Enterococcus faecalis in Endodontic Infections: The Ultimate Survivor (original) (raw)
Related papers
Role of Enterococci faecalis in failure of Endodontic treatment
2013
The resident microbial flora in the oral cavity typically contains 10 bacteria (Mims et al., 2005). However, only 150 microbial species have been isolated and cultured from root canals. The endodontium is a sterile cavity and the invasion of oral microbes to establish infection is by the penetration to enamel and dentine and overcome the host responses (Bergenholtz, 1974). Although all the bacteria in the oral cavity can invade the root canal, only a few microbes have been identified in infected root canals (Miller, 1994; Sundqvist, 1994; Wilkins et al., 2003). Endodontic infections with Enterococcus faecalis are probably not derived from patients own microflora, which indicates that in these infections Enterococcus faecalis is of exogenous origin (Vidana et al., 2011).
2006 Stuart - Enterococcus faecalis - Its Role in Root Canal Treatment Failure
Enterococcus faecalis is a microorganism commonly detected in asymptomatic, persistent endodontic infections. Its prevalence in such infections ranges from 24% to 77%. This finding can be explained by various survival and virulence factors possessed by E. faecalis, including its ability to compete with other microorganisms, invade dentinal tubules, and resist nutritional deprivation. Use of good aseptic technique, increased apical preparation sizes, and inclusion of 2% chlorhexidine in combination with sodium hypochlorite are currently the most effective methods to combat E. faecalis within the root canal systems of teeth. In the changing face of dental care, continued research on E. faecalis and its elimination from the dental apparatus may well define the future of the endodontic specialty. (J Endod 2006;32:93-98)
Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Enterococcus faecalis Isolated From Root Canal: An In Vitro Study
Avicenna Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Background: One of the major causes of failure in root canal treatment is microorganisms like Enterococcus faecalis. Methods: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of triple antibiotic paste (TAP) containing ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, and minocycline in comparison with modified TAP (MTAP) containing metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, and clindamycin and calcium hydroxide on Enterococcus strains isolated from root canal of tooth associated with pre-apical lesion. Moreover, we evaluated the E. faecalis resistance and antibiotic susceptibility. To do so, 25 patients with previous failure of endodontic treatment were enrolled in this study. Results: The antimicrobial effect of MTAP10%, MTAP1%, TAP10%, TAP1%, and CaOH was significantly better than the positive control group (P <0.05). There was no significant difference between antimicrobial effect of TAP1% and MTAP1%, and CaOH was the least effective one. The antimicrobial effect of TAP10% was significantly better than MTAP10% ...
Acta odontologica Scandinavica, 2017
This study investigated the presence of Enterococcus faecalis in primary teeth with primary root canal infections and related to the possible failure of pulpectomy outcome after 36 months. Root canal samples were obtained from 25 out of 244 patients using the sterile paper cone method. The identification of E. faecalis was done with culture and molecular tests using species-specific 16S rRNA gene-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR). After 36 months, the pulpectomy outcome was evaluated. Enterococcus faecalis was found in five (20%) samples, and dental caries were the cause of primary infection in all of them. Pulpectomy outcome was evaluated only in teeth that completed the entire clinical protocol and were followed up to 36 months (n = 8). From these, 75% (n = 6) were successful and 25% (n = 2) failed. E. faecalis was present in 50% of both successful and failed cases. Enterococcus faecalis was not related to the failure of endodontic treatment of primary teeth.
Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology Oral Radiology and Endodontology, 2006
Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of Enterococcus faecalis in endodontic infections by culture and polymerase chain reaction analyses. Study design. Microbial samples were obtained from 50 teeth with untreated necrotic pulps (primary infection) and from 50 teeth with failing endodontic treatment (secondary infection). Culture techniques were used including serial dilution, plating, incubation, and biochemical identification. For PCR detection, samples were analyzed using a species-specific primer of the 16S rDNA and the downstream intergenic spacer region. Results. Culture and PCR detected the test species in 23 of 100 and 79 of 100 of the teeth, respectively. E faecalis was cultured from 2 (4%) of 50 necrotic canals and from 21 (42%) of 50 root-treated canals. PCR detection identified the target species in 41 (82%) and 38 (76%) of 50 primary and secondary infections respectively. Conclusion. E faecalis was detected as frequently in teeth with necrotic pulp as in teeth with failing endodontic treatment when a PCR analysis was used.
