High prevalence of cfxA beta-lactamase in aminopenicillin-resistant Prevotella strains isolated from periodontal pockets.

This prospective study was designed to investigate amoxicillin-resistant oral anaerobes, and to identify their beta-lactamase-encoding genes. Three subgingival bacterial samples were collected from 12 patients suffering from periodontitis. One to seven beta-lactamase-producing strains were obtained from each patient, mostly belonging to the Prevotella genus (Bacteroides eggerthii, 2/35 strains; Prevotella sp., 33/35 strains). PCR assays were used to detect cfxA and cepA/cblA, the genes encoding class A/group2e beta-lactamases previously described in the Bacteroides fragilis group. The present investigation confirmed the role of Prevotella species as beta-lactamase producers in periodontal pockets. Additionally, this PCR screening showed (1): the high prevalence of CfxA beta-lactamase production by aminopenicillin-resistant Prevotella (32/33: 97.0% positive strains) vs. cepA/cblA (1/33: 3.0% positive strains), and (2) the presence of cfxA in the periodontal reservoir in the absence of antimicrobial therapy during the previous 6 months.

Resistance profile survey of 50 periodontal strains of Actinobacillus actinomyectomcomitans.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic resistance has been increasingly described among bacterial species colonizing periodontal pockets, particularly in Prevotella and Porphyromonas spp. strains producing beta-lactamases, and frequently associated with resistance to tetracycline and erythromycin. These resistance genes may be carried on motile genetic elements, or transposons, capable of interspecies and intergeneric transmission among bacterial strains colonizing a same ecological niche. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the resistance profile of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and the prevalence of A. actinomycetemcomitans strains producing beta-lactamases in periodontal pockets. METHODS: Fifty strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans were isolated from 42 patients with adult periodontitis. No patient had periodontal or antibiotic therapy in the previous 6 months. Bacterial samples were collected from periodontal pockets > or =5 mm, appropriately diluted, inoculated onto selective medium (chocolate blood agar with bacitracin 75 microg/ml and vancomycin 5 microm/ml) and incubated for 5 days at 37 degrees C in air with 5% CO2. After conventional identification, susceptibility testing to 11 antibiotics was performed by the broth dilution method, in trypticase soy broth supplemented with yeast extract, hemin, and 0.1% NaHCO3 to maintain microaerophilic conditions in the microtitration plate wells by CO2 formation. RESULTS: No strain demonstrated resistance to amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination, pristinamycin, or ciprofloxacin at the breakpoint, but 40% of the strains were slightly resistant to penicillin G, and 4% were resistant to erythromycin, 90% to spiramycin, 18% to clarythromycin, 4% to tetracycline, 72% to metronidazole, and 12% to ornidazole. Amoxicillin, followed by tetracycline and erythromycin, was the most effective antibiotic on A. actinomycetemcomitans. The phenotypic research of a beta-lactamase was negative for all the strains tested. CONCLUSIONS: In this work, most A. actinomycetemcomitans strains were resistant to metronidazole, but the amoxicillin-metronidazole association may be of interest against subgingival anaerobic and capnophilic mixed flora. Pristinamycin and ciprofloxacin appeared as effective alternative monotherapies against A. actinomycetemcomitans. The threat of beta-lactam antibiotic resistance related to beta-lactamase production is currently not a problem with A. actinomycetemcomitans as it has been reported in oral anaerobes.

Comparative study of physical properties of three suture materials: silk, e-PTFE (Gore-Tex), and PLA/PGA (Vicryl).

The aim of this in-vitro study was to compare the physical properties of three suture materials used in periodontal surgery: silk, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE), and polylactic acid/polyglycolic and (PLA/PGA). Five physical tests were carried out on each of the three suture materials: strain to failure, tensile strength, knot tensile strength, knot slippage, and capillarity. For each test, 30 samples of each suture material were used. In all cases, the statistical results showed that the e-PTFE and the PLA/PGA threads were superior.

Prevalence of beta-lactamase-producing strains among 149 anaerobic gram-negative rods isolated from periodontal pockets.

In a prospective study, 47 adults presenting a rapidly progressive periodontitis were selected in order to evaluate the prevalence of beta-lactamase-producing strains among oral anaerobic gram-negative rods. Predominant anaerobes were identified from two of the deepest periodontal pockets. beta-Lactamase-positive strains fulfilled to at least two of three criteria: positive nitrocefin test, penicillin Etest minimal inhibitory concentration > 1 microgram/ml, and disk diffusion synergy between amoxycillin and clavulanic acid > 10 mm. At least one beta-lactamase-producing strain was found in 53.2% of patients and 39.4% of the periodontal pockets investigated. Prominent beta-lactamase-positive species were Prevotella buccae and Prevotella intermedia (respectively 16 of 38: 42% and 18 of 52: 35% positive strains), followed by Prevotella bivia, Prevotella disiens, Prevotella denticola and Fusobacterium nucleatum (respectively 1 of 6: 17%, 1 of 10: 10%, 1 of 10: 10%, and 1 of 13: 8% positive strains). No beta-lactamase producer could be evidenced in Porphyromonas gingivalis (10 strains tested). All the beta-lactamase-positive strains with the nitrocefin test had penicillin minimal inhibitory concentrations > 1 microgram/ml with the Etest, and a strong synergy between amoxicillin and clavulanic acid was always observed.

Effects of combined topical metronidazole and mechanical treatment on the subgingival flora in deep periodontal pockets in cuspids and bicuspids.

