Non-oral gram-negative facultative rods in chronic periodontitis microbiota

Acinetobacter baumannii as an oro-dental pathogen: a red alert!!

OBJECTIVES

This review highlights the existence and association of Acinetobacter baumannii with the oro-dental diseases, transforming this systemic pathogen into an oral pathogen. The review also hypothesizes possible reasons for the categorization of this pathogen as code blue due to its stealthy entry into the oral cavity.

METHODOLOGY

Study data were retrieved from various search engines reporting specifically on the association of A. baumannii in dental diseases and tray set-ups. Articles were also examined regarding obtained outcomes on A. baumannii biofilm formation, iron acquisitions, magnitude of antimicrobial resistance, and its role in the oral cancers.

RESULTS

A. baumannii is associated with the oro-dental diseases and various virulence factors attribute for the establishment and progression of oro-mucosal infections. Its presence in the oral cavity is frequent in oral microbiomes, conditions of impaired host immunity, age related illnesses, and hospitalized individuals. Many sources also contribute for its prevalence in the dental health care environment and the presence of drug resistant traits is also observed. Its association with oral cancers and oral squamous cell carcinoma is also evident.

CONCLUSIONS

The review calls for awareness on the emergence of A. baumannii in dental clinics and for the need for educational programs to monitor and control the sudden outbreaks of such virulent and resistant traits in the dental health care settings.

Antimicrobial Chemotherapy for Recalcitrant Severe Human Periodontitis

This study evaluated a combined systemic and topical anti-infective periodontal treatment of 35 adults who had experienced ongoing periodontal breakdown following conventional surgical periodontics. The prescribed anti-infective therapy, based on microbiological testing, consisted of a single course of metronidazole plus ciprofloxacin (23 patients), metronidazole plus amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (10 patients), and metronidazole plus ciprofloxacin followed by metronidazole plus amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (2 patients). In addition, the study patients received 0.1% povidone-iodine subgingival disinfection during non-surgical root debridement and daily patient administered oral irrigation with 0.1% sodium hypochlorite. At 1 and 5 years post-treatment, all study patients showed gains in clinical periodontal attachment with no further attachment loss, and significant decreases in pocket probing depth, bleeding on probing, and subgingival temperature. The greatest disease resolution occurred in patients who at baseline harbored predominantly major periodontal pathogens which post-antibiotics became non-detectable and substituted by non-periodontopathic viridans streptococci. The personalized and minimally invasive anti-infective treatment regimen described here controlled periodontitis disease activity and markedly improved the clinical and microbiological status of the refractory periodontitis patients.

Pasteurella multocida Toxin Aggravates Ligatured-Induced Periodontal Bone Loss and Inflammation via NOD-Like Receptor Protein 3 Inflammasome

NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is reportedly involved in periodontal pathogenesis. Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) is the major virulence factor of Pasteurella multocida strains, which belongs to the nonoral gram-negative facultative rods (GNFR). The existence of GNFR and their toxin may aggravate periodontitis. Therefore, it is important to unclose the regulatory mechanisms of PMT in periodontitis. However, the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome and PMT in periodontitis remain unclear. The results showed that NLRP3 expression was increased in periodontitis mice by immunohistochemical staining and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Nlrp3-/- mice showed less periodontal bone loss and lower abundances of Pasteurella multocida by 16S rRNA sequencing. PMT promoted NLRP3 expressions by activating nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of B cells (NF-κB) pathway and activated NLRP3 inflammasome. This effect was reversed by NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950. Furthermore, PMT aggravated periodontal bone loss and inflammation in WT mice, while MCC950 attenuated periodontal bone loss and inflammation. The Nlrp3-/- periodontitis models with PMT local injection showed less bone loss and inflammation compared with WT periodontitis mice after PMT treatment. Taken together, our results showed that PMT aggravates periodontal response to the ligature by promoting NLRP3 expression and activating NLRP3 inflammasome, suggesting that NLRP3 may be an effective target for the treatment of periodontitis caused by GNFR and MCC950 may be a potential drug against this disease.

