Gemella morbillorum in primary and secondary/persistent endodontic infections

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Endodontics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Gemella morbillorum is a bacterium implicated in various infections.
• Endodontic infections, both primary and secondary/persistent, present diagnostic challenges.
• Accurate identification of microbial agents is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of Gemella morbillorum in primary versus secondary/persistent endodontic infections.
• To compare the efficacy of culture methods versus nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detecting Gemella morbillorum.

Main Methods:

• Microbial samples were collected from 100 patients with endodontic infections (50 primary, 50 secondary/persistent).
• Samples were analyzed using standard culture techniques for bacterial identification.
• Nested PCR with species-specific primers was employed to detect Gemella morbillorum DNA.

Main Results:

• Gemella morbillorum was detected in 23% of root canals by culture and 77% by PCR.
• Culture identified the bacteria in 38% of primary and 8% of secondary/persistent infections.
• PCR detected Gemella morbillorum in 82% of primary and 72% of secondary/persistent infections.

Conclusions:

• Gemella morbillorum occurs more frequently in primary endodontic infections compared to secondary/persistent ones.
• Nested PCR is a more sensitive method than culture for detecting Gemella morbillorum in endodontic infections.