title: Isolation of Propionibacterium acnes among the microbiota of primary endodontic infections with and without intraoral communication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The presence of opportunistic pathogens such as Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) may contribute to the endodontic pathology. The presence of P. acnes may be influenced by different endodontic conditions. The aims of the study were firstly, to identify P. acnes within the whole cultivable microbiota of primary endodontic infections, to investigate which P. acnes phylotypes predominate in such infections and secondly to determine if the presence of an "open" communication (e.g. a sinus) can be associated with the isolation of P. acnes from the root canal.
  
  
  METHODS
  The predominant cultivable microbiota of 15 primary endodontic lesions (7 without communication with the oral environment and 8 with an open communication) were identified using partial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence analysis. The identification of the organism was determined by interrogating the Human Oral Microbiome Database. The P. acnes isolates were typed on the basis of the recA gene sequence comparison. A neighbor-joining tree was constructed using MEGA 4.1 with the inclusion of known recA sequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the number of species identified from lesions without communication (5.86 ± 3.7) and those with communication (5.37 ± 3.6) (P > 0.05). PCR-based 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed P. acnes as the most prevalent isolate recovered from lesions with communication. recA gene sequencing revealed two phylogenetic lineages present in lesion with communication, with mainly type I (further split into type IA and type IB) and type II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of P. acnes as opportunistic pathogens has been confirmed and may sustain the traits observed in specific clinical presentations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical management of open lesions may require further disinfection to eliminate opportunistic bacteria.
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 22, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.|Department of Microbiology, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 17, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
authors: Sadia Ambreen
authors: SA
authors: Niazi
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 22, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
authors: Hana Suleiman
authors: HS
authors: Al Kharusi
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 22, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
authors: Shanon
authors: S
authors: Patel
authors: Department of Microbiology, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 17, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.|Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, Floor 5, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK.
authors: Kenneth
authors: K
authors: Bruce
authors: Department of Microbiology, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 17, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Beighton
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 22, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK. federico.foschi@kcl.ac.uk.|Biomaterials, Biomimetics and Biophotonics Group, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 17, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK. federico.foschi@kcl.ac.uk.
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: Foschi
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 22, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.|Biomaterials, Biomimetics and Biophotonics Group, King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospital, Floor 17, Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' St, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Mannocci
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064307:Microbiota; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D016155:Oral Fistula / Q000382:microbiology*; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Endodontic disease; Fistula; Nosocomial infection; P. acnes