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Staphylococcus lugdunensis--a potential pathogen in oral infection
1Department of Oral Biochemistry, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus lugdunensis in acute oral infection.
Study Design:
S. lugdunensis was isolated from patients with acute oral infections and from healthy control subjects. Antibiotic susceptibility, in vitro cellular toxicity, in vivo virulence, and hemolytic activity testing and dot blot analysis were performed. The statistical significance of in vitro cellular toxicity was determined by means of analysis of variance.
Results:
Isolated from the infected patients, S. lugdunensis showed resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, methicillin, cephalothin, and clindamycin, exhibited virulence in vivo, and showed delta-like hemolysin activity. Four of the 6 strains of S. lugdunensis gave synergistic hemolysis. In dot blot analysis, S. lugdunensis showed a positive reaction to the probe of the delta-hemolysin gene in S. aureus.
Conclusions:
The results suggest that S. lugdunensis may be a potential pathogen in acute oral infection.
Insights
Staphylococcus lugdunensis, a bacterium found in oral infections, demonstrates antibiotic resistance and virulence factors. This suggests its potential role as a pathogen in acute oral infections.
Area of Science:
- Oral Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
Background:
- Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a coagulase-negative staphylococci species.
- Its role in oral infections is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus lugdunensis in acute oral infections.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of S. lugdunensis from patients with oral infections and healthy controls.
- Assessment of antibiotic susceptibility, in vitro cellular toxicity, in vivo virulence, and hemolytic activity.
- Dot blot analysis for delta-hemolysin gene detection.
Main Results:
- S. lugdunensis strains exhibited resistance to multiple antibiotics, including penicillin, ampicillin, methicillin, cephalothin, and clindamycin.
- The isolates displayed in vivo virulence and delta-like hemolysin activity, with synergistic hemolysis observed in four strains.
- Dot blot analysis confirmed the presence of the delta-hemolysin gene.
Conclusions:
- S. lugdunensis possesses virulence factors and antibiotic resistance relevant to oral infections.
- The findings suggest S. lugdunensis is a potential pathogen in acute oral infections.