The Effect on the subgingival microflora of a single topical administration of a 95% collagen and 5% metronidazole device in combination with debridement was investigated in 30 adult periodontitis patients in comparison with mechanical treatment alone. For each patient, plaque samples from test and control sites in cuspids and bicuspids were collected for culture and enumeration of total anaerobically cultivable bacteria (TA), black-pigmented anaerobes (BPA), and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa). Spirochetes and fusiforms were quantified by direct microscopic examination after Giemsa staining. A decrease was observed for all parameters, and a significant difference in comparison with the control group was found for fusiforms. After treatment, a lower number of Aa positive sites were observed in the test group (13/25). These results show that a single application of topical metronidazole seems to be effective as adjunctive antimicrobial treatment in adult periodontitis.

Topical metronidazole as an adjunct to subgingival debridement in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of a single application of a 5% metronidazole collagen device in periodontal pockets deeper than 5 mm, in association with debridement and without reinforcement of home care and hygiene as practiced by the patient at any time. Pocket depth, attachment level, bleeding on probing, gingival index and plaque index were assessed at baseline, and on days 15, 30 and 90. Analysis of data from 28 patients indicated that both debridement and metronidazole therapy decreased pocket depth, bleeding on probing and gingival index, but results were significantly better with metronidazole. These results indicate that topical metronidazole provides an effective adjunctive treatment of advanced periodontitis.

Histological and ultrastructural study of one case of oral bacillary angiomatosis in HIV disease and review of the literature.

Bacillary angiomatosis (BA) is a new clinicopathological entity defined as a pseudo-neoplastic capillary proliferation secondary to an opportunistic infection by one of two Rochalimaea sp.: R. quintana or R. henselae. Although BA is a recently recognised entity, numerous cases have been reported. Most of the patients affected are reported to have low absolute CD4 lymphocyte counts associated with AIDS. Yet, very few oral cases associated or not with cutaneous lesions have been reported or simply identified. Histopathological and ultrastructural features of one case of oral BA with gingival and palatal lesions are presented. Clinical aspects of oral BA do not hold pathognomonic features and the lesions may resemble either a reactive lesion of the gingiva, pyogenic granuloma or Kaposi's sarcoma. The lesion is characteristically composed of circumscribed lobular capillary proliferations and the presence of granular amphophilic material on haematoxylin and eosin sections surrounded by neutrophils and neutrophilic debris is a clue to diagnosis. Demonstration of bacilli in the interstitium by the Warthin-Starry silver method or, better, by electron microscopy is diagnostic. BA may contribute to the death of the patient but erythromycin has proved to be very effective treatment.

[Relationship between vital pulp and deep periodontal pockets]. / Relations entre pulpe vitale et tissus parodontaux profonds.

From clinical observation, the relationships between vital pulp and deep periodontal pockets are discussed. The bone healing of infra periodontal pocket is not performed after periodontal treatment, but after pulpectomy.

[Experimental study of a metronidazole gel inserted in periodontal pockets]. / Etude expérimentale d'un gel de metronidazole inséré dans des poches parodontales.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a gel containing 4% metronidazole and collagen in periodontal pockets deeper than 4 mm. The treatment was utilized in 10 subjects with pocketing in the premolar-molar regions. The experimental design was as follows: one quadrant was treated with scaling and root planning (S), one with the metronidazole gel (M), one with scaling, root planning and metronidazole gel (S & M), and the last quadrant remained untreated. Pocket depths, gingival index (GI), sulcular bleeding index (SBI) and plaque indices were recorded at 7, 14 and 30 days after the experiment began. Significant improvement of the parameters studied was noted in the S & M quadrants.

Quantification of T6+ and HLA/DR+ Langerhans cells in normal and inflamed human gingiva.

Langerhans cells are dendritic non epithelial cells found in the gingiva. The latest research in immunohistochemistry suggests that they may play an important role in the cellular immune response. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the number of Langerhans cells in association with gingival inflammation and the use of monoclonal antibodies reacting with two different antigens: T6 and HLA-DR, present on the cell membrane. Results indicate that Langerhans cells are mostly T6+; but HLA-DR appears as a good functional marker. Langerhans cells may play an important role in the cellular immune response to bacterial antigens in moderate inflammation of the gingiva.

[The role of cellular immunity in gingival inflammation through a study of the cells of Langerhans]. / La place de l'immunité de type cellulaire dans l'inflammation gingivale à travers l'étude des cellules de Langerhans.

The purpose of this semiquantitative study was to evaluate the number of Langerhans cells in correlation with gingival inflammation and the use of two antisera: anti-T6 and anti-HLA/DR reacting with two different membrane antigens. Results indicate that HLA/DR is a better functional marker, and that the number of Langerhans cells is higher in the moderate inflammation of the gingiva (G.I. 1 to 2).

S-100 immunolabelling of Langerhans cells in oral epithelium.

Langerhans cells (LCs) are dendritic cells usually present in the suprabasal regions of squamous epithelia remarkable by the presence of Fc IgG and C3 receptors, Ia/Dr, T-6 and T-4 antigens on their membranes. Conventional and immunohistochemical techniques for identification of LCs require special fixation procedures and are incompatible with paraffin embedding. A method for staining LCs, in routine fixed and paraffin-embedded material, based on the use of antiserum against S-100 proteins is presented. The problem arising from the simultaneous staining of melanocytes is discussed. S-100 positive dendritic cells should be considered as LCs when fulfilling 3 criteria: located in the suprabasal layers of the epithelium; the whole cell body being visible; with at least one dendritic process.