teeth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we have investigated twenty symptomatic root-filled teeth with chronic apical periodontitis for the prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans in the root filled teeth associated with symptomatic cases with or without periradicular lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microbiological samples were taken from the canals immediately after removal of previous gutta percha cones using aseptic techniques. After removal of root canal filling, samples were obtained with paper points placed in the canal. Paper points were transferred to a cryotube containing "Tris EDTA" buffer and immediately frozen at -20°C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By PCR amplification of the samples using taxon specific primers, E. faecalis was found to be prevalent species, detected in 65% of the cases and C. albicans was detected in 35% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study shows that geographical influence and dietary factors might have some role to play in the prevalence of the species like C. albicans and presence of E. faecalis confirming the assertion of previous culture-dependent and independent approaches for the microbiological survey of root filled teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Bruhvi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Poptani
authors.forename: Murali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharaff
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Archana
authors.forename: Vaishali
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parekh
keywords: Candida albicans; Enterococcus faecalis; polymerase chain reaction; root filled teeth