New bacterium involved in childhood caries discovered
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- Published: Monday, 14 March 2011 12:52
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| Researchers at the Forsyth Institute in the USA have made a significant discovery about the nature of childhood dental disease. The studies identified a new pathogen connected to severe early childhood caries. The bacterium was present in the mouths of children with severe early childhood caries when other known pathogens such as Streptococcus mutans were not detected. |
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The studies in Cambridge Massachusetts were led by Anne Tanner, who identified the bacterium, Scardovia wiggsiae, which was present in the mouths of affected children. The researchers say the finding may offer the potential to intervene and halt the progression of disease.
“In my work, I have seen the tremendous public health impact of severe early childhood caries,” said Dr Anne Tanner, “Understanding the causes of severe dental decay in young children is the first step in identifying an effective cure.”
Severe early childhood caries (ECC), while strongly associated with Streptococcus mutans using selective detection methods (culture, PCR), has also been associated with other bacteria using molecular cloning approaches. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiota of severe-ECC using anaerobic culture. The microbial composition of dental plaque from 42 severe-ECC children was compared with that of caries-free children. Bacterial samples were cultured anaerobically on blood and acid (pH 5) agars. Isolates were purified, and partial sequences for the 16S rRNA gene were obtained from 5608 isolates. Sequence based analysis of the 16S rRNA isolate libraries from blood and acid agars of severe-ECC and caries-free children had >90% population coverage with greater diversity in the blood isolate library. Isolate sequences were compared with taxa sequences in the Human Oral Microbiome Database (HOMD) and 198 HOMD taxa were identified, including 45 previously uncultivated taxa, 29 extended HOMD taxa and 45 potential novel groups. The major species associated with severe-ECC included Streptococcus mutans, Scardovia wiggsiae, Veillonella parvula, Streptococcus cristatus and Actinomyces gerensceriae. S. wiggsiae was significantly associated with severe-ECC children in the presence and absence of S. mutans. Dr. Tanner and her team conclude that anaerobic culture detected as wide a diversity of species in ECC as observed using cloning approaches. Culture coupled with 16S rRNA identification identified over 74 isolates for human oral taxa without previously cultivated representatives. The major caries-associated species were S. mutans and S. wiggsiae, the latter of which is a candidate as a newly recognized caries pathogen.
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