Express detection of Escherichia coli and bacteria of the Escherichia coli group at the oral cavity

Currently, in the diagnosis of diseases, a decisive place is given to laboratory methods, which should be informative, relatively simple to perform and rapid. The article describes the approbation of a method for rapid detection of Escherichia coli and bacteria of Escherichia coli group in the oral cavity. Research involved 44 volunteers, who were sampled from the oral cavity, followed by incubation in Koda's medium. The study used oral (n=11) and gingival fluids (n=11); smears-prints from the oral mucosa (n=11); dental biofilm (n=11). After 24 hours, the change in color and transparency of the medium was assessed. The preservation of the initial green color and transparency by the medium meant the absence of E. coli and bacteria of Escherichia coli group in the sample. A change in the color of the medium to yellow, turbidity and / or the formation of bubbles indicated the presence of E. coli and bacteria of Escherichia coli group. In parallel, the material was inoculated onto Endo agar, followed by identification of strains to species. As a result of the study, a complete coincidence of the results of the classical bacteriological method and the method using Koda medium was shown. In the latter case, a significant advantage is the speed of obtaining the result (18-20 hours), in contrast to the classical method, the interpretation of the results of which is available only after 72 hours or more. All of this is in line with the state of the art in clinical microbiology and rapid diagnosis based on «point-of-care testing / doctor's office» diagnostic principle. The presented method can be successfully applied in clinical practice for topical diagnosis of microorganisms E. coli and bacteria of Escherichia coli group in the oral cavity.

Characterization of the Subgingival Cultivable Microbiota in Patients with Different Stages of Periodontitis in Spain and Colombia. A Cross-Sectional Study

The objective was to characterize and compare the subgingival microbiota in patients diagnosed according to the World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions 2018. For this cross-sectional study, Spanish and Colombian subjects (characterized as health/gingivitis, periodontitis in stages I-II or stages III-IV) were clinically assessed, and subgingival samples were taken and processed by culture. The comparisons among patients with periodontal status (and between countries) was made using Mann–Whitney, Kruskal–Wallis, ANOVA and chi-square tests. The final sample consisted of 167 subjects. Eikenella corrodens and Parvimonas micra were more frequently detected in health/gingivitis and Porphyromonas gingivalis in periodontitis (p < 0.05). Higher total counts were observed in Colombia (p = 0.036). In Spain, significantly higher levels of P. gingivalis and Campylobacter rectus were observed, and of Tannerella forsythia, P. micra, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Actinomyces odontolyticus and Capnocytophaga spp. in Colombia (p < 0.001). P. micra was more prevalent in health/gingivitis and stage I-II periodontitis in Colombia, and P. gingivalis in all periodontitis groups in Spain (p < 0.05). As conclusions, significant differences were detected in the microbiota between health/gingivitis and periodontitis, with minor differences between stages of periodontitis. Differences were also relevant between countries, with Colombia showing larger counts and variability of bacterial species.

Function-adaptive clustered nanoparticles reverse Streptococcus mutans dental biofilm and maintain microbiota balance

Dental plaques are biofilms that cause dental caries by demineralization with acidogenic bacteria. These bacteria reside inside a protective sheath which makes any curative treatment challenging. We propose an antibiotic-free strategy to disrupt the biofilm by engineered clustered carbon dot nanoparticles that function in the acidic environment of the biofilms. In vitro and ex vivo studies on the mature biofilms of Streptococcus mutans revealed >90% biofilm inhibition associated with the contact-mediated interaction of nanoparticles with the bacterial membrane, excessive reactive oxygen species generation, and DNA fragmentation. An in vivo examination showed that these nanoparticles could effectively suppress the growth of S. mutans. Importantly, 16S rRNA analysis of the dental microbiota showed that the diversity and richness of bacterial species did not substantially change with nanoparticle treatment. Overall, this study presents a safe and effective approach to decrease the dental biofilm formation without disrupting the ecological balance of the oral cavity.

Presence of non-oral bacteria in the oral cavity

A homeostatic balance exists between the resident microbiota in the oral cavity and the host. Perturbations of the oral microbiota under particular conditions can contribute to the growth of non-oral pathogens that are hard to kill because of their higher resistance to antimicrobials, raising the probability of treatment failure and reinfection. The presence of these bacteria in the oral cavity has been proven to be associated with several oral diseases such as periodontitis, caries, and gingivitis, and systemic diseases of importance in clinical medicine such as cystic fibrosis, HIV, and rheumatoid arthritis. However, it is still controversial whether these species are merely transient members or unique to the oral cavity. Mutualistic and antagonistic interactions between the oral microbiota and non-oral pathogens can also occur, though the mechanisms used by these bacteria are not clear. Therefore, this review presents an overview of the current knowledge about the presence of non-oral bacteria in the oral cavity, their relationship with systemic and oral diseases, and their interactions with oral bacteria.

Do Maternal Microbes Shape Newborn Oral Microbes?

Strong evidence suggests that the early composition of the oral microbiota of neonates plays an important role for the postnatal development of the oral health or immune system. However, the relationship between the maternal microbiome and the initial neonatal microbiome remains unclear. In this study, 25 pregnant women and their neonates were recruited, and the samples were collected from the maternal oral cavity, amniotic fluid, placenta and neonatal oral cavity. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform to analyze the correlation with microbial community structure between the maternal and the neonatal oral cavity. The results indicated that the number of shared OTUs was up to 635 in four groups. The PCoA showed that there were certain similarities in the microbial community structure of the four groups. The dominant bacterial genera of the shared OTUs were consistent with human oral microbes, including Streptococcus, Fusobacterium and Prevotella. The results showed that there might be a correlation between the maternal and neonatal oral microbiome, through the amniotic fluid and placenta.

Short-term effects of hyaluronic acid on the subgingival microbiome in peri-implantitis: A randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of a hyaluronic acid (HA) gel at 45 days on the microbiome of implants with peri-implantitis with at least 1 year of loading.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial was conducted in peri-implantitis patients. Swabs containing the samples were collected both at baseline and after 45 days of treatment. 16S rRNA sequencing techniques were used to investigate the effect of HA gel on the subgingival microbiome.

RESULTS

One hundred and eight samples of 54 patients were analyzed at baseline and after follow-up at 45 days. Three strata with different microbial composition were obtained in the samples at baseline, representing three main microbial consortia associated with peri-implantitis. Stratum 1 did not show any difference for any variable after treatment with HA, whereas in stratum 2, Streptococcus, Veillonella, Rothia, and Granulicatella did decrease (P < 0.05). Similarly, Prevotella and Campylobacter (P < 0.05) decreased in stratum 3 after treatment with HA. Microbial diversity was found to be decreased in stratum 3 (P < 0.05) after treatment with HA compared with the control group, in which an increase was found (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

HA reduced the relative abundance of peri-implantitis-related microorganisms, especially the early colonizing bacteria, suggesting a specific action during the first stages in the development of the disease. HA did not alter relative abundances of non-oral genera. The use of HA in advanced stages of peri-implantitis resulted in a decrease in microbial alpha diversity, suggesting a protective action of the peri-implant site against bacteria colonization.

Oral microbial biofilms: an update

Human oral cavity (mouth) hosts a complex microbiome consisting of bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi and viruses. These bacteria are responsible for two common diseases of the human mouth including periodontal (gum) and dental caries (tooth decay). Dental caries is caused by plaques, which are a community of microorganisms in biofilm format. Genetic and peripheral factors lead to variations in the oral microbiome. It has known that, in commensalism and coexistence between microorganisms and the host, homeostasis in the oral microbiome is preserved. Nonetheless, under some conditions, a parasitic relationship dominates the existing situation and the rise of cariogenic microorganisms results in dental caries. Utilizing advanced molecular biology techniques, new cariogenic microorganisms species have been discovered. The oral microbiome of each person is quite distinct. Consequently, commonly taken measures for disease prevention cannot be exactly the same for other individuals. The chance for developing tooth decay in individuals is dependent on factors such as immune system and oral microbiome which itself is affected by the environmental and genetic determinants. Early detection of dental caries, assessment of risk factors and designing personalized measure let dentists control the disease and obtain desired results. It is necessary for a dentist to consider dental caries as a result of a biological process to be targeted than treating the consequences of decay cavities. In this research, we critically review the literature and discuss the role of microbial biofilms in dental caries.

Non-oral, aerobic, Gram-negative bacilli in the oral cavity of Thai HIV-positive patients on Highly-active anti-retrovirus therapy medication

In the present study, we identified and evaluated the antibiotic susceptibility of 96 independent, aerobic, Gram-negative bacillus isolates from 255 Thai HIV-positive adults who were on Highly-active anti-retrovirus therapy (HAART) medication. Another 46 isolates from HIV non-HAART individuals, vertically transmitted HIV-positive individuals, and non-HIV controls were included for comparison. A total of 103 strains were tested for antibiotic susceptibility using disc diffusion for screening and E-test for minimal inhibitory concentration determination, with special attention on extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) isolates. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas luteola, Burkholderia cepacia, Aeromonas hydrophila, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter species were the most common bacteria. All strains were resistant against penicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin, and metronidazole. No ESBL isolates were found.

Dental biofilm infections - an update

Teeth are colonized by oral bacteria from saliva containing more than 700 different bacterial species. If removed regularly, the dental biofilm mainly comprises oral streptococci and is regarded as resident microflora. But if left undisturbed, a complex biofilm containing up to 100 bacterial species at a site will build up and may eventually cause development of disease. Depending on local ecological factors, the composition of the dental biofilm may vary considerably. With access to excess carbohydrates, the dental biofilm will be dominated by mainly gram-positive carbohydrate-fermenting bacteria causing demineralization of teeth, dental caries, which may further lead to inflammation and necrosis in the pulp and periapical region, i.e., pulpitis and periapical periodontitis. In supra- and subgingival biofilms, predominantly gram-negative, anaerobic proteolytic bacteria will colonize and cause gingival inflammation and breakdown of supporting periodontal fibers and bone and ultimately tooth loss, i.e., gingivitis, chronic or aggressive periodontitis, and around dental implants, peri-implantitis. Furthermore, bacteria from the dental biofilm may spread to other parts of the body by bacteremia and cause systemic disease. Basically, prevention and treatment of dental biofilm infections are achieved by regular personal and professional removal of the dental biofilm.

Introduction to Clinical Microbiology for the General Dentist

Clinical oral microbiology may help dental professionals identify infecting pathogenic species and evaluate their in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility. Saliva, dental plaque biofilms, mucosal smears, abscess aspirates, and soft tissue biopsies are sources of microorganisms for laboratory testing. Microbial-based treatment end points may help clinicians better identify patients in need of additional or altered dental therapies before the onset of clinical treatment failure, and help improve patient oral health outcomes. Microbiological testing appears particularly helpful in periodontal disease treatment planning. Further research and technological advances are likely to increase the availability and clinical utility of microbiological analysis in modern dental practice.

Oral ulcer by Sphingomonas paucimobilis: first report

The first case of an oral infection caused by Sphingomonas paucimobilis is reported. A 73-year-old man presented with a gingival ulcer with bone exposure affecting the attached gingiva in the anterior maxillary region. He reported pain during chewing and the presence of fever. Since the first case of S. paucimobilis infection was reported in 1977, involving a leg ulcer, the number of reports related to this organism has been increasing, indicating that the bacterium should be considered an emerging pathogen. It is possible that other non-classical pathogens of the oral cavity may be responsible for infectious lesions, which represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.