American Journal of Microbiological Research, 2013
Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive member of human gastrointestinal flora that is in recent years emerging as an important cause of endodontic infections. In this study, we have investigated the occurrence of virulence determinants and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of E. faecalis isolates, originating from root canals of apical periodontitis. Among 52 E. faecalis isolates, 32 (61.5%) isolates produced hemolysin on blood agar while all (100%) isolates showed hemolysin production on BHI-GA ((BHI medium supplemented with 1% glucose and 0.03% L-arginine), 18 (34.6%) produced gelatinase, 38 (73%) produced caseinase, no hemagglutination was observed in E. faecalis isolates, whereas all 52 (100%) resistant to serum and formed biofilm. Antibiotic susceptibility results showed that all (100%) E. faecalis isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, and vancomycin. Whereas, 32 (61.5%) E. faecalis isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol, 30 (57.6%) isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, 39 (75%) isolates were resistant to erythromycin, and 34 (65.3%) isolates were resistant to tetracycline. Multi-drug resistance was observed in 16 (30.7%) isolates of E. faecalis to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and tetracycline antibiotics. These findings demonstrate the presence of putative virulence determinants in E. faecalis isolates originating from root canal and suggest amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, and vancomycin as more effective than other antibiotics tested.
Research in Microbiology, 2011
The high prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis in root canal treated teeth with post-treatment disease, as evidenced by both molecular and traditional culturing methods, suggests that this species may be a key player in endodontic treatment failure. This study aimed to detect virulence factors by phenotypic and western blotting tests, and virulence genes by PCR from 20 clinical strains of E. faecalis isolated from treated root canals of teeth with (10) or without (10) apical periodontitis. Moreover, genomic diversity of these strains was assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and rep-PCR. All 20 strains presented the gelE gene (gelatinase), but 10 of them did not hydrolyze gelatin. Seven of the 10 gelatinase-producing isolates were recovered from root canals with lesions, which suggests a role for this virulence factor in the pathogenesis of post-treatment disease. The esp gene was expressed only in cases where gelatinase production was negative. The other virulence genes were found in 90% (efaA and ace genes), 45% (agg gene) and 95% (cpd gene) of the E. faecalis isolates. As for PFGE and rep-PCR, no specific clonal type of E. faecalis was found in association with teeth with or without disease, revealing the interindividual clonal diversity of endodontic infections.
Virulence factors of Enterococcus faecalis: relationship to endodontic disease
Critical reviews in oral biology and medicine : an official publication of the American Association of Oral Biologists, 2004
Enterococcus faecalis is a micro-organism that can survive extreme challenges. Its pathogenicity ranges from life-threatening diseases in compromised individuals to less severe conditions, such as infection of obturated root canals with chronic apical periodontitis. In the latter situation, the infecting organisms are partly shielded from the defense mechanisms of the body. In this article, we review the virulence factors of E. faecalis that may be related to endodontic infection and the periradicular inflammatory response. The most-cited virulence factors are aggregation substance, surface adhesins, sex pheromones, lipoteichoic acid, extracellular superoxide production, the lytic enzymes gelatinase and hyaluronidase, and the toxin cytolysin. Each of them may be associated with various stages of an endodontic infection as well as with periapical inflammation. While some products of the bacterium may be directly linked to damage of the periradicular tissues, a large part of the tissu...
Enterococcus Spp. in Endodontically Treated Teeth with and without Periradicular Lesions
Journal of Endodontics, 2005
The purpose of this study was to determine if Enterococcus spp. are more prevalent in endodontically-treated teeth with periradicular lesions compared with teeth that require retreatment but have no periradicular rarefaction. Fifty-eight teeth which had received root canal therapy more than one year previously and required retreatment were included.. Designation of lesion vs. no lesion was determined by two experienced endodontists. DNA extraction and PCR amplification were performed using ubiquitous 16S rDNA bacterial primers, as well as Enterococcus spp.-specific primers. The results showed that the overall prevalence of bacteria was 90% and Enterococcus spp. was 12%. Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between the presence of a lesion and the presence of bacteria, as detected by the universal primers (p=.032). Using logistic regression, a statistically significant relationship was found between teeth with normal periapex and the presence of Enterococcus spp. (p=.023). This study revealed that bacteria are siqnificantly associated with endodontic treatment failure but enterococci are not associated with disease.
The presence of Enterococcus faecalis in saliva as a risk factor for endodontic infection
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
AimThe aim of the present study was to investigate and correlate the prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis in saliva and in root canals with different pulpal and periapical conditions.MethodologySixty-seven patients were divided into five groups based on pulpal and periapical tissue status: healthy vital teeth (HVT, n=7), healthy treated teeth without lesion (HTT, n=9), irreversible pulpitis (IP, n=13), necrosis (N, n=18), and post-treatment apical periodontitis (PTAP, n=20). Saliva, rubber dam, sterility control and pre-treatment root canal samples were collected and microbiologically processed by culture method. The phylogenetic relationship of E. faecalis isolates collected from root canals and saliva were investigated by whole genome sequencing. Fisher’s exact test was used to correlate the presence of E. faecalis in root canals or saliva with clinical and/or radiographic findings. Linear/logistic regression analyses were performed to establish the relationship between the presenc...