title: Identification of the actinomycete 16S ribosomal RNA gene by polymerase chain reaction in oral inflammatory lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the histopathological characteristics of inflammatory lesions containing Actinomyces based on DNA sequencing. Furthermore, case reports of actinomycosis in the maxillofacial region are summarized by a review of the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 12 cases of inflammatory lesions containing Actinomyces as diagnosed by DNA analysis. The average age of the subjects was 59 ± 15 years (6 males; 6 females).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of causative bacteria was: Actinomyces israelii in 9 cases, Actinomyces gerencseriae in 2 cases, and Actinomyces naeslundii in 1 case. Four cases diagnosed by DNA sequencing were positive for "Druse," a known morphological diagnostic characteristic of actinomycosis, and 8 cases lacked typical colony formation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DNA analysis using paraffin-embedded samples is effective for both early and accurate diagnosis of oral lesions containing Actinomyces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Matsudo, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Hospital of Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Matsudo, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: kuyama.kayo@nihon-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuyama
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Kimiharu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwadate
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saku